Weekends are for merry-making. So, also, are some weeknights. Head to a pub, order mugs of beer, glasses of wine, rounds of whiskey or maybe, even, shots of tequila. Pair it with dinner — a plate of saucy pasta, a medium-rare steak or a platter of smoky kebabs. As your spirits get higher, the lights get dimmer. Then, guitar riffs reverberate through the room and the spotlight turns towards the stage.
That’s your cue to get ready for some entertainment, for the city’s nascent live music scene is going to take over your evening.
“There were no regular performance spaces, until about three years ago. Today, venues are waking up to the fact that there is a crowd that comes in just to enjoy live music,” says Sunil Philip, bassist of funk-rock band, Grasshopper Green.
Grasshopper Green started performing in 1996, creating original music at a time when most other bands were doing covers. “We thrived only through private parties — on terraces, and in beach houses and gardens. There were no venues or ways to promote ourselves; people came to know about us through word-of-mouth and pager messages. And there was absolutely no money in it,” says Sunil, who has performed at various platforms in Chennai and other Indian cities. The scene now, he says, is thriving.
“In the last couple of years, things have really picked up,” says singer Kavita Thomas, who also curates performances for the recently launched Live Wednesdays at US 101. “Now, we have an audience for these bands as opposed to music just playing in the background as people ate and drank. Also, the city is bustling with talent and all we need are spaces to perform.” Right now, she says, the scene is better than it ever was and there is so much potential for growth. “When we started, very few coffee shops in hotels hosted live performances. Now, hosting live music is becoming the norm,” says Sampath Kumar, F&B manager, Savera Hotel. MainStage Fridays at Bay 146, which started three years ago, was one of the first platforms that opened up for such acts in the city. They’ve featured many acts from across the country, including local ones. Often, many come in just to listen to live music, even when they don’t know which band is going to take the stage. “Bands cost more than a local DJ, but the kind of entertainment they provide attracts a different kind of audience and the popularity of the venue grows among a younger crowd,” says Sampath.
Ravi Kumar, F&B manager, Hablis, echoes this view. Their Saturday live band music nights, which the The Moon and Sixpence has been hosting for nearly a year now, draws a young, energetic and more women-dominated crowd, different from the middle-aged men frequenting the Irish pub.
Yet, the music community has its complaints. “It’s not the most friendly city for live music,” says Vikram Vivekanand, guitarist for the rock band, Grey Shack, who has performed in famous venues such as B flat in Bangalore, Blue Frog in Mumbai and Euriska in Pune. Vikram says that in Chennai, they often face issues like ineffective sound systems, inadequate promotion and untimely payment. “Venues should be able to curate better performances and increase budgets for hiring acts from within the city. When the system doesn’t appreciate local talent, it doesn't make for a very conducive environment, ” he says. Sunil agrees with this, and adds, “You would get Rs.20,000 - Rs. 25,000 on average for a Chennai performance. For the same gig, a Bangalore, Bombay or Delhi venue would pay twice or even thrice as much.”
While Vikram insists that better promotion and publicity would increase footfall, Sunil feels there is still a certain indifference among the city’s audience towards live music, which is why they sometimes perform to a not-so-packed venue. “The attendance depends on the quality of a band and its music. Sometimes, the genre may not appeal. Reggae, for instance, does not have many takers in Chennai, which prefers alternative and classic rock, blues and jazz,” says Sampath.
The situation, however, says Kavita, is getting better as hotels are realising that there is a market for live music. Jukebox Saturdays every month at The Leather Bar, live band nights at Hardrock Cafe and one-off performances at pubs and night clubs like Distil, 10 Downing Street, Chipstead, Blend and Geoffrey’s prove this.
Cafes too are now entering the fray to host live acts and provide a platform for amateur talent. While Tryst cafe on ECR has been organising performances every few months, Ashvita Bistro in Alwarpet is also looking to invite musicians. Many others like Burger Point in Kandanchavadi, are quite happy to host performances and even offer practice space. Says Rishika Reddy, business head of Brew Room, which has recently started hosting shows, “We feature solo artistes and bands, but prefer music that suits the café’s ambience.” The live music scene is now booming and bands are being heard loud and clear.
