If the band The F16s’ upcoming show, The F16s Live at Home After 2 Damn Years, were a film, guitarist Abhinav Krishnaswamy says it would open with Joshua Fernandez walking into a room like Nick Fury announcing, “I’m putting together a team.” It’s a fitting image because this weekend, The F16s are back on home turf, a homecoming of sorts, if we may.
Formed in 2012, The F16s began as a bunch of college musicians crossing paths in Chennai’s then-nascent indie scene. For Abhinav, returning to Chennai feels like a full-circle moment. “We are definitely buzzing and looking forward to it,” he says. “Hometown shows are always special, and there’s a degree of comfort in having friends and family around. We cut our teeth playing shows here and wish we played more often, but that’s more a question of the city’s willingness to have us rather than our enthusiasm.”
The upcoming setlist will include new material from their next album, along with a few classics for day-one fans. “We’re playing some material from the upcoming album at the gig, some new even for us. Since it’s Chennai, we’d like to give some day-one fans a few older tracks as well,” Abhinav shares.
When asked about the things they’ve unlearned since they first started out, Abhinav says, “We’ve learned to serve the song. The tightrope to walk there is putting your ego to one side vs. fighting for something to be included. More than anything, we have learned to pick our battles when it comes to each other. The song is what matters.”
The band’s 2021 EP Is It Time to Eat the Rich Yet tackled inequality and modern fatigue with dark humour. The new record, Abhinav reveals, continues that thread but looks outward. “Our responsibility has led us to post up on the fringes of political discourse. The new record deals with present-day themes — crumbling infrastructure, ecological chaos, artificial intelligence. But it’s more a reflection than a call to arms.”
When it comes to what’s been shaping their creative headspace lately, the band has been reading everything from The Bible and The Unbearable Lightness of Being to Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing and William Finnegan’s Barbarian Days. Their current watchlist includes One Punch Man Season 3, Physical: Asia and The Chair Company. On rotation in their headphones are albums like Quit Quietly by Sunset Rollercoaster, Pogo Rodeo by Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, Getting Killed by Geese, I Love My Computer by Ninajirachi and Dark Night of the Soul by Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse.
On the state of independent music in India today, especially in an era ruled by streaming algorithms and short-form virality, the band is pragmatic. “Having a voice online matters, and the more ‘unique’ it is, the better,” he says. “There are plenty of able artists who have been able to weave parts of themselves into that online persona, and that can turn around and influence the music. It’s completely fine to do that, even better if it is working out. There are some that ignore the very essential parts of their craft to focus on the persona, and the art suffers.”
He adds that the shift in an artist’s end-goal, from creating work to securing brand deals, speaks less about ambition and more about survival. “That an artist’s end-goal has shifted to securing a brand deal speaks more about the sheer lack of opportunities for survival that greet them as opposed to their very real need to survive. That’s just the nature of the beast, what’s there to say? Maybe the arts will stop being villainised if everyone’s making money.”
The new album is on its way, with more dates lined up in Delhi, Bengaluru and Nagaland. “There are more plans for the new year as well which, well, you’ll know when you know,” Abhinav teases. But for now, it’s all eyes on Chennai.
Rs 2,000 onwards. On November 15, from 9 pm onwards. At Hard Rock Café, Nungambakkam.
Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya
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