Chennai-based alternative band, The F16s, are officially 10 years old! Late last year, the quartet launched the five-track EP, Is It Time To Eat The Rich Yet, a pandemic-inspired project that spoke about discrimination and corruption in India. More recently, they caught everyone’s attention for their Tiktok and Reels-inspired music video for the track, Sucks To Be Human, from the 2021 EP. Now, to mark a decade of their journey as a band and to celebrate a million streams of the video, the group comes to Bengaluru for a special gig. Their guitarist, Abhinav Krishnaswamy tells us more about what to expect.
“We have some new material and old material on our playlist for this gig. And maybe we'll play some covers for the audience,” the musician shares. Also joining them will be LIFAFA aka Suryakant Sawhney of Peter Cat Recording Co. “I love him. His track, Irradon, might be a nice bridge between both our acts,” he says, giving us a sneak peek of what’s in store.
From their debut EP Kaleidoscope in 2013, to their break through album Triggerpunkte in 2016 and 10 million Spotify streams, The F16s have been constantly refining their sound. Over the past decade, their catchy pop vocals have evolved into lyrically-driven sounds, groovy bass lines and more. However, Abhinav shares that it is not planned and their aim has always been to make great music. “I’m not sure if we have given it that much thought really. We just try to make music that's nice and fun to listen to. Whatever shape that takes is up to the listener,” he explains.
The band, which comprises Sashank Manohar, Joshua Fernandez and Harshan Radhakrishnan, apart from Abhinav, gained a worldwide fanbase after their debut album hit the Internet, and now after the landmark anniversary, fans can’t help but be curious about what’s next. “We’re always writing, but new EPs and albums take time. We might have something new in 2022. We also have some big shows lined up for this year and one in the following year. We are looking forward to those,” he signs off.
₹499 upwards. September 2, 8 pm. At GYLT, Hennur