Summer vibes on winter’s day in Bengaluru

Behram Siganporia, Bengaluru-based band Best Kept Secret’s lead vocalist, was just 16 years old when he attended Bryan Adams’ 2011 concert in the city. “I was absolutely mesmerised by him. To see my idol performing in front of me...it was a real rock star moment and an eye-opener. I thought: You know what? I also want to pursue music,” says Behram. The band is set to open for Bryan Adams’ concert in Bengaluru today and in Hyderabad on Monday.

Seeing Bryan perform live with his signature husky voice and commanding stage presence 13 years ago influenced the trajectory of Behram’s life in ways that he could never have anticipated — his band, currently in the middle of a world tour, is one of the most popular acts in the Indian live music scene today.

Opening for Bryan comes as a full-circle moment. “The first song I learnt on the guitar was Summer of ’69. Years after watching his concert, now I’m going to be on stage with him — it’s an emotional moment,” says Behram. “This is a big moment for the band. It’s the next step in our careers, because we’ve been on a roll for the last couple of years, performing everywhere around the world and now to finally get onto a very big stage like this is very cool,” says the pilot who turned musician.

The band, consisting of Behram, Hemanth Diwakaran (guitar), Abhilash EK (drums) and Steve Rajan (keyboard), is known for their fun, upbeat melodies that blend pop, rock, funk and blues and will be performing a mix of their well-known original songs alongside some nostalgic covers.

“We want to showcase our original music too, and will be playing Can’t Let You Go which was number one on the Apple Music charts in India for a long time; Moving On; She’s Out of Control which is a nice rock and roll song; and Come a Little Closer from our next album. We’re also going to throw in a few covers by artistes from the ’80s and ’90s, just to bring that nostalgia factor which is always associated with Bryan Adams.”

Talking about performing at home and Bengalureans’ response to the news, Behram says, “Messages have been pouring in saying that they’re so excited to watch us along with Bryan Adams and wishing us the best. They want us to grow, and see us on bigger stages and in bigger arenas. Having home support and a home base like Bengaluru feels very special.”

Written by: Mahima Nagaraju