After a five-year hiatus, well-known Tamil indie musician Kaber Vasuki made a return to the stage in August last year, marking a significant moment in his career. His comeback was long awaited by his fans and the overwhelming response his show received, made Kaber ponder — “Last year, during my performance, I realised that my music had organically reached a sizeable audience. It felt very good and urged me to start my tour.” It was thus only a matter of time when Kaber would enter stage again. Well, that time has come, as Kaber embarks on his debut tour, Oorvalam, with scheduled stops in Chennai, Coimbatore, and Bengaluru.
Oorvalam is not just a tour for Kaber; it represents a milestone as he ventures into the global music scene with an all-original setlist, a first for a Tamil indie artiste. While the Chennai leg of the tour will showcase the musician accompanied by a three-piece band, the Coimbatore and Bengaluru performances promise a more intimate acoustic experience. Having left an indelible mark on the independent music landscape in Chennai with his former band Kurangan and his debut album Azhagu Puratchi in 2014, Kaber is eagerly looking forward to perform again. “I am super excited! There’s nothing more thrilling for me than performing in Chennai, the city of my dreams,” says Kaber.
Sharing details about the tour, the musician says, “Oorvalam, unlike a tour that supports an album, will feature songs from across the last decade of my work. I’m also experimenting with how I perform and musically we’re doing a four- piece act in Chennai but downsizing to an acoustic two-piece in all the other venues.”
Kaber was in college when he heard Yogi B and Natchathra’s Madai Thiranthu. “It made me feel like this is what I should do in my life. That’s how it all began…,” shares the artiste, adding, “The Tamil independent scene has exploded in the last few years and so much money is pouring in — for events as well as recording. There’s never been a better time to be in Tamil Indie music space than now.”
Apart from Oorvalam, Kaber is working on an EP for KYN records. “We’ll start dropping new tracks later this year. On the movie front, I just wrapped up as composer for the Malaysian Tamil language film, Simple Manusan,” he says. For the uninitiated, Kaber has done playback in Kavan, Irumbuthirai and Captain Miller to name a few popular ones. Before wrapping up the conversation, we ask Kaber how he chooses to unwind, and his reply is as simple as it can get. “I make music. I eat, sleep, read, spend time with family and perform on stage… I have nothing else.”
Tickets start at Rs 499.
May 4, 6.30 pm to 8 pm.
At TEACH Auditorium, Bharata Kalanjali Natya School, Tharamani.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain
