The first edition of music concert, CIRCUS, is here in Hyderabad. We talk to the artistes to find out more

While the city’s live music scene is getting back into the groove post-pandemic, concerts are yet to be a regular feature. So, when we heard about the CIRCUS coming to town, our excitement knew no bounds. Literally. Prajwal Bekkyem, the founder of TR!BE Experiences, is hoping to bring back the concert culture in the form of CIRCUS, a live platform in Hyderabad where 14 independent musicians from the city and across the country will head to Zero40 Brewing, for a thumping music concert. Expect an eclectic lineup of musicians who will play everything from electronic to jazz and vinyl.

“The concert is going to be a unique amalgam of the music and art. We have a great line-up of the best music talent in the country, local homegrown brands showcasing products ranging from sneakers to sustainable womens wear, performance artists working with flow to fire. And, there’s also a gelato cart for ice cream lovers! To make the experience feel more like olden days circus shows, we are not hosting the event inside the brewery. We are doing it in their massive parking space, covering it with a colourful and huge tent. That brings in a hint of nostalgia, right?” Prajwal shares.

The musicians who will take centrestage include Madboy/Mink from Mumbai, who come with their funk and synth-heavy sounds, Sindhi Curry, revolutionalising the dance and house genres with his unique music, and Synths Back who brings his love for electronic music all the way from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Expect city-based musicians like Pranati Khanna and Priyanka Nath, who have become the faces of the local indie music scene. We chat with the artistes and find out what to expect from the concert…

Madboy/Mink

Mumbai-based electronic duo Imaad Shah and Saba Azad, who call themselves Madboy and Mink are popular across the country for their musical influences and acting chops. Born to actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak, Imaad, last seen in Modern Love: Mumbai, talks about the duo’s love for Indian and electronic music. “We play electronic music that speaks to us and feels true to us. Indian disco is a tradition and a vibe all of its own and we try to imbibe stuff from our influences and at the end of the day, make them entirely our own. It’s high-energy dance music but one that will make you think and feel something real.” Saba, who has been the talk of the town ever since she gave a stunning performance in the show, Rocket Boys, adds that their music has been influenced by not one but several genres. “Our music is a mix of post punk, new wave, and Indian film scores from the ’60s and ’70s.” Speaking of CIRCUS, the duo speaks about the city and shares, “We are really looking forward to playing in Hyderabad. We love the city and the audience. Also, the other artistes on the line-up are great and we are looking forward to watching them play. It’s going to be a fun party and we can’t wait.” The duo will play a mix of old material and unreleased tracks like Sharaabi, Fire In The Street, Lemonade, Laika, and others.

Sindhi Curry

Think of vinyl music and Pramod Sippy aka Sindhi Curry might just pop into your mind. The DJ started his career in 1994 at the age of 14 and is soon to complete 28 years in the music industry. A veteran of sorts, the founder of The Bombay Elektrik Projekt and The Hive, in the last three decades he moved seamlessly from tapes to CDs, to consoles, and finally to vinyl. He shares, “I like to play music that is rare or unheard of and still make people dance or just listen to it and appreciate it.” For CIRCUS, he has a special vinyl set that is a mix of several genres. He has been collecting vinyl for the past 12 years years and enjoys playing absolute rarities that keeps one grooving. “My music usually traverses across genres. I like to play a bit of everything, depending on the mood and vibe. You can expect music ranging from disco, house, techno and sometimes it breaks into Afro-house. I will also throw in bits of electro music,” he adds. We also ask the musician about his eccentric stage name and he reveals that it was in fact suggested by a fellow DJ and adds, “Initially, I wasn’t comfortable with it but over time it grew on me and I began to associate with it more and more. I felt like it goes perfectly with my personality and music (chuckles).”

Peekay

Cut to Pranati Khanna also popularly known as Peekay, who is quite a familiar name in Hyderabad’s live music circuit. The artiste has been performing for several years now and her set of loyal fans always take the time out for her shows. Besides being a part of the local indie music scene, the singer, who started with the band The Ragamuffins, went solo just a few years ago to explore her love for jazz music. She is known for tracks like Sunshine on The Street, Much Better, and Sounds Far and will play some of her favourite tracks at CIRCUS. “You can expect lots of released and unreleased songs like You Don’t Have To and Good Old Fashioned in Love. I will also play my latest releases, One Day and All I Do,” Peekay shares. Peekay dabbles between her design firm, The Whole Shebang, and music gigs. She loves touring different cities, and believes in collaborating with local artistes for every show. Speaking about the lack of English indie musicians in the city, she says, “The numbers were better when I started out actually, but now, there is a dearth of musicians in the English music scene. I am sad about it, to be honest, but I’m so thrilled that this concert is providing a platform just for that. We need more of this energy in our city.” She has a new single called Starlight, up for release soon.

Priyanka Nath

It has been a while since we saw Priyanka Nath on stage and we are definitely looking forward to watch her groove with her band consisting of Priyanka, Pavan Grandhi, Prem Sagar, and Jonathan Edward. Priyanka recalls, “I did perform a couple of my own songs in my show, Priyanka Nath Live, last December. But this is different. This will be a full-fledged performance of my covers for the first time ever.” She also adds, “I am definitely a little anxious about this show as it’s a new attempt for me while sharing the stage with some really kickass artistes.” She is also thrilled to be the opening artiste for the show and hopes to deliver a banger-level performance. The singer who takes her inspiration from Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne will play some of her original compositions such as Run, Stay With Me, and Dear Hater. “Of course, there will be a few new compositions that are yet to be released. The audience at CIRCUS will hear it first,” she reveals.

Synths Back

Growing up in the islands of Andaman and Nicobar, his love for jazz and punk music kept Abhishek Chanda going. He takes Synths Back as his stage name purely because of his love for synthesiser (an electronic musical instrument). The music producer will perform for the first time in Hyderabad and shares his excitement with us, “This is my first time in the City of Nawabs. I have always heard great things about the city’s music culture and cannot wait to explore more of it.” He plays primarily disco, funk, and house and will perform his recent track, This Wave, which has some deep house grooves and melancholic vocals. It also has a bunch of groovy underground tunes from the Asia-Pacific region. What else? He also hints at performing some unreleased tracks, “Well, I do have a few unreleased songs from the new NFT collection that’s coming out later this year. I might play some of those too, you have to wait and watch for it.”

Rs 1,499 upwards. On July 31. At Zero 40 Brewing, Financial District.

— bsuchitra@newindianexpress.com