Retronome – Bangalore based Band
In conversation with Chris Avinash from Retronome on the journey of the Band so far and how they do what they do.
Tell us about yourselves. How was the band formed?
Formed in 2009 – when I was Director of Kyra. The band was formed initially as the house band – we started performing outside of kyra by 2009 end
Tell us about your first gig…and how has the journey been so far.
Our first gig was for the 20th year re-union of the Old Cottonians of the1989 batch! Its been a fun-filled and highly rewarding journey thus far – we’ve played over 250 concerts – for a variety and hue of clientele!
Bangalores is based on an interesting concept of thinning the lines between live music and theater. What made you venture into something like this?
We saw this as a brilliant opportunity to play out to a totally different kind audience in a totally different setting!! The challenge was, as the rest of the band says, to see how Chris could actually shut up and sit down… while other things happened!
Who’s the naughty one, lazy one and the disciplined one of the group?
Naughty – Chris, Sometimes saggy
Lazy – Uday (used to be till he started being part of the faculty of an International school)
Disciplined – All of us – it’s quite an essential thing to be when you’re playing out to corporate audiences almost all the time!
What do draw your inspiration from for your works?
Haven’t reached a point where I need to draw Inspiration – this is almost like second nature to all of us!
What are the other interesting projects you are working on?
Quite a few things actually. Here you go:
- Ricchas original music – and a concert for it by end december/jan
- Retronome will also get into the college fest space next year – under a different name – and play out more contemporary covers.
- Ryan is in the middle of executing a Rush Tribute with another line-up.
- A few members of this band are involved with Chris’s solo project in kannada/tamil/hindi/english
- We are rehearsing a practically new set for our performance to the Google employees – for their annual day. This is the second time in the same year we have been invited to perform for them.
- There is the all consuming NEW YEARS EVE concert – we are trying to pretend that we find it impoRTANT – and are working our scgedules to accomodate rehearsals for that 3hour non-stop performance – but realistically we’ll probably get time to pull that off only post 25th Dec!!
What is Retronome doing when not performing?
We’d like to say practicing – but that would be a blatant lie! We’re all doing our own thing!
If not for music, what would have become of the band members?
Ryan – DO NOT KNOW MAN!! Thats a tough one!
Uday – Treadmill sales man
Trinity- Agriculturist
Riccha – Writer/Journalist
Saggy – Teacher
Chris – Definitely jail or rehab or Brand manager.
Catch the Premiere shows of ‘Bangalores’ at Jagriti Theatre on 23rd and 24th Nov’13. Book you tickets at BookMyShow.in
Hi. When are you guys going to do a repeat show of Bangalores? We were late for the Jagriti show by 10 mins, and so missed it!
Sumana, We are working towards planning new set of shows soon. Hopefully early next year but we do not have set dates yet.
I’m very much interested to join ur band.i have learnt hindustani clasical for few years.