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Vow to play it right: Indie music at Indian weddings
Independent artistes are playing at wedding ceremonies. Three musicians discuss what it takes to cater to the shaadi crowd
What to wear to an indie-music gig? How about a sequinned lehenga, embroidered achkan, a glitzy cocktail sari, or a white lace ballgown? At sangeets, receptions and other wedding events, many couples are now swapping generic DJ music for performances by their favourite indie bands.
For guests, it’s a chance to hear live original music in addition to the usual Tu Mera Hero and Bole Chudiyaan – a refreshing move in a season when weddings are special but rarely distinctive. For performers, it’s a way to fill the fallow months between gigs and festivals, find new audiences and make some money. No, it not being a sellout. Think of it catering to an untapped market that demands just a few tweaks.
“At any celebratory gathering, people want to hear their personal favourites: Sing-along anthems and award-winning dance numbers,” says drummer Naman Datta, 34, who has been playing professionally since 2015, with multiple ensembles. But wedding-guest lists these days feature more young friends of the couple than older business associates of the parents. It’s natural to want to dance to the original tunes they’ve heard at a festival that year. The gathering defines the music requests, Datta says. “Friends and family call for a mix of English and Hindi numbers, youngsters ask for Sufi and Punjabi tracks, seasoned listeners end up calling a band that does indie covers.”
They’re playing your song
A couple recently requested singer-songwriter Aronjoy Das, 26, who has been performing since 2018, to play Killing In The Name by Rage Against The Machine at their sangeet. So Das is never quite sure what wedding clients want out of their live gigs.
“It helps if the client can share what kind of music and vibe they are looking to set for their party,” he says. “Of course, part of our job is to read the room and deliver songs what the crowd would enjoy. But no band wants to be put on the spot with a song they’re not familiar with.” Das has been playing commercial music for almost three years, in addition to performing his own solo work, and covers of chart-toppers and Insta soundtracks.
Besides, most popular songs are original tunes too, many of them put together by artists who have indie and commercial projects. “They get classified as commercial or desi only because of their mass appeal, or because these songs can be danced to,” Datta says.
Being quick on your feet with out-of-the-blue requests is exactly how a band distinguishes itself, says Aradhya Khurana, 22. The bassist has played with the John Oinam ensemble and Zyakuni in My Backyard. But most bands who’ve been hired to play their own music in addition to popular tunes tend to “hope that the guests give them a heartful listen,” says Datta. “It can go either way. Guests could request from the band’s own hists or ask the bride, groom or client WTF the band was doing there,” he adds with a laugh.
In for the money
Artists who scoff at wedding gigs often quiet down once the money starts rolling in. A private gig pays typically three times more than a club engagement. A wedding can be five times as much. Plus, it’s a chance to take music to a new demographic, have families appreciate a new sound together, which rarely happens at a club.
Das jumped into commercial gigs early in his career. It helps him stay visible and the money helps support his indie dreams. Datta tries to split half his time writing original music and experimenting, and the other half honing crowd favourites into new and ear-pleasing avatars for the masses.
“At the end of the day. And there’s a lot to learn playing all kinds of music,” says Khurana. “It’s unfair to say that commercial music only gets you paid. I find it refreshing, especially if I haven’t played it in a long time. The dilemma is where you realise how much money you need to actually succeed as a musician. And seeing how little you get paid for the kind of music that you want to play. Striking that balance between getting paid and getting an artistic kick is always tricky.”
Between two worlds
Working on commercial sets, particularly weddings, comes with its own set of challenges. In cities such as Mumbai, bands can’t play loud music after 10pm – and few want to spend time on a tune they haven’t heard. At destination weddings, there are crowds from different parts of the country, each with different ideas of what constitutes a good time. Longer wedding celebrations allow for both live and DJ music, and comparisons are inevitable.
“But there is always a certain drive and excitement that comes with presenting original compositions,” says Das. “It lets artists showcase their flair and give already popular song a fresh spin.” Datta has found that musicians who devote more energy into their own compositions than the standard material end up doing a disservice to the event. “This becomes evident on stage,” he says. Who wants a bad gig and a bad celebration too?
