When you are entering your 28th year as a band, only a group like Parikrama can say the new year involves “doing things we’ve never done before”. Subir Malik, the keyboardist of the New Delhi rock veterans, says there’s a music video in the works — their first ever since 2001’s hit ‘But It Rained’ — and two more songs set to release in 2019.
Malik says over the phone, “We’re having good times, but you have do something more.” There are very few firsts remaining for a band like theirs, considering they’ve opened for heavy metallers like Iron Maiden, performed at UK’s Download Festival, toured extensively across the country and remained dependable showmen for close to three decades. Even then, Malik and his band understand the needs of the hour, like maintaining a strong digital presence. “Today’s kids will only call you if you have traction on the internet,” the keyboardist says.
Parikrama headlines IIT Madras’ Saarang Rock Show, alongside fellow New Delhi rockers The Local Train. It’s one of the few years in recent times that Saarang isn’t bringing down an international headliner, but Malik says he’s just glad there are still opportunities for English rock bands at a time when fusion, Bollywood and electronic music rule the roost at college festivals. “It’s an open market, I’m not opposed to letting anyone in. Live and let live,” he says. “I don’t listen to ‘Kajra Re’ but I won’t put you down for it. There’s no debate about promoting Indian bands more over international bands. We should all compete. There’s no reason to believe we can’t do what the international bands do.”
The band is no stranger to Chennai or IIT Madras, for that matter. They’ve been invited to perform at the institute five or six times earlier. Their most recent show in the city was early last year, at Phoenix MarketCity, whose inauguration they were invited to perform at as well. He adds: “The kids at IIT Madras are asking for a couple of covers, so we’re still considering that. Otherwise it’s a 90-minute all original set.”
How does a hard rock band like Parikrama keep up the pace through 28 years? Malik says it’s about discipline and dedication, but also more. “Just yesterday a friend I hadn’t spoken to in 27 or 28 years caught up with me and said, ‘You were doing the same thing in school. You’re turning 50, don’t you get tired?’ But then, how many people are still living the same life they lived when they were 18 or so? So how can you get tired?”
IIT Madras Saarang Rock Show with Parikrama and The Local Train takes place on January 12 at Open Air Theatre, IIT Madras. Tickets on in.bookmyshow.com
