Food hubs turn stage for young musicians

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Young bands have always been a part of the Delhi music culture, but how they’re spreading their wings today is interesting. At one point of time, any upcoming band struggled to make its presence felt, earning an amount that just about gave them enough to arrange travel expenses and buy must-have equipment.

The scenario has changed today. With the capital opening up to multiple cuisines, these food hubs have not only brought with them exotic eating options, but have also given young bands a platform to perform. “As many of these young bands are comprised of college students they don’t have enough money to practice in a proper studio or hire a place, so we give them a chance to perform in our café. They are paid anything between five thousand to `1 lakh, depending on the quality of the band,” says Vikrant Batra of café Delhi Heights. But scouting for talent is a tedious task for many hubs as some of these young bands are just about average.
“There is a lot of talent in the city — but the talent varies from ‘just average’ to ‘really good’ — you have to sift through many musicians to find a band of really good quality — one which plays something relevant in sync with the theme of the restaurant/pub,” says Abhimanyu Rana, co-owner, Route 04. “With my place being an American diner, we’re flexible with all forms of English music. We essentially look at music, which touches the pulse of our guests. And any decent band starts from `25,000 a night,” he adds.
What’s interesting is that many of these consultants and organisers even help bands get a better footage and platform. For instance Hinglish — The Colonial Café helps bands get publicity and media visibility. “If they’re heard and read about and have the right genre and style, then indirectly, we are getting them more business. For instance, recently we had a band whose music style was a combination of hip-hop and Punjabi rap, so their kind of music was noticed just after one performance here. We encourage newer styles. And though we were apprehensive initially about the quality of the performance and music selection, most of these young bands are well practised and professional,” says Shagun Somani, owner, Hinglish — The Colonial Café.
“Recommendations within the industry are very strong. So when people recommend bands to us, or when I recommend a band to other restaurateurs, it works for the performers,” adds Rana.
Sonia Mohindra, director, Under One Roof Hotel Consultants, says that a lot depends on the music of the band. “A band must be able to communicate with the audience, have some amount of a stage presence, only then can the crowd relate to them, allowing the restaurant to generate more revenue,” she adds.
And if you talk about recommendations, they definitely help the bands get more projects. “We recommend bands to various restaurants based on their suitability and how they match various profiles,” she concludes.