Music galore created by Avirbhav this weekend at Worldmark Gurgaon & Delhi
There’s no better time than now – in this winter season that will soon segue into spring – to embrace the unique vibe of a gig under the stars. The Avirbhav series at Worldmark returns on the weekend with shows in Gurgaon and Delhi – respectively, at Worldmark Gurgaon on January 21 and Worldmark Aerocity on January 22.
Bangalore Indie rockers Parvaaz will take to Stage@Worldmark Gurgaon. At the same time, Chaar Yaar and their unique brand of music that marries soul-infused folk with a humanistic impulse will command the Stage@Worldmark Aerocity, both concerts hosted in association with Avirbhav, Kal-Aakaar Collective’s immersive and open-to-all platform that invites renowned names to perform and showcase their art.
The contemporary sound of Indian Indie
Parvaaz can’t be pigeonholed into any genre, and that’s how they like it. The band’s sound has been described as transcending musical genres, and there is an element of rock – both psychedelic and progressive – as well as folk and a bit of world music. What is certainly true of them is that they are a vital and respected part of the country’s growing Indie music scene and boast a cult-like following among their fans.
Rolling Stone India featured Parvaaz on its May 2018 cover, terming them as India’s “most exciting” band. The foursome also won a Toto Music award in 2015 and was the Judges’ Choice for ‘Best Rock Artist’ at the 2017 Radio City Freedom Awards. Parvaaz has been touring extensively in India and internationally. Khalid Ahamed leads vocals and guitar, Sachin Banandur is on drums and percussion, Fidel Dsouza on bass and Bharath Kashyap on guitar.
The Chaar Yaar, the music of the soul
The Chaar Yaar is for the niche who love music and poetry. Led by the composer, vocalist and poet Madan Gopal Singh, ace guitarist and banjo player Deepak Castelino is also a singer, renowned sarod player Pritam Ghosal, and the energetic Amjad Khan, a percussionist makes the music of The Chaar Yaar infused with soulful renditions. The band brings to mind old minstrels when Nanak sang Gurbani to accompany Mardana’s rabab.
Chaar Yaar’s music was initially inspired by India’s many strains of devotional music while drinking deep from the well of Sufism, embracing the words of Baba Farid (13th century) and Khwaja Ghulam Farid (19th century). But over the years, the band has sought to build bridges by experimenting with songs and poems spanning cultural traditions – and timelines – across continents. This has led them to absorb the poetry and lyrics of literary legends as far apart as Bertol Brecht, Federico García Lorca, Tagore, Puran Singh, Nâzım Hikmet, Rasool Hamzatov, Faiz, Nagarjun, Rumi, John Lennon, Kabir and Bulle Shah, at times within a single song.
Chaar Yaar has travelled the world with these imaginative and soulful outpourings, performing alongside globally fêted names such as (among others) New York collective Bang on a Can, neo-jazz vocalist Theo Bleckmann, and David Hykes’s Harmonic Choir.
Avirbhav making the performing arts accessible
“Avirbhav started with an insight: while conducting performing arts classes for students across Gurgaon, we realised that most of them had never seen a live show. On analysis, we found that no safe, open spaces in the city offer this opportunity to youngsters or even families. Most music was happening inside restaurants and clubs, and mostly a repeat of the same genre,” explains Prachi Gambhir Dutta, founder of Avirbhav. This cultural endeavour seeks to bring the performing arts closer to the public. Avirbhav creates events that bring people together as a community and express the myriad cultural hues of our country.
The Avirbhav-Worldmark collaboration launched in the spring of 2022 and was instantly lapped up by the audiences. “What I loved most about the concerts is that Worldmark brought such a diverse bunch of people together. There were children, young adults, families and elderly people who were having a blast,” shares Bharatanatyam dancer Tanya Saxena.
“As an artist, it’s wonderful to see spaces like Worldmark – which people think of as a hub for restaurants and bars – become a site for engaging with and learning about art. I’d love to see more concerts and more variety of art forms – including folk, dance, cinema and digital art – celebrated at Worldmark this way,” she adds hopefully.
What, where, when
Parvaaz at the Stage Worldmark Gurgaon, Sector 65, January 21, 6 pm – open for all
Chaar Yaar at The Stage – Worldmark Aerocity 3, Aerocity January 22, 6 pm – open for all
