There’s never been a dearth of DIY (Do-It-Yourself) music gigs in the city. Just ask the metal heads who grew up in Mumbai, who will testify to the brilliant gigs they attended at repurposed spaces, before all the gig venues cropped up. DIY gigs are a cost-effective way to host performances and the absence of club rules opens up the concert to a wider demographic.
Over the past year though, DIY gigs such as the REProduce Listening Room and those held by Sofar Sounds, an international establishment that brings live music to small spaces, are being held with the sole purpose of attracting an audience that is completely invested in listening to the music, without the loud chatter, smoke breaks and constant texting.
The newest gig series to do this is The Living Room Tour, a three-gig series held in September and organised by singer-songwriters Ramya Pothuri and Ronit Sarkar as well as musician/producer Rishi Bradoo.
Initially, the plan to host gigs in intimate spaces throughout the month stemmed from discussions about the launch of Pothuri’s first EP We Never Left. Pothuri, who has performed at venues such as Blue Frog and NCPA with other musicians, felt her music was better suited to smaller spaces. “People are not used to just standing and listening [at club venues]; they’re used to drinking and dancing so singer-songwriters don’t really fit in these venues. It’s hard to hold the audience’s attention when it’s just you and your guitar.”
Sarkar, who plays under the moniker Awkward Bong, expands on that thought, saying they wanted to host gigs for people who were willing to sit and listen to the music. “We wanted to present this music in a listening environment and not just in a situation that’s primarily a food and beverage scene with live music as an added incentive to eat out. We want the music to be central to the whole experience,” he says.
Money plays a major factor in hosting such DIY gigs as well. Usually, musicians promote their latest album with a launch gig but with club rent that goes up to Rs. 7000-8000 for two hours, these can become expensive affairs. “Quite often, for artists that are just starting out, it doesn’t make financial and promotional sense to host performances at club venues” says Bradoo.
Bringing it home
For this reason, the trio came up with the concept of The Living Room Tour which, apart from being Pothuri’s launch tour, also showcases a number of talented musicians, mostly singer-songwriters from the city.
Spread out over three venues — The Revolver Club in Khar, Bradoo’s studio in Chembur and Sarkar’s living room in Bandra — the gigs will feature other artists such as Vernon Noronha, Short Round, Aarifah Rebello, Mali and Lawntuba.
The first gig of the series was held on September 8 at The Revolver Club in Mahim. Singing into microphones draped with fairy lights, the artists played to a small, rapt audience of about 20 people, just enough to fill up the space. Hosting the last gig at Bandra was a no-brainer, but it’s today’s gig at Chembur that the hosts are most excited about.
“Most gigs in the city are centred in and around Bandra and Khar,” explains Bradoo. “It’s pretty hard for people who live in the suburbs to constantly travel for these, which is why we wanted to bring gigs to places like Chembur.”
As an added incentive, they’ve programmed an eclectic and talented line-up. As live music in the city finds its way back home, here’s hoping the right audience does too.
The author is a freelance writer
The Living Room Tour: 7 p.m. September 22, Mohan Nivas, opposite Basant Theatre, Chembur, 7 p.m. September 29, Theatre 74, Bandra. Details: The Living Room Tour event page on Facebook.
