The Indiecision ’08: Best Gig Moment

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 Moment was the one particular event in a performance that was most memorable and added something special to the gig itself. The nominees for Best Gig Moment are

menwhopause’s IP Does an Impromptu Solo Spot

With a less-than-expected turnout  at the Blue Frog and a vocalist with a sore throat, menwhopause were clearly not having their best night. But that definitely didn’t bring the Delhi band’s spirits down. Guitarist IP Singh obliged the crowd (read close friends) by ending the gig with his howlarious solo acoustic jam ‘Kaatil Sardar’. Punjabi pop was never funnier.

Lou Majaw Trips, Takes Down Equipment, Continues Playing
Great Society frontman Lou Majaw, with his indecently-mini shorts, is a gig moment all by himself. At this particular gig at the Blue Frog Majaw was intro-ing a song with his karate chop guitar style when in the over enthu, he tripped and fell taking with him some cymbals. The drummer was unfazed, perhaps this has happened before. Majaw then, still lying on the floor, went on to throw periodic fists in the air accompanied by whatever drumming equipment the drummer had left, and some well timed guitar chords. Mega.

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

Goldspot do ‘Friday’ in Hindi

One of the most pleasant surprises in the past year came when the organisers of the One Tree Festival, home of hoary blues legends, decided to mix things up by bringing down for the event, LA-based indie rockers Goldspot, fronted by first-generation immigrant Sidharth Khosla. Songs like ‘Friday’ and ‘Rewind’ were infectious enough to capture the crowd’s attention, many of whom may have been first-time listeners. But the loudest applause was heard after Khosla channelled his inner Rafi to sing ‘Aaj Ka Yeh Din’, the popular YouTube cover of ‘Friday’.

Fans Sing ‘PSP’ at I-Rock

It was hard for any fan not to get emotional at Zero’s final live performance at I-Rock. The band dished out all their popular songs to a frenzied crowd that didn’t want the Mumbai band to leave. The gig, like most Zero gigs, had to end with perhaps their most well known song, ‘PSP’. However, 10pm was reached and cops showed up and perhaps, in retrospect, it all was a bit pre-planned, and the song had to be cut short. But nothing could dampen the crowd’s spirit as they gladly took matters into their own hands with an acapella version of the song. It was endearing in only the most literal sense of the term.

Susheela Raman Becomes a Whirling Dervish

Frequently during the course of her debut performance in Mumbai, Mercury Music Prize nominated singer Susheela Raman displayed the kind of energy usually associated with battery-endorsing bunnies. But the high point of the night came during her cover of krautrock pioneers Can’s ‘Yoo Doo Right’. Ms Raman’s take on the track included some devotional chants in Tamil. It was certainly surreal but absolutely arresting to her transform into a whirling dervish as she exclaimed, with not a breath taken between, “Vel Muruga, vel muruga, vel muruga” about half-a-dozen times.

And the Best Gig Moment â??08 was

Zero at I-Rock, for a defining moment in the Indian rock scene.

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