Rock of namma ooru: How rock and metal music expanding in the city

The beauty of Bengaluru, is that it has always been a port for quality live music. Year in and year out, the city seems to produce and host some very talented and unique bands that never cease to impress.

Although it may not seem as such, youngsters of today have been looking back in time to search for more substantial, raw and organic music that can fill their souls to satiety. This thirst for such music is definitely a good sign for the Rock and Metal scene in Bengaluru, that seems to be snail-paced but still gradually growing.

Dedicated event organisers and musicians alike are making sure that quality shows are being produced. It is also heartening to see bands performing in various venues spread through the city.

A number of venues are now actively encouraging and playing host to Rock and Metal gigs that certainly bring out the true diversity and flavour of namma ooru. Bands like Dark Light, Rainburn, Space Is All We Have, D’s Kitchen and Clown With the Frown from the Rock genre, have become quite popular among audiences. They are also encouraging of fresher faces and newer bands to perform gigs on weekdays, which really seems to be hitting off.

It is also interesting to note how accepting and diverse the audience tastes are growing to be with time. A lot of these venues are jam packed with the most encouraging audience, whether a the band is just starting off or is already established.

And to think that it is only a matter of time and patience that has gotten the scene so far! Metal bands like Grossty, Shepherd, Dark Desolation, Threinody, Djinn and Miskatonic are bands that may never have been accepted perhaps, a few years ago are now being appreciated and savoured by this diverse crowd. All of these bands have unique sounds that have been gaining popularity in the city off-late.

So it seems like as long as there is a longing for this rawness in music, youngsters will always turn to an instrument and that in turn will act as a means of this essence of Bengaluru to continue being the the hub of such brilliant acts, as well as accepting the diversity that it has always been encouraging of.

– The writer is a local musician.