Delhi Rocks

This appeared in City Limits, with some changes

You would be forgiven for thinking of Delhi as a virtual desert for rock music. However a surprisingly large number of oases of rock have bloomed in Delhi in the last five years. 2005 is one of the best times to be a rock musician and a rock fan in Delhi. A clutch of bands have sprung up who are playing an amazingly diverse sound ranging from punk rock to metal. There are now fans in Delhi who are actually appreciating original Indian rock music. The live gig scene is flourishing. The recent explosion in Delhi nightlife has provided Delhi bands places which they can rock in. When the sun goes down, Delhi’s rock and roll generation comes out to play!

So which are the places where a Delhi fan can hear live rock? Well, the first introduction to live rock music for many fans is the college rock festival. Many of these college shows are big events which often attract an audience of up to 5000 fans. One of the best Indian college shows is the IIT Delhi rock show which attracts bands from all over the country. Some of the other well known college rock shows are the ones held during the SRCC and the AIIMS college festivals. There is also an active non-college rock circuit happening in Delhi, spearheaded by The Great Indian Rock, a festival which attracts bands across India. Campus Rock Idols, an all India intercollegiate contest, and the Late Night at the British Council are some of the other rock shows which happen on a regular basis. The most popular venue for these shows is the Hamsadhwani Open Air Theater, at Pragati Maidan. One interesting new trend is that of the out-of-town weekend concert, the first of which was held recently in Dhanualti in the Uttaranchal hills,

The pub circuit is also alive and kicking. Turquoise Cottage continues to rule as the best place to catch live music in Delhi. Some other pubs which rock are Café Morrison, The Chinese and Thai Café and DV8 .Some clubs attached to big hotels also have rock shows, the more well known being Dublin at the Maura Sheraton and The Decibel at the Samrat. There is also a pub rock-festival called the Rocktoberfest (held what else, in October!) which has shows by Delhi bands at a variety of pubs and clubs across Delhi.

While the live scene is rocking, finding recorded music remains a hugh problem. In the absence of any support by record companies, most bands have to resort to putting out their originals on their own independent labels, which they sell during their live shows. You still can’t walk into any music shop and find your favorite Orange Street or a Messiah CD. The internet is the probably the easiest way to get hold of original Indian rock. Most bands have their own websites which feature free downloads. Bharat Music House, a music instrument store, also stocks Indian rock albums, though on an irregular basis. The first organized initiative to retail Indian rock music has been started by Furtados, a Mumbai based music instrument store which has a section dedicated to Indian rock music. They have promised to add an online delivery feature as well. The rock magazine, Rock Street Journal, has been bringing out Indian rock music on a regular basis, and their website (http://www.rsjonline.com/) has a wide selection of Indian rock available for online purchase.

So who are bands who are rocking Delhi? Well here are some of the leaders of the Delhi rock scene:

Indian Ocean:
Though they are more of a fusion band rather than a rock band, their format (drums, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, tabla, vocals) is quite close to rock, while their improvisations give hints of a jazz band. The most exciting thing about them is that they take traditional Indian chants and poetry and give them a completely new treatment (like in the album Kandisa). They have released two more albums Jhini and the film soundtrack for the film Black Friday (which included the hugh hit “Bandeh”).

Parikrama:
The big daddies of the Indian rock scene, these guys seem to have been around forever. Though primarily known for their incredible concerts and cover versions, they did release “But It Rained” which is one of the most well known Indian rock songs. They have headlined nearly every major rock show in the last few years in all parts of the country.

Orange Street:
Orange Street is possibly one of the most intriguing rock bands around. They merge a myriad of influences from rock, rap and Indian classical to bring out a unique sound. “Morey Piya” is a song that simply stands out from their latest album
“Dharma”. They’ve toured Europe and Scandinavia in the summer of 2004 where they performed alongside top international acts like Motorhead and Hanoi Rocks.

Them Clones:
These guys got together in 2000 and have been going places since then. They started out doing covers of ‘Aerosmith’ and ‘Rage Against The Machine’. But now they are able to go out on a stage and have people screaming for their originals as well. They have just released their EP and are soon coming out an album very soon.

Prestorika:
They were the winners of the All India Campus Rock Idols 2004 and went on to open for the Finnish band “The Rasmus” when they recently performed in Mumbai. They are primarily a metal band and with their incredible stage presence are making a lot of new fans. They’ve recorded a brilliant EP and are working on a full length album. They also play great covers of bands like Metallica, Megadeth and Iron Maiden.

Messiah:
They’re the new kids on the block. This trio has not been around too long but already have the music circles talking about them. Their debut album “The Antidote” is being praised by critics all over, as are their performances. They are a punk-alternative-new wave band, and their renditions of covers are also being appreciated a lot.


menwhopause
One of the few bands who have built up a following in Delhi by sticking to playing original music and avoiding covers. menwhopause have been around since 2001. Though their music is hard to put into a slot, they can be defined a retro blues oriented band with psychedelic hints. They have recorded some excellent singles, like Sweet Despair, and are on the verge of releasing their first album.