Live and let play

In a time of anti-live acts and bans, the city’s playing host to varied musicians across genres
It’s a time of surprising contrasts. Certain other cities are clamping down on live music performances stating reasons ranging from inappropriate behaviour to noise, while event promoters, musicians and venues complain about the lack of space or support for live acts.And at the same time, Chennai has been witnessing a striking change in the way it supports its musicians. With an increase in the number of live gigs happening on a daily basis, more musicians getting together and venues opening up and encouraging these gigs — be it a pub or elsewhere — the cultural vibes of the city have been on a constant high for quite some time!
Says Rohan Sen, musician, “I think the city has copious amounts of talent across genres and they all want to showcase it, for which the city is more than ready. There have been days where there would be more than one live gig happening across town and months where we’ve had at least 30 to 35 gigs. I wouldn’t say it hasn’t happened ever, but it hasn’t in quite a long time.”
Edison Prithviraj, artist manager and event promoter, feels that Chennai has the best musicians and audience when it comes to western music. “It’s not like we’ve never had an active live scene. The city saw a lot of big names play here and the live circuit was abuzz with activity until as recent as the last decade. After a short lull, it looks like it’s picking up again,” he says.
While the debate rages on whether pubs should continue to support live acts, varied opinions crop up in favour and against. Matthew Jose, an event promoter, is of the opinion that banning live music in pubs isn’t changing anything. “I don’t get the logic. You can play recorded tracks, but live music is not allowed? Event promoters in other cities will have problems because a major chunk of their sponsorship comes from liquor companies. Now if they can’t play in a pub, why would these companies continue to sponsor,” he asks. With the debate running in the background, other venues are nevertheless opening up. Bhuvanesh, who opened up a hangout joint in the city for musicians to showcase their skill, is another example of how even music fans are taking an active part in supporting live acts. “If you have the music streak in you, just walk in and play,” Bhuvanesh explains the funda behind his venue.
Edison says that problems such as lack of sponsorships are extant here too, but that isn’t really discouraging many. “The buzz that we’re experiencing with the live gig scene right now is incredibly positive. It’ll open up opportunities to pull in more sponsors,” he says. “It’s a movement,” explains Rohan. “Be it the person handling your sound, the lighting, event promoters, musicians or the media, everyone’s playing an important part in making this town listen to more music, better music.” It’s too soon to say whether it’s just a temporary surge of activity, but for now, let’s just enjoy the music!