‘Live Music is About Taking Risks’: Rhythm Shaw on his Chennai Gig at SARAVEDI II
A studio recording can be polished down to the smallest detail. Live music, for guitarist Rhythm Shaw, is more interesting when some of that control slips away. His Nothing to Lose tour arrives in Chennai this weekend as part of SARAVEDI II, presented by Metal Chennai and hosted at Palomar by Crossway — a venue rapidly cementing its reputation with regular live gigs and music showcases. Joined by Gino Banks on drums and Sheldon D’Silva on bass, Rhythm will rework the album for the stage, leaving ample room for improvisation, fresh arrangements, and the occasional happy accident. We catch up with the guitarist ahead of the gig.
What can audiences expect from the Chennai show that they won’t hear on the album?
In an album situation, you’re super precise with everything, taking so many takes to get the perfect take, and everything is so well quantised.In the live situation, it’ll be all about taking risks and having fun. It’s a lot about musicianship, listening to each other, reacting to those moments and different arrangements. Every night will be different because we’re going to improvise a lot, playing with sounds and just taking each song to a different space every night.
How have you reworked Nothing to Lose for the live set?
I did reimagine it from a live performance perspective. It’ll be all the songs from my latest album and a couple more from my opening act album as well, but changing the set list order, which I think will be more fitting for a live performance.
What are you looking forward to about playing in Chennai?
I think Chennai will be fun because just growing up in that culture with music, which is so complicated, and the years are so well-versed with the rhythmic side of Indian classical music, the mathematical side, which is insanely inspiring. So I think they’re going to have fun when we do some polyrhythmic stuff, metric modulation, and playing with time in general.
What has the response to Nothing to Lose been like since its release?
I didn’t really think about the audience much while writing the music or while putting it up. There are tracks which I wrote 15 years back. I just wanted to put those songs out because they are really close to me. After releasing it, getting to hear good things from some incredible musicians, friends, family and everyone was very inspiring and motivating.