MoonDogs Head to Mumbai and Delhi This Week

MoonDogs. Photo: Courtesy of the artist

In their song “Invaders,” Jammu rock band MoonDogs’ vocalist Hamza Syed seems to throw an open challenge to the universe with the line “Break me if you can.” So far, the band members have tackled several curveballs flung at them what with the floods in Jammu wreaking all their gear and neighbors threatening to report them when their jam sessions got a little loud, as well as they could. But it only added to their woes that their home state offered few or no opportunities to perform. So when Hamza says that they’ll play anywhere in Mumbai, be it a club or at a mall or even on a pavement, he means it. Says Hamza, “I’m just pretty excited about coming back to Mumbai. It’s such a groovy place.” Adds his brother Aaqib, who shares guitar and vocal duties with the band, “We haven’t played malls before, but it doesn’t matter. We just go and play and if anyone’s interested, that’s great. There’s no harm in loving what you do.” MoonDogs, who made their Mumbai debut at gig series Live from the Console in October last year, will play one set at a South Mumbai mall and another in the suburbs this week.

The band, who started out in 2011 in Gujjar Nagar in Jammu ”“ “an idyllic place by the river” as Hamza describes it ”“ recently recorded a new single titled “Me Antique.” Hamza says of the track, “I wrote it three years ago and it was up as a demo on our SoundCloud, but we just want to finish it and furnish it and put it in a good box now. It has a few interesting parts ”“ like a little bass solo here and a bluesy guitar part.”

Two shows will feature a plugged-in, electric set from the four-member band, which also includes drummer Shayaan Bhat and bassist Awais Yousf, who returned to the band a few months ago after taking a break to study for exams. The other two shows, including one at The Little Door in Mumbai, are acoustic sets featuring just Hamza and Aaqib on guitars and vocals. Says Aaqib, “We’ll try hard to keep these songs as mellow as possible. The acoustic shows will bring a different flavor to things.”

In addition to performing set staples such as “Invaders” and “Almost There,” MoonDogs will also perform new material such as “A Good Day to Die,” which Aaqib says was originally written for their drummer Bhat’s short film, “Billy Monkey,” and their upcoming single “Me Antique.”

Band on the Run ”“ MoonDogs tour

January 16th – Elf Lounge, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi.
January 17th – Phoenix Mall, Phoenix Mills, Mumbai.
January 20th – The Little Door, Mumbai.
January 23rd – Out of The Box, Hauz Khas Village, New Delhi.