Guitarist Kapil Chetri To Play In Delhi

Kapil Chetri took to the guitar at an early age like most kids in the North East. “Being born and raised in Kohima, where guitar is kind of like a household thing, I think I first tried playing guitar when I was 14 years old. It was a long time ago and I had to sneak into my elder brother’s room to play the guitar,” says Chetri, who grew up listening to blues legends like John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, Muddy Waters, and B.B. King. Back in Nagaland, he used to play for Kohima-based rock n roll/blues band Heads and Tails, which played the first two editions of the Hornbill Festival.

Chetri, who is also part of Delhi-based blues band Big Bang Blues, has been performing solo since October 2013. Chetri says, “As a solo artist, I am looking forward to travel and perform in different places and write more songs. I’m also looking forward to release an EP by the end of 2014.” Blues greats such as Robert Johnson inspired him to play solo, says Chetri, who primarily uses acoustic guitars and the slide in his sets. “I am not much into processors and other gadgets. I use both the glass and metal slide. Glass produces a warm and mellow tone, which a brass slide does not.”

Like many musicians from the North East who have relocated to New Delhi [accessibility being key] to fuel their musical interests including indie post punk band The Vinyl Records, pop rock act Frisky Pints, alt rockers Yesterdrive, Chetri moved to New Delhi in 2007. He joined the Delhi-based blues ensemble Big Bang Blues in 2010 ahead of the Escape Festival of Arts and Music in Naukuchiatal, Uttarakhand in 2010 ”“ “One of the band members was on vacation and they were looking for a temporary guitarist. It was an emergency situation at very short notice and I had to play with the band without any rehearsal. It was quite an experience.”

Big Bang Blues released their first album Bigger Than Blues in 2012 and are currently working on their second album that will be released later this year. Chetri recalls some of his biggest and favorite moments of the band, one of them being their slot at the 2012 edition of the Mahindra Blues Festival.

Catch Kapil Chetri live tonight at the Smoke House Deli, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi. The gig starts at 9.00 pm. Entry: free