BIGSAM, STEVIE and Spotlight come together for the first edition of Permanent Vacation

The architecture of an independent music scene relies entirely on the infrastructure built to protect it. For years, the city’s live original music landscape has fought uphill battles against shifting venues and post-pandemic stagnation. Hoping to change that is Metal Chennai, a platform that has spent years supporting independent live music in the city, particularly across metal, hard rock, and alternative music. The collective is now expanding its vision with Permanent Vacation, a new recurring platform for original artistes across genres. The inaugural edition brings together BIGSAM, STEVIE, and Spotlight. Ahead of the show, we spoke to the organisers and artistes about creating a stronger home for Chennai’s independent music scene.

BIGSAM has spent the past few years touring with Tamil indie musician Kaber Vasuki

For Chennai-based singer-songwriter STEVIE, the concert marks his return to performing in the city with his full band after almost two years. “I feel like my music is at a point where it’s slowly transitioning into the sound I’ve always wanted to put out,” STEVIE shares. Even so, he resists putting labels on his music. “If I box myself into certain genres, I really won’t have the mind space to do justice to the kind of songs I want to write,” he explains. Drawing from indie pop, alternative rock, R&B and electronic music, he prefers to let each song find its own direction. “I don’t consciously try to write within a genre anymore,” he adds. “I let the song become whatever it wants to become.” Audiences, he says, can expect a set that reflects this newer musical direction.

Finding honesty

For singer-songwriter and guitarist BIGSAM, who has spent the past few years touring with Tamil indie musician Kaber Vasuki while continuing to write his own music, Permanent Vacation offers a chance to bring his own songs back to a Chennai audience.

“Playing with Kaber taught me a lot about restraint,” BIGSAM tells us. “Earlier I’d think about interesting guitar parts. Now I think more about emotion. It’s rarely the flashy guitar solo people carry home. It’s usually the honest moments that stay with them,” he reflects.

Asked what audiences can expect from the weekend show, BIGSAM says the performance will move beyond simply recreating his recordings. “I don’t want to just play the recordings back at people,” he says. “There’ll be a few surprises, a few songs people may not expect and hopefully at least one moment where someone goes, ‘Oh, I didn’t know he did that!’,” he laughs.

Growing together

Alternative rock outfit Spotlight returns with a different story. “This hiatus was more focused on finding ourselves and taking care of the basics in our lives,” frontman Laxman Arvind tells us. Although regular performances slowed down, the members continued making music together. “As we grew up, our music sensibilities definitely took a different shape. Now we are more focused on making music that feels personal to us,” he avers.

The Saturday show also offers audiences a first listen to new material. “We’re playing a couple of new songs that we’ve written in the past few months,” Laxman shares. “Apart from that, it’ll be packed with a lot of energy,” he promises.

Making space

As the founder of Metal Chennai, Manu Krishnan says Permanent Vacation is a natural next step in the collective’s efforts to support independent musicians in the city. “Permanent Vacation is the world we are trying to build, where independent and original music is not a side pursuit but a permanent reality,” the drummer enthuses.

Choosing STEVIE, BIGSAM and Spotlight as the opening line-up was deliberate. “Each of them kept original live music going in Chennai during quieter years. Bringing all three back to the same stage felt like the right way to begin,” he smiles.

INR 750 onwards. July 18, 6 pm. At The Spotted Deer, East Coast Road.

Email: anoushkakundu@newindianexpress.com

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