Sounds like a diverse blend yet it is music to the ears. That is the first response to Lagori’s creative endeavour. The band represents an eclectic group of musicians with varied musical influences, who have come together to dish out foot tapping and soul stirring music. Although it draws influences from the flavour of each musician — ranging from Hindustani, Soul, Funk, Rock, Blues and Metal, the end result is a unique sound which at the same time has a tinge of familiarity to it.
As the Lagoris settle down for a chat, they talk about their inception and there after. According to members, the coming together of the musically inclined minds was not an instant affair, rather, as the musicians evolved, the band too came into existence.
“Lagori was set up when both the guitarists, that is Geeth Vaz and myself, teamed up in early 2011. Both of us were playing together as guitarists in another rock band called Fahrenheit, and
then decided to jam up and do something else with the music. Somewhere down the line, we thought of adding a bit of an Indian element to the rock influences. Then came in Vinyl Kumar on the drums. Shalini Mohan
on the bass and vocalist Tejas Shankar were the late entrants who beautifully filled in the gap, and that set our musical course with band Lagori,” says Edward Rasquinha.
Setting the course of their musical journey, the band started scripting success stories from 2011. Their stage shows managed a fairly good response from music aficionados. However, it was one particular performance that remains etched in the minds of the band members. “Our biggest show which kickstarted our career would be the Gulmarg Festival held in Kashmir. Live music was being played in Gulmarg after 28 years, and we were one of the privileged lot to have performed there. From there on, we have been playing in all the big music festivals in India, like the Bacardi NH7 Weekender, the Acharya Festival in Bengaluru where we performed before around 15,000 people. Live performances are a great delight as there is a direct interface with the audience. The crowd is an important part of any band’s success story. If both are on the right track, it turns out to be an evening to remember. For us, the journey is just getting better,” feels an excited Shalini.
Another event that holds special memories, is their recent performance at the Indus Pride Strangebrew experience in Kolkata.
Talking about it, Geeth Vaz says, “It is a first of its kind event that has given us artists, the power to curate an entire evening. Music has always been the driving factor for gigs but the experience around it is also very crucial. For us to design the event in a way that the music blends with the experience makes it fun for the fans as well.”
On that positive note, last month Lagori’s debut album got a digital worldwide release. The fact that it has topped the charts of a well-known music site has boosted their enthusiasm further. Looking ahead, Tejas says, “We have some interesting collaborations planned this year ahead. And of course we would love to perform as many shows as possible, all around the country and hopefully the world.” And of course, the talented youngster would like to hear a Bollywood calling. “If we feel our
music could complement or elevate a certain film project, then we are open to any kind of project or cinema,” adds a band member.
Keeping in mind, the past experiences, finally when the question arises about the fragility of a music band in terms of long term survival, Lagoris dismiss the notion of disintegration with the words, “When five people who are inspired by so many different genres of music within themselves are placed under a single roof, there is always bound to be creative differences. But when we get down to the business of composing, our sound becomes one. When we start composing, thinking of the band in its entirety, all the creative differences converge into one good tune. We never try hard to fuse something. Fusion happens once we pick up our instruments and start playing.”