A recent chance remark by electro-rock duo FuzzCulture that the audience has the power to choose now if it wants to go to a DJ set or listen to a live band, and the reason why they picked up their instruments for their live act because they did not like people turning their backs to them when they were playing dance music, sparked off this article. Metroplus got thinking on this power of choice that rests with the audience in Bengaluru whether they would like the spotlight to be on them on the DJ’s dance floor and on stage for a karaoke night, or focus on feeding off the energy of a live band. Here’s what the city of music thinks.
Varsha C.V., a frequent partygoer and concert attender, says she prefers live gigs and karaoke over the dance floor though both have their pros and cons. “It’s mostly the college going and just out of college crowd that loves DJ sets and like the spotlight. That’s also because the EDM fever is catching on fast among the younger generations. But it gets monotonous after a while and a live band with its own compositions is always dependable and fun. There are also plenty of venues and places which encourage upcoming talent. Some places even have a live band followed by a DJ. There are audiences for everything and people can truly choose.”
Trigam, who heads PR agency The Prophets and manages The Humming Tree, says the audience in Bangalore is the most educated in music and probably the most diverse in the country. “They have various choices and preferences in terms of music. Obviously when it comes to commercial music, which is mainly dance music that clubs programme for weekends, I don’t really think that the music is the centre of attention or the reason why people go. The audience is there only because they want to have a good time. But, if it’s a metal or rock band, people would go for the music. Any DJ who plays chart-toppers or top 40 tracks from the world of EDM is there to ensure people enjoy themselves. At the same time, when it’s a live band playing, people have a good time too, but the primary focus there is the music. That’s the thin line over which the general club-goer chooses.”
Arati Rao, who runs BFlat, says that is the way forward. “This is Bangalore at its cosmopolitan best. Where, at the onset of a weekend, people have the choice to go to a music set of their choice. There is a place for everyone today. Audiences know what they want and make an informed choice. We created a performance space out of that desire. BFlat is thoroughly a live music venue. We don’t have a DJ audience at all. Also with so much of independent music coming out in the city and across the country, venues like ours give them a place to play. Certain places attract certain kinds of people. I’m sure an EDM-loving person will not be happy in a dark nightclub. Every place has created something that suits their culture and their audience.”
DJ Arpitaa Kedarnath says too much of a good thing can be bad. “Sometimes choices can be so many that people end up getting confused where to go. But, I do agree that the power to choose is there for the audience today. Personally, though I am a DJ, I prefer listening to a live band. In terms of listening priorities, a DJ uses already composed tracks and it’s just fun and drinks, whereas a live performance with own compositions has its own thrill. Karaoke Nights are absolute fun too.”
Bass guitarist Shalini Mohan, who plays for a number of live bands in the city, says the trend she sees now is that it’s harder to draw the crowd, especially when there is a karaoke or DJ night going on simultaneously. “We need to give people something that will bring them into our space. So when it’s live, it ought to be really good, visually and musically that the audience comes again rather than chill at home and listen to a CD with a glass of wine.” She affirms that Bengaluru is a true cosmopolitan. “There are so many different kinds of people. There are those who will unleash their bathroom singing abilities in a karaoke night and there are those who come and watch a band they have been following and others who dance away to a DJ set. Right now, the band scene is doing really well.”
