Gig Preview: Parekh & Singh in New Delhi
The Kolkata dream pop duo head to a no-frills show as the final performance on the ‘Ocean’ album cycle
This week, Parekh & Singh will perform at New Delhi’s 400-seater outdoor auditorium Sri Aurobindo Centre of Arts and Communication on February 23rd. Photo: Parizad D
Since their debut album Ocean originally released in 2013, dream pop duo Parekh & Singh (who released Ocean under singer-guitarist Nischay Parekh’s name) have built themselves as one of the captivating performers in the country.
When Ocean was repackaged and released in 2016 by Peacefrog Records, garnering global spotlight for songs like “I Love You Baby, I Love You Doll” and “Ghost,” drummer-producer Jivraj Singh and Parekh also saw an increased listenership in India, now playing packed clubs and prime festival slots. This week, the pair will perform at New Delhi’s 400-seater outdoor auditorium Sri Aurobindo Centre of Arts and Communication on February 23rd, at a show put together by music publication Rock Street Journal. “We haven’t done an outdoor theater or an outdoor non-club environment as yet, but it should be good,” says Parekh.
Last year, the duo played at Mumbai’s Royal Opera House and are now making a conscious decision to move away from club gigs to theater venues. Parekh & Singh have in the past faced a problem with underage fans not being allowed into clubs for a gig, or hearing from fans who don’t want a noisy club environment. “In a club there is always the other agenda of buying drinks and socializing,” says Parekh. He adds, “A venue like this, the audience automatically feels that they are here for something different, they are here for a performance and the overall vibe and the attitude of the performance changes positively.”
Their show on the 23rd is open to all ages and minus bar service. Anirban Chakraborty, Executive Director, Rock Street Journal says, “We come from the school of thought where music is the focus. It’s not about the stalls and the alcohol bar or any other paraphernalia around it.”
Parekh and Singh will draw from their entire catalog as well as material from their upcoming yet-to-be-titled second album, releasing later this year. Parekh mentions that people will witness a lot of old, present and future music. He says, “People can expect the full sort of representation of who we are musically at this show which is something that we’ve never ever attempted at a concert before.”
The band now also has a custom light show that is tailored for them to the tee and makes for a pleasingly aesthetic show. “We want everyone to listen to the music but we also want them to feel like they are looking at something interesting and being engaged in as many senses as possible,” says Parekh.
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