Live: Ashutosh Phatak @ Blue Frog

The gig schedule for the week got off to a killer start with The Supersonics set at Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday. Thursday’s gig was a free entry affair at the Blue Frog, though the average age of the crowd was far greater than other free entry Frog live sets. Many micro-celebs and a few normal folk gathered at the venue for the launch of Phatak’s new album Sigh Of An Angel.

Phatak’s set encompassed most of the songs on the record on a day when cabs were on strike, and the songwriter celebrated his birthday.

Take the jump for the full review, pics and the Indiecision.

The last set played by Blue Frog’s co-owner started 75 minutes after the scheduled time and therefore one must consider it an improvement that this gig started a full 30 minutes earlier, with only a 45 minute delay. The glitzy crowd was in no hurry though, as those expecting to leave by cab were probably hoping the gig got done as close to 12 as possible. They were not disappointed.

Phatak’s last set at the venue was pretty much a drab affair with the music not really exploring any new ground. That gig was nearly five months ago and the potential therefore to improve the performance over that period of time was obviously great. The decorations at the Blue Frog gave hope that things had changed with puppet on the cover of the album finding physical form as a wooden thingy hanging from the stage.

Even the quirky home made video of the song ‘Fix Me’ which was shown prior to the beginning of the concert was entertaining. Unfortunately, as you may have guessed by now, the music was pretty much the same.

Though cheered on by a crowd of a lot of his friends, the music failed to shine once more. The Titan Xylys commercial song was the first indication that things hadn’t changed. The layout of the band was exactly the same as before with the addition of the wooden puppet thingy and a camera on Ashu’s microphone. Marked with individual moments of goodness courtesy Sanjay Divecha and Caralisa (harmonies), the collective was pretty much in the same condition as the May gig.

I get the feeling that in this album a lot of things have been overthought, while a lot others have not been paid much attention to. The result is songs that sound like moody commercials music stretched for five to seven minutes, and songs that sound like Bon Jovi. No amount of on stage ornaments can save that.

Indiecision: C+