Can a band stay relevant for over 25 years without coming out with a single album? As it turns out, it totally can. The popular rock band Parikrama is living proof: the eight-member team has been performing close to 100 gigs every year, since they started in 1991. And this weekend, they are all set to perform here after a gap of three years, at Phoenix Market City, opening with popular numbers such as ‘Am I Dreaming?’ and ‘But it Rained’. “The least we have performed in any metro city is Chennai, and that’s why we are eagerly looking forward to it.”
“I remember our first show in the city,” recalls keyboard player Subir Malik. “It was in Madras Christian College’s Selaiyur Hall; the tickets were priced at ₹35 per head. A small pink slip that I still have with me.” They had travelled by Tamil Nadu Express, non-AC, for 40 hours, and were put up in a hostel room. Since then, they have graduated, “From non-AC to third class, second class, first class and so on. We took our first flight for a gig only eight years after we formed the band!”
It wasn’t just travel: until 1996, they did not even have a medium to promote their songs. Malik says, “It was someone from IIT Bombay who first introduced us to the Internet. We did not know that we could buy a domain name.” Now, the challenge was to have the songs reach their largely college-going audience.
So they came up with a market strategy: anyone could download their songs for free. “This way, it reached more people. Then we would do a live show and ticket it at around ₹60, and earn more than any other band who spent time making albums and CDs.” Even today, all their songs are available for free online. “In fact, we tell people to make their own album with our songs, just like a Subway sandwich,” laughs Malik. He attributes this easy access with helping them stay popular from “the early 90s, when just 4% of the Indian population spoke English, and even less who listened to Western music by an Indian band” right up to now.
While each member has their own profession, the gigs are a medium to spread the love for music and help social causes. They just finished a tour to raise funds for the victims of the human rights violation in Darjeeling. Malik lists the other causes they have supported: “We’ve done a lot for animal rights; to help those affected by Kashmir Floods; raised almost ₹20 lakh to help the survivors of Nepal earthquake. Back in 1992, we were the first in Asia to organise a fund raiser for AIDS awareness. In short, we just do what we personally believe will help at least one person.”
Parikrama performs at Phoenix MarketCity today, between 7.30 pm and 9 pm. Tickets on bookmyshow.com at ₹500 for VIP and ₹300 for general. 66513007
