Here's a question. What connects The Strokes and Radiohead — arguably two of the most pioneering bands of the modern generation — and their equally illustrious predecessors, U2? The members of these different outfits met each other and formed the bands while they were still in school. Formal education is one thing. But a child’s school years often form the bedrock of future careers that are shaped by extra-curricular activities. That’s what city-based Furtados School of Music (FSM) had in mind when they started an annual competition called Band-it, meant for schoolchildren.

The first edition in 2017 was a relatively modest affair. FSM co-founder Dharini Upadhyaya tells us that they were simply testing the waters, restricting the event to Mumbai and Pune. Around 30 bands signed up. But that number shot up to 75 in 2018, when the competition was extended to four metro cities. And it reached 110 by 2019, with the elimination rounds being opened up to seven Indian metros. The format was such that the top 10 bands would be invited to play at an auditorium with 500 to 1,000 people listening to them. It gave the youngsters a real taste of what it means to feed off the energy of a live audience.