There were of course bands like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin in the '70s that tore up the stage at concerts as if they were looking to start a riot. But there were also some people, like Johnny Cash for instance, who sometimes got up on stage simply with their guitars and played easy-listening tracks for an audience that was largely seated. And even today, there are times when artistes such as John Mayer start a gig with a full band set-up, before the rest abruptly leave the stage in the middle so that the front man is left seated to perform a purely acoustic song, like Free Fallin' in Mayer's case.

It is this tradition of musicians sitting on a chair with the spotlight firmly on them that The Barstool Project, a property that debuts at a Lower Parel eatery this weekend, hopes to celebrate. The evening will involve four diverse acts playing their softer numbers or stripped-down versions of the heavier ones sitting on barstools, with single spotlights illuminating their presence while the rest of the restaurant is dimly lit. The outfits for the first edition are singer-songwriter Taba Chake, indie folk act Ink of Bard, Hindi rockers Daira and hip-hop artiste Shah Rule. They will all play acoustic renditions of their music, which will also allow them to see their own songs in a new light.