The MoonDogs don’t want to conform to what’s expected of a band from Kashmir

They sing of love, heartbreak, birds and animals. The MoonDogs don’t really want to conform to what’s expected of a band from a troubled state.

It’s not difficult to spot them among the motley group of people out for brunch on a Sunday afternoon. Winter is just making its appearance, and there’s a slight nip in the otherwise balmy air. The two young men I’m looking for are, however, wearing thick woollens. “This sweater isn’t too heavy for the weather, no?” asks rosy-cheeked Syed Aaqib. He is the singer-guitarist of Jammu-based indie rock band MoonDogs; his cousin Syed Hamza is the other singer-guitarist, while their friends Awais Bin Yousf and Shayaan Bhat play bass and percussion respectively.

(Photo by Raj K Raj/ Hindustan Times)(Hindustan Times)

Sing along: Syed Hamza (foreground), Syed Aaqib (standing behind) and Shayaan Bhat of MoonDogs before their gig. (Hindustan Times)