Travelling with their tunes

Currently on an eleven-city tour to promote their second album Topiwalleh, Bangalore-based folk rock band Swarathma couldn’t have imagined a bigger opening for their latest offering.

Currently on an eleven-city tour to promote their second album Topiwalleh, Bangalore-based folk rock band Swarathma couldn’t have imagined a bigger opening for their latest offering. In fact, a few years ago, not many indie bands could’ve dreamed of traveling across the country and performing for a cheering audience. But thanks to mushrooming live music venue chains, sponsors who’re ready to pump in the money and dedicated artiste-management agencies, touring to perform is a popular phenomenon.

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“The idea of promotional concert tours is a Western concept, where bands would travel across the country for three-four months in a van with their instruments. It’s great to see it getting popular in India,” says Swarathma vocalist Vasu Dixit. Besides helping popularise one’s music among a scattered audience, touring together also serves as a team-strengthening exercise, says Vasu.

“Playing back-to-back shows is a great way to bond and hone one’s act on stage. Also, for organisers, it works out well logistically because we are on a roll playing shows, besides creating a buzz.” In the recent past, indie-acts such as Sridhar/Thayil, Dischordian and Overhung, among many others, have been on a tour to promote their albums.