Hometown Heat puts Chennai’s indie acts in the spotlight

Chennai’s independent music scene is shaping up to be one of the city’s most interesting cultural undercurrents, and Hometown Heat, presented by Summer Bang, intends to put it properly on display. The showcase brings together a clutch of the city’s rising acts under one roof.

Chennai’s Indie undercurrent steps out

The line-up includes Anjali Manoharan, Stefany Vatz, Sammie, SKA, Panda, and Kavya, each working in a different register entirely.

Anjali, a Chennai-based singer-songwriter who has built a reputation for jazz-and-blues-inflected songwriting layered with distinctive vocal harmonies is playing with a band for the first time. For her the event represents a vital shift towards community-driven live spaces.

“Exposure, showcasing my music, and being heard by the public is so important. Artistes need to be heard, and shows like these need to happen more frequently,” she notes. Her performance will blend jazz and indie sensibilities, debuting a completely fresh sound for her older tracks alongside unreleased material.

Meanwhile vocalist Stefany Vatz, daughter of the late guitarist Steeve Vatz, will be performing a genre-blending set of rock, pop, and funk originals composed by her father. “I’m very new to the independent scene but I think that this is what every independent artiste needs. Everyone needs to start somewhere and shows like these really inspire other people to write their music and perform them live,” Stefany says.

Drawing heavy inspiration from R&B and funk, artiste Sammie intends to use his groove-driven setlist to break the traditional barrier between the stage and the floor. Sammie says. “I get to share a piece of myself through my songs, and in return, I get to feel the audience’s energy and response. It’s one of the most genuine and rewarding parts of being an independent artiste.”

INR 399 onwards. On June 20. From 5.30 pm. At The Spotted Deer, The Palomar, ECR.

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