If you read avial and instantly think of the band rather than the traditional Kerala curry of vegetables, coconut and curd that it draws its name from, you are a fan. The band, that was thrust into the spotlight for being one of the frontrunners of regional language music, comes to town this weekend.
Excited to be playing their signature Malayalam Rock at Fandom at Gillys Redefined, vocalist Tony John says it is always a homecoming feeling when the band is in Bengaluru. “We have had tons of gigs in Bangalore and each one of them has been memorable. It is no wonder Bangalore is called the rock capital of India. With the most popular genre being rock in the city, it sits well with the music we play.”
The setlist, he says, will feature their regular crowd favourites. “It is pretty much the same with our jams in the middle of the songs.” Tony adds that although it is Malayalam Rock, the takeaway for the crowd is the sound. “It is not so much the language. The crowd, irrespective of whether they are Malayalees or not, love our sound. It is easy to relate to and trippy enough to appeal to everyone.”
Along with Tony are Rex Vijayan playing some fabulous guitar riffs and synthwork, Binny Isaac kicking up the deep bass and Mithun Puthanveetil drumming in the tight rhythms.
Having inspired a whole generation of bands taking to singing in regional languages, especially with their 2003 hit single ‘Nada Nada’, Avial launched what they call Alternative Malayali Rock, which is the style of combining Malayalam lyrics and rock music. Tony elaborates: “Today, there are so many bands out there singing in Malayalam and other regional languages. It is a proud moment when we think of how we ushered in a change in the experimental music scene. Today, we can confidently see independent music growing in leaps and bounds.” He adds: “It makes sense to sing in your mother tongue. People can relate to music better. It is good to see this trend do well.”
The band's general manager Aditya Jha says, “It humbles us when we hear about bands being inspired by Avial.” He adds that the band is planning to put out new tracks soon. “It has been a while since Avial put out new material. New music is due and we are working on it. Meanwhile, the journey so far has been good. The band actually did not expect this kind of support when they first started. We are really fortunate to be in the right place at the right time doing the right thing.” And while a new generation of music listeners are tuning into their music, Aditya says: “The moment the band is on stage, the vibe is still there. The gigs we used to do back in 2010, are still the gigs we do now. The new audience is still digging our songs.”
Blending Malayalam poetry with contemporary alternative rock music with elements of indie rock and folk music underlying an electronic feel, Avial’s music has overcome language barriers not only in India but is also drawing fans across the sub-continent and the globe. “We say it best in our mother tongue and we allowed our passion to be the driving force behind our musical expression.”
Catch Avial live in concert at Fandom at Gilly’s Redefined, Koramangala, on May 18, with an early set by Michael Antony Dias, from 8 pm onwards. Tickets on Bookmyshow. Call 25537755
A sound map of the grooviest shows this weekend
