The Bengaluru-based Carnatic progressive rock band, Agam, blend storytelling and music as they open their pan-India tour in the city
(From left) Aditya Kashyap, Harish Sivaramakrishnan and T Praveen Kumar perform
Dissonance is a thematic element of rock music. It is almost tradition for musicians to find contrasting and improbable combinations together to create a new, harmonic creation. For the Bengaluru-based progressive rock band, Agam, this harmony lies in the blend of Carnatic ragas and rock rhythms. The band — Harish Sivaramakrishnan, Yadhunandhan, Swamy Seetharaman, T Praveen Kumar, Jagadish Natarajan and Aditya Kashyap — is among the frontrunners of a progressive rock wave from South India. This weekend, they hope to kick-start their Onwards and Upwards tour across the country with a unique gig in the city.
The tour is part of their third phase of evolution, shares Aditya Kashyap, bassist for the band. “This will be a pan-India tour, starting from Mumbai,” he shares. The stops include Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai later this month.
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Crowds at an earlier gig. Pics Courtesy/@buddingcreative
The tour is a marker of the band’s effort to add context to their compositions along with new interpretations. From their debut album to breakthrough singles like Manavyalakinchara or the Over the horizon, the band has discovered an audience intrigued by the Carnatic form. “We were surprised by a new generation accepting Carnatic music in the form that we had created. But when we spoke with fans after our concerts, we realised that they are apprehensive about delving deeper into the details,” shares Kashyap. The idea behind the tour is to demystify this myth.
The bassist elaborates, “In addition to the performance, we hope to introduce the ragas [used in the compositions], involve the audience through the story and get them to participate in the music.” Would a Mumbai audience get the vibe, we ask. “The city is a key part of the Carnatic circuit, so the audience has always been clued in. If you are a Carnatic musician, you have certainly heard of Shanmukhananda Hall,” Kashyap points out.
The bassist has been part of the team since 2012. That was the year of their first album, Inner Self Awakens, followed by A Dream To Remember in 2017. Nearly six years later, they are in the final stages of their third album.
Aditya Kashyap
The delay is down to many reasons. One of them is the challenge of working together. “Most of us have nine-to-five careers,” remarks Kashyap, who works with an Indian consumer goods company. Music has been mandatory on the weekends, though. “In the last decade, I have never worked on a weekend ever. It is exclusively dedicated to the band,” he shares, adding that everyone is an ‘evangelist’ at making this dual identity work. “It certainly helps to avoid the Monday blues,” he laughs.
The new album is the next phase for the band’s music. “We started by introducing progressive rock to Carnatic phrasings in the first album. The second one had elements of heavy metal. The third album will include a lot more diverse influences from folk, jazz to rock,” he remarks. Currently in its final stages, it is expected to be released by October, he reveals. This diversity and progression does not mean a shift in the core Carnatic element, he reminds us. “It is a conscious endeavour from us to keep the soul of the raga intact,” he signs off.
On: August 5; 8 pm onwards
At: Dublin Square, Phoenix Market City, LBS Marg, Kurla West.
Log on to: in.bookmyshow.com
Cost: Rs 1,299 onwards
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