“going to be dedicating 40% of the slots for international acts”

Over 40 acts performed at Eastwind ’08. Under the assumption that at least that many will perform at Eastwind ’09, we’re looking at a good 16-18 international acts this year. The first of these were announced on the Eastwind website. They include

BENGALA (Mexico)
Black Sonora (Brazil)
Cardamom (Netherlands)
Pambo (Mexico)
The Aston Shuffle (Australia)

If you’re worried you haven’t heard/heard of any of these artists, don’t. We haven’t either. But then the promise of some international artists is better than the disappointment of no international artist, right? The music ranges from indie rock to samba to pop to electronica. More artist announcements are expected soon, though it’s been a while since the promised Aug 19 reveal-all date, that got pushed to “first week of September”.

A bunch of Indian bands have also been announced including Advaita, Cassini’s Division, Faridkot, Lounge Piranha, menwhopause, PINKNOISE, Sajid Akbar, Something Relevant and The Supersonics. Not bad for a first draft. More details when we hear them.

Notes

1. We’re loving this sudden new spurt in the number of singer-songwriters playing in Mumbai.
2. The set included material from the band’s 2008 release Kid Without Candy, an assortment of covers and a few new songs.
3. The covers were more renditions than straight transcriptions. Sajid’s interpretations of popular ’90s alternative songs like ‘Wonderwall’ (Oasis) and ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ (Nirvana) were refreshing and in line with the delivery of his own material.
4. The only close-to-Killer Tomatoes moment came when the band performed a cover of ‘Piggy’ (Nine Inch Nails).
5. The Lost Boys = Advaita
6. Awkward hand movements notwithstanding, Sajid’s stage act is limited to a little mumbling between songs; something that could use a little work.
7. Nikhil D’Souza, your move.

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

‘Silent Movies’ is a song off Kid Without Candy. The video, directed by Kenny Png, is a mix of interpretive and narrative. The video is shot in Singapore, where the album was recorded and released last year (it will be released by RSJ Records in India, as a free CD with a copy of the new issue of the magazine). While the song itself is a largely abstract emotive, the video is well shot and produced.

We’ll be checking out Akbar and his band in Mumbai. For more, head to his MySpace.

Silent Movies_Sajid And The Lost Boys from Kenny Png on Vimeo.

Head to Hard Rock Cafe on Tuesday, June 30 night for Delhi alternative act Them Clones. The band recently extended their ‘My Life’ single release tour adding dates in Mumbai and New Delhi. We caught them earlier this year at HRC where they previewed material from their coming debut album (which was supposed to be released in June 2006) Love.Hate.Heroes.

Kick of July with PINKNOISE at the Blue Frog on Wednesday, July 1. The Kolkata rock act will perform a Pink Floyd tribute gig, blending their own brand of atmospheric zanyness with Pink Floyd’s psychedelia. We caught the band last week at Firangi Paani where they also played their own material.

Head back to the Blue Frog on Thursday (July 2) night for Siddharth Coutto’s (Zero drummer, Helga’s Fun Castle vocalist) new project Tough On Tobacco. The band’s music is upbeat, pop rock that’s easy on the ears and the brain.

New Delhi

Last week, Sajid And The Lost Boys frontman Sajid Akbar played an acoustic set at Mocha Bar. On Thursday, July 2 the band will perform in its entirety at the recently opened Hard Rock Cafe. Akbar was one of our picks for Most Promising Indie ‘08 on the back of a strong debut album Kid Without Candy.

Them Clones head home after their short Mumbai sojourn to play a gig at the American Center on Saturday, July 4. The alternative act will provide the festivities at the American independence day celebrations.

Bangalore

Chennai grunge act Null Friction play Hard Rock Cafe on Thursday, July 2. The trio will likely preview material from their coming debut album that will be released next month.

Michael Jackson fans head to Kyra on Sunday night for a tribute gig that’ll feature the late King of Pop’s hits performed by some of Bangalore’s most talented musicians. Gig starts at 8pm and entry is Rs 300.

These are our gig picks for the week folks. Have one.

Kick off your gig week with metal act Reverrse Polarity at Firangi Paani on Tuesday, June 23. The Mumbai quartet are on a mini-tour of the country courtesy their Channel V Launchpad III win. Last time we checked, Firangi Paani has a dress code, so make sure you wear shoes and pants.

Head to the Blue Frog on Wednesday night to catch lyrical pop duo Sridhar/Thayil. If cerebral soundscapes aren’t your thing, head to il terrazzo at Juhu to catch electro-rock act Medusa, back from their mini-tour of the UK courtesy the British Council SoundPad project.

On the night of five, we highly recommend you check out PINKNOISE at Firangi Paani. The uber talented Singhs of the east play the first of their two gigs in Mumbai. It’s a free gig, part of Rolling Stone Live, that will feature new PINKNOISE material and some classic covers rendered in the band’s own inimitable style. We interviewed the terribly affable Jayashree Singh last year.

New Delhi

The capital finally gets some worthy gig-age. Head to Mocha Bar on Wednesday, June 24 for an acoustic performance by Sajid Akbar, frontman of Sajid and the Lost Boys. Akbar was one of our picks for Most Promising Indie ’08 on the back of a strong debut album Kid Without Candy.

On Thursday, alt rock act Half Step Down take stage at the newly opened Hard Rock Cafe. The band is gearing up to release their debut album Overtures to Outerspace, samples of which are currently online.

Close your gig week in the capital on Saturday (June 27) evening at the DLF Place Mall with East India Company and Indian Ocean – the biggest lineup of any indie gig in the country this week. We caught EIC earlier this year at the India Habitat Center.

Bangalore

All’s relatively quiet down south this week. On Thursday (June 25) night, electronica act Bay Beat Collective play Bacchus as part of their national BassMental tour. The DJ trio recently hit Zenzi Mills in Mumbai.

Jazz vocalist Radha Thomas joins guitarist Amit Heri on Sunday, June 28 at Kyra. Heri recently joined four other top guitarists from around the country for the Guitar Gurus gig in Bangalore last month that we supported.

These are our gig picks for the week folks. Have one.