Fusion band ‘Advaita’ rocks Delhi during eighth birthday gig

New Delhi: Delhi’s well-liked electric fusion band Advaita turned eight recently. It celebrated its birthday by performing its popular numbers for its fans.

The amphitheatre at India Habitat Centre was jam-packed as music lovers turned up in large numbers. The evening was made special as guest performers from bands such as Parikarma, Them Clones, Mrigya and Teddy Boy Kill shared the stage. “From the time we started in this day today there has been a huge evolution in music scene which we are fortunate for and we thank the Delhi music crowd. We have places to play, we have people coming and appreciating all kind of music in this city. That’s the main support base because of which we have been around for these years and we play all over. Delhi is our home and the music audience is fantastic. So the eight years is basically because of them,” said Abhishek Mathur, who plays the guitar for Advaita. An eight-member band Advaita has already released two albums – Grounded in Space in March 2009, and The Silent Sea in February this year. The band, which has just returned from Johannesburg in South Africa as a part of the shared history festival, has established itself as one of the most thrilling, innovative and original acts of the Indian music scene. “People are crazy about this music because they can relate to it because you heard them singing, you heard them clapping, you heard them applauding. They appreciate good music first of all, they can sing along to the lyrics. The music is easily identifiable as coming from classical or folk background and even rock which we are now familiar in India. The rock scene has not grown in the past because previous rock bands use to play other people’s music but bands like we saw today are playing their own music and making a mark for themselves,” said multi-percussionist Suchet Malhotra. Sharat Chandra Srivastava, a violinist and vocalist with Mrigya, another band, said: “There sound is very experimental and what they have tried in their sound is just like blending the Indian classical with a bit of rock and electronic and there is a lot of jazz in their sound which is a great combination and it is a very international sound that they have.” Advaita has been nominated for GIMA awards 2012 under the Best rock album and Best fusion album categories for their album titled the Silent Sea. Their track `Gorakh’ was nominated for GIMA awards 2011 in the category of Best Pop Song’. ANI