Bangalore-based Agam is performing in the city for the second time in as many months. The seven-member band that has travelled across the country, spaces out its concerts well to ensure freshness in their sound.
The trick they say also is to build an extensive playlist, the knowledge of what works and what doesn’t for a particular crowd and the mood.
“There’s always space for some improvisation, yet retaining the spirit of the numbers played before. There will be new songs over time,” reveals Swamy, the band’s keyboard player.
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Agam is coming up with a new album in due course and they remember performing one of the tracks for their Hard Rock Café performance. “This time, we have more numbers in our kitty. Repetition isn’t necessary in a concert,” adds the lead guitarist Praveen.
As we push them to talk more on their album (that’s to release in the later half of 2016), there are interesting answers.
“There are tillanas, a mix of Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam numbers, experiments with Dikshitar and Thyagaraja’s kritis besides a few lyrically-original tracks too.”
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Praveen sharing few details on their Telugu trackhe only gives a clue: “What I can say for now is that it’s one of the most famous classical songs, much better than any of our work in the past.”
Some interesting collaborations with Telugu singers are due to happen in the next few months, but again, they feel it’s too early to reveal details. Working in different languages poses no problem, they insist, language only gives them a different form to experiment.
We ask if the confluence of several cultures in Bangalore helps their cause? Swamy elaborates, “It does, but crowds have been equally open to unique music forms in Chennai, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and even Hyderabad. Even in the west and the north, the audience is very inquisitive and curious!”
Their longevity (the band formed in 2003), they explain, is all about sticking to their core values and the flexibility they use in their numbers responsibly. Age groups between 8 and 60 enjoy their tracks with equal enthusiasm.
“This is also because we started playing the music that we like, know well. The genre name (Carnatic progressive rock) only came later,” Praveen adds.
Lots of music bands have emerged in the last few years but Agam prefers not to view them as ‘competition’. “Every one brings their own mix into the table, also because of the new sound patterns that bear both their cultural and western influences.
The first album helped us get an identity, but the new ones are taking their time to develop their style. They deserve that time and respect.” ( Agam will go live at 8 pm in Hitex Lawns on June 18 )