Sunday MiD DAY tells you what makes Delhi the country's music metropolis

If you've been to the rundown-home-turned-rehearsal pad on 16/330 Khajoor Road, Faiz Road in Delhi with its leafy courtyard and watched a crazy jam by Indian Ocean, then you might understand why the city lends itself effortlessly to the growing independent music scene. An open mind, a pace that allows artistes to realise their musical ambition and over the past year, more and more new venues to feed the musician and his audience has turned Delhi into the hotbed of new talent and sound.

"It is the best city to play at," says Delhi-band Indigo Children's bassist Nikhil Rufus Raj. And even if you'd rather disregard an insider opinion, "Delhi has soul", in the words of Pentagram guitarist and Bandraphile Randolph Correia who has been touring across India and abroad with both his bands Pentagram and Shaa'ir+Func. "Bombay is arrogant in how far ahead it is and has lost its soul. The more aggressive audiences and vibe in Bombay encourage mostly heavy metal and techno bands, but Delhi has a more relaxed atmosphere that lets diverse forms of music take shape and also gives them time to learn," says Randolph. Delhi bands are also removed from the commercial scene (of Bollywood music), which pushes them to explore alternative forms of music.

Agrees Advaita lead guitarist Abhishek Mathur, "We've received offers to do commercial stuff but it helps that this option of making mainstream music as soon as we're out of college is not in your face in Delhi."