Imagine this — signing up for an evening of entertainment not knowing where the next event will be held, or even who is performing. It could be at a pub or glitzy concert venue, maybe atop someone’s terrace or balcony, or even in the midst of a house party. You may meet like-minded people or even run into old friends... but best part of all? Being part of a niche group, and expectantly waiting for the mystery to be revealed!
The music movement, Sofar Sound’s Chennai edition wants to offer you just that — making it possible to discover a new musician or go out for the sole purpose of enjoying an art form, without the distractions of inebriation. You also get to experience this at unconventional locations across the city — after all, a space is a space!
We talk to artists from different performing arts to see if they think secret performances will become the new weekend thing to do.
“For any art form, the biggest reward is the appreciation that comes after one’s performance. Not only are such initiatives good for audiences to imbibe music and other oratory arts like spoken word without the bells and whistles attached, but also for artists. They can choose to experiment with new genres, and the format challenges them to cater to the vibe of an intimate setting — which could be extremely comfortable for some, but add pressure for others. The secret aspect of it intrigues more people to witness the works of independent musicians,” says Rohan Sen, the vocalist of Grey Shack, who manages Sofar Sounds in the city.
“Most places we host at, are voluntarily offered by friends or people who sign up on our website. We had our first event recently at a music store, where three amazing musicians performed. The places could range from friends’ houses to parking lots if they come around,” he laughs, adding that another session is planned soon.
Theatre artiste Meera Sitaraman believes that the platform could be great for open mic poetry and music, but has limitations when it comes to theatre. “Theatre is meant for communion and is meant to be longer than just 10 minutes.”
Moreover, once a play begins in that small group, it would be really awkward for someone to get up and leave in case they don’t enjoy it. So, I don’t think the craft fits into this format,” says Meera.
Singer Rianjali, who regularly shuttles between Chennai and the US, also thinks it’s an interesting idea — “It’s more intimate since it’s a small gathering at a more personal space and you get to explore new talent without any bias until you get to the venue. It’s like a music lottery!” She adds, “I have seen a company in NYC do something very similar, where we’re only told a neighbourhood, until we buy a ticket. Chennai could really benefit from this since the music scene is growing here and it will provide people with more reasons to get together and appreciate an art. It gives a chance for smaller, more upcoming artists to put themselves out there as well.”
Chriscilla Sridhar, a stand-up comedian, has this to add — “The concept is really cool and I believe the reach could be really high. Especially since with stand-up, all you need is a voice and an audience — it doesn’t matter where it is. Moreover, it’s great for newbies to boost their confidence with a smaller group in a relaxed environment before they try it out on a bigger scale. For more seasoned comics, this could be the ideal setting to test new material and get an honest reaction instead of a larger stage, where people laugh along because others are laughing.”
Maybe, Sofar Sounds could bring upon the dawn of new secret gigs across the city for all kinds of arts where people unite for one and only cause — the arts themselves, and not a drunken night with friends at a bar! Isn’t that exciting?
