It’s Confirmed: Iconic Mumbai Venue Razzberry Rhinoceros to Open This Month

Razzberry Rhinoceros at Juhu Hotel

Any discussion on Mumbai’s indie music scene is incomplete without acknowledging the contribution of Razzberry Rhinoceros, the watering hole at Juhu Hotel that also served as the breeding ground of rising bands in the Nineties and early noughties. Fans would remember catching local metal, rock and punk bands every Thursday, long before fashionable music festivals and brand-sponsored gigs seemed like a possibility for the tiny scene. They would also agree that how Razz’s shutting down (for indie gigs; it served as a banquet hall since 2005) marked the end of a glorious chapter in Mumbai’s nightlife.

Demonic Resurrection in the year 2000 before a gig at Razz. Photo: Courtesy of the artist

But the latest we’ve heard is that Razz is reopening at the end of the month and will host the Tapped Beer Festival, to be held on February 26th. Juhu Hotel Manager Shubh Shetty confirms, “It will be a totally different space; we are taking it to the next level. The official opening will be held in the first week of March.” So next month onward, bands and artists will be able to book the venue for gigs. Adds Shetty, “The cost for renting the venue for any event starts at Rs. 3 lakhs without F&B, and 4 lakhs with it. Special permissions and licenses will have to be taken for sound and alcohol consumption.”