Delhi-based Alt Rock Band Yesterdrive To Premiere New Material At Live From The Console In Mumbai

Yesterdrive

Formed just last year, Yesterdrive, whose five members are straight out of college, bring unbridled energy and effortless talent to stage. When we first heard the band at the Hornbill International Rock Contest in Kohima last year, we were sure their high energy set that recalled Kings Of Leon would ensure they took home the winner’s title as well as the much-coveted cash prize of Rs 10 lakh. If it hadn’t been for the technical setbacks, Chennai alt rockers The F16s would have found it tough to edge out Yesterdrive.

The Delhi-based band are confident to win over the crowd at Live From The Console this week when they play their debut gig in Mumbai. Says the band’s guitarist Haggai Rongmei, originally from Itanagar, “I also play in a metal band [The Mangalz] and that was all about getting angry at society. With Yesterdrive, the songs get people pumped up ”“ it’s a different kind of attitude.” Rongmei, who works as a studio engineer at Delhi mass media firm CoreConxept says that his band has not allowed their recent Hornbill performance to bring them down. The Delhi-based band recently gained a nomination for Best Rock Song for their track “Hold On” from their debut three-track EP by the same name, at the Voice International Music Awards, which honors independent music in South East Asia. Adds Rongmei, “We had bad luck at Hornbill. Kabir’s [Jamatia, keyboardist] machine wasn’t working, even though everything went off well at sound check. There was a missing element, which is probably why we couldn’t make it to the final round.”

Yesterdrive plan to debut a new song in Mumbai. Says Rongmei, “We haven’t got a name for it yet, but it’s got a disco, electro rock sound to it. We’re planning to play at 11 or 12 songs, including a few covers of Kings of Leon [“Bucket”] and The Vaccines [“No Hope”].”

After their Mumbai gig, Yesterdrive head back to Delhi to work on new material for a full-length album, which they want to release by the end of the year. Rongmei adds that the onus to find a clear direction for their sound lies on Jamatia, who was first signed on as the band’s producer, and then joined the band for Hornbill. Says the guitarist, “We’re still working our ass off to find a particular sound. We’ll be way better in a few months.”

Yesterdrive, Aayushi Karnik and Red Seems Right perform at Live From the Console on January 11th, 2013 at Mehboob Studios, Mumbai. Entry: Rs 250. Event details here.

Contest: Where is alt rock band Yesterdrive based? 

Win two passes to Live From the Console. Send your answers to editor@rollingstone-india.com with ‘LFTC’ in the title. Contest only open to Mumbai readers. The regular pass only entitles the winner entry to the concert and not food or beverages.

Watch Yesterdrive perform “Hold On” here