This Sunday, Khar music venue AntiSocial will play host to an event that aims at showcasing some of the best DJ and electronica producers from all over the country. Called N.E.W.S — North, East, West, South — this new music property will bring together promising, but overlooked, electronica talent from across India and give them a chance to perform in the hub of Mumbai’s fast-growing club scene. Sunday’s inaugural edition features three acts: Hamza from New Delhi, Nephra from Hyderabad and Pal-E from Jaipur.
“There are a lot of Indian DJs and producers that are very good, but most of them don’t have booking agencies or representation,” says music promoter and programmer Vinay Khilnani, whose company, Ankytrixx & Friends Entertainment, is organising the showcase. “They might be great DJs but nobody is noticing them.”
With N.E.W.S, Khilnani is inviting DJs and producers from all parts of the country to send in their demos and recordings. The programmer will then review them and pick out the most promising acts and put them on stage at the showcase events. He plans to eventually take the property to all major cities, including Bengaluru, Kolkata, Delhi and Hyderabad. “I think these showcases are necessary because promoters and programmers in India still think that talent has to be flown in from abroad,” says Khilnani, who has programming experience of nine years and has previously worked for venues like Blue Frog and Boveda. “But I think there’s more than enough talent in the country, we just need to give the artistes a platform to perform and show that they’re ready for the big stage.”
ADVERTISEMENT
N.E.W.S will pay special attention to artistes from India’s Tier-II and III cities, areas that don’t have the same opportunities to perform and be heard as those in the metros. This is evident from the first event’s line-up. Pal-E, whose real name is Arpit Paliwal, has been making progressive house music in Jaipur for years, and has two EPs that have made it to the Beatport top 100 chart. He’s been an integral part of building the electronica scene in Rajasthan. Hyderabad’s DJ Nephra plays deep house, progressive and techno and is the only female Indian artiste to host a show on popular internet station FRISKY Radio. Last year, she was invited to perform at the Get Frisky showcase at ADE, Netherlands. Joining them is New Delhi house music pioneer Hamza, whose globally inspired sounds have taken him to dance floors across New Delhi, New York and Paris.
N.E.W.S starts at 7 pm on May 22, Sunday, at AntiSocial, Khar West, Mumbai. Entry: Rs. 300
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT