Over the past five years, IndiEarth XChange has become part of the musical festival landscape of the city. The annual gathering of contemporary, world and classical artistes is known for bringing myriad acts to Chennai. And while it is primarily a trade event for independent music, films and media, it also gives the public a chance to hear and experience things they might not come across otherwise. Sonya Mazumdar, CEO and Founder of EarthSync, says, “That’s part of my goal, to make sure that there’s an audience willing to experiment.” It seems to be working — last year, over three days, the event attracted over 9000 people. “It was the first time we made the switchover from being completely free to being completely ticketed. The response showed that people are interested in an event like the XChange,” she explains.
Ask her what’s different about this edition, and Sonya says, “We’re having only a two-day event this year. We lost everything in the December floods last year, so we were literally starting over completely. We wanted to dedicate this year to Chennai, its people and their resilience. So, there are a lot of city-based bands in the line-up.”
There’s also the fact that the tickets are “pay how much you please”. “Through the year, a lot of people kept telling us that they wanted to contribute to IndiEarth and the XChange. But, I do not like taking donations. This way, those who wish to contribute, can do so. And even if they don’t want to pay anything, that’s fine. Just come on over,” she says with a smile.
Event info:
Date: November 26 and 27
Time: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.
Venue: The Park, 601, Anna Salai
Tel: 2434 1624
Website:http://xchange16.indiearth.com/
Festival passes give access to the music and film events. Pay as little or as much as you wish or nothing at all.
XChange passes give access to all events, including conferences, workshops, networking, film and music events. Two day pass-holders can also join the afterparty.
Price: Rs. 1,500 (2 Day) and Rs. 1000 (1 Day)
Afterparty passes available at Rs. 1000.
Conferences:
Topics covered include alternative cinema, music education, arts journalism, creating spaces for alternative culture and cultural networks beyond borders
Workshops:
Learn about recording in the field, navigating the music industry, virtual reality, native instruments, sound design in cinema, performance tools and artists’ rights and management.
Artist Speak
Nucleya
“I’m super-excited to play at the IndieEarth XChange this year. It’s been almost two years since my last performance in Chennai, so I’m really looking forward to it. I’ll be dropping tracks from my latest album Raja Baja and many more favourites during my set.”
Date: Sunday, November 27
Time: 11 p.m.
Venue: Sansara
Lyari Notes
“I have worked on Lyari Notes, a documentary filmed over three years, which I co-directed with Maheen Zia. It’s a very rare India/Pakistan co-production. It premiered in Amsterdam nearly a year back, and has travelled very widely. This will be the Chennai premiere. The film is basically about music and resistance, because it’s about this group of young girls that travels from a very volatile part of Karachi called Lyari, for weekly music classes. I will also be part of a panel that will discuss censorship and more.”
Miriam Chandy
Aver
“We formed this band in Chennai at the KM Conservatory where we studied. The type of music that we used to do at that time was folk and some electronic stuff. Last December, I got this Arabic instrument called the oudh. My friend got a hangdrum from Switzerland. And, that changed our genre and style of music: it is a blend of Arabic with hangdrum, which gives a unique texture. We have a couple of songs with lyrics, but the rest are instrumental.”
Bonny, Guitarist
Date: Saturday, November 26
Time: 1 p.m.
Venue: Sansara
Krameri
“Gopi Krishnan and I are into production, and this is the first time we are performing live. It is basically electronic music and so I’ll be singing, while we play. All the songs are originals, and are distinct from each other, but will be mainly electronic in nature. We were always interested in electronic music; I was writing songs, and Gopi was programming. We have merged that into one product, and have really enjoyed the process of collaborating.”
Damini Chauhan
Date: Sunday, November 27
Time: 8.45 p.m.
Venue: IndiEarth Stage
Dharavi Hustle
“This is a very short documentary made over three days. We had a few questions prepared before we set out to talk to people, and based on what they said, we shot footage in Dharavi. The result was a side of the locality and the people that is rarely seen.”
Sachin Pillai
International acts
To mark five years of association with the Région Centre in France and Reunion Island, the three international acts are from these regions.
Organic Bananas
France
Olivier Thillou and Gregory Jolivet’s alternative sound is achieved by combining electronic music with the hurdy-gurdy — that’s a real instrument, not a made-up word! The effect is quite interesting, especially because no computers are involved; the music is mixed live. It’s full of energy and a little bit psychedelic; perfect for a Saturday night.
Time: 11 p.m.
Venue: Sansara Hall
Identité
Reunion Island
If you like your jazz fix with a twist — in this case, with percussion and organ added on — check out this ensemble band.
The band describes itself thus: “Colourful jazz married with the rhythmic timbres of the Indian Ocean… tinged with the harmonies of American jazz, Identité’s music navigates the world of these two ‘black musics’. An identity to be found somewhere between a creole cabin roof and the red bricks of Brooklyn.”
Date: Sunday, November 27
Time: 8 p.m.
Venue: Sansara
Sauvage Sound System
Reunion Island
If you don’t mind grooving along to lyrics that you don’t understand, then this is the world music crew for you. With Afro-tropical and Caribbean beats overlaid with electronica, it will get you moving before you even notice.
Date: Saturday, November 26
Time: Midnight
Venue: IndiEarth Stage
