The Indiecision ’08: Best Gig Indian

The Indiecision â??08 is a recap of the year gone by in Indian indie and a recognition of the work of its artists and those involved with the creation and promotion of the music. Over the month of December, your favourite Indian indie blog will feature bests and worsts of all things Indian indie.

The Best Gig Indian was the best concert by an Indian artist at a venue in the city of Mumbai. The nominees for the Best Gig Indian are

The Supersonics, Hard Rock Cafe
The Supersonics‘ first visit to Mumbai brought perhaps the best sound out of Hard Rock Cafe‘s particularly reverb heavy walls all this year. With over 90 minutes of fresh new music, the band thoroughly engaged a sparse Tuesday night audience. We have not been this impressed by a new Indian indie act since The Superfuzz. Ananda Sen and Co’s refreshing brand of Britpop-enthused alternative left an indelible mark on everyone who lucked into being at Hard Rock that night.

Shaa’ir + Func, Blue Frog

Perhaps one of the hottest live properties in the Indian indie market today, Shaa’ir + Func launched their new album Light Tribe to a packed audience at the Blue Frog in May. With a set that spanned material from their debut New Day as well, and a particularly catchy aesthetic, Monica Dogra and Randolph Correia (dressed in his Jeetendra outfit) put together an energetic set (with LCD screens on stage) that shouted, “Look at us! We’re awesome!” And they were.

Hit â??Moreâ?? for the rest of the nominees and the Best Gig Indian â??08.

Zero, D’Ultimate
Zero‘s penultimate live set at, er, D’Ultimate beat their unplugged set at St Andrew’s in January (hit the music player for an acoustic version of ‘Hate in Em’) for a nomination. Indiecision said of the D’Ultimate gig at the time – “The ingredients were perfect – a crowd that knew the songs, a venue that didnâ??t allow for excessive breathing and a moshpit that threatened to injure some band members.” Zero proved why their club set is as spankingly good fun as their outdoor performances with classic material, humour and panache.

Lounge Piranha, Firangi Paani

When Lounge Piranha finally got their dreamy, psychedelic alternative rock to Mumbai for the first time – together with a sound and light show – it was to the fairly audience-unfriendly venue of Firangi Paani. But they had charm, they had grace and God had clearly put a smile on frontman Kamal Singh’s face. Lounge Piranha were also The Changemaker ’08 for a tour that this set at Firangi Paani was not a part of.

MySpace India Launch, Lands End Amphitheatre

The MySpace India launch gig brought to the same stage a collection of some of the best live indie acts in the country today. Indigo Children, Them Clones and Pentagram played to a packed audience at the Lands End Amphitheatre for a largely insignificant event made significant by the fact that Indigo Children (then known as The Superfuzz) blasted through their frenetic live set, Them Clones enchanted everyone with their well planned unplugged material and Pentagram tore the place apart with their energy.

And the Best Gig Indian â??08 was

Zero at D’Ultimate; India’s best live act at their best.

Head to the Indiecision â??08 homepage for all the details and the awards.