Live: Awek @ Blue Frog, Mumbai

French blues band Awek played the Blue Frog on Thursday, January 14 as part of the Bonjour India festival. We were there.

As definitive as blues scales are, they leave much room for imaginative songwriting if not in music, then at least in theme. Heck, look what homeboys Soulmate have done with blues-rock. Their melange of Rudy Wallang powered blues melodies and frontwoman Tips’ unwavering falsetto makes for ever-engaging listens on record, and a  rewarding live experience.

French blues act Awek got it all wrong. While it was clear that each of the members of this four-piece were skilled at their respective trades, their material was incredibly repetitive to the extent that not only were each of their songs constructed alike (verse-chorus-verse-chorus-guitar-harmonica-chorus), but they also sounded disappointingly identical. Their set comprised material that was almost entirely uninspiring, singular blues scale based and save for a few flashes of individual competence (a guitar solo here, a harmonica solo there) was pretty dull.

We left early.

Indiecision: D+

We took a bunch of pictures at the gig. Here are a few.