The Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter on reconnecting with fans from his days in prog band Motherjane, visiting smaller cities and performing new material
Bengaluru-based singer-songwriter Suraj Mani at a Motojojo house gig in September 2019. Photo: Courtesy of Motojojo Co.
For all the big stages that singer-guitarist Suraj Mani has been on for decades – with his own rock band The Tattva Trip and prog veterans Motherjane – he never did get in on house concerts and intimate shows. That’s changing for him this month, with his Rinse and Repeat tour covering 15 cities between September 13th and October 20th, organized by community art and travel company Motojojo Co.
He says about performing in cities ranging from Nashik to Vadodara as well as Mumbai and Pune, “It’s one of the best experiences I’ve had in recent times. When you’re doing these kind of singer-songwriter things, the more intimate these things are, there’s more heart connection, so to speak. I get a lot of value, for my soul at least.”
Mani says the tour comes at the right time for him, owing to “personal difficulties” he’s going through. “I’ve always found that being on stage is something that’s therapeutic for me,” the singer-songwriter adds. With nine more cities to go, including parts of central, north and south India, Mani has found new and old fans too. He recounts, “When I went to Nashik, there were seven or eight guys who’d come because they knew me from Motherjane days. It’s nice to know they were there for you then and they’re there for you now.”
The setlist comprises material from the 2012 album The Tattva Trip and Mani’s steady flow of single releases, but also songs about plastic recycling, Motherjane material and a new track called “Rinse and Repeat.” Currently a work in progress that Mani plays solo on the acoustic guitar, the song is about “opening up your heart” during trying times. He says, “I took inspiration from Alcoholics Anonymous, which encourage people to say, ‘I’ll stop drinking just for today’ rather than saying ‘I’ll stop drinking forever.’ So in this case, you say, ‘I’ll open up my heart, just for today.’ Maybe that can be pulled off.”
Suraj Mani and Motojojo’s Rinse and Repeat Tour 2019’s remaining dates
September 27th – Indore
September 28th – Bhopal
September 29th – Nagpur
October 11th – Gurugram
October 12th – New Delhi
October 13th – Chandigarh
October 18th – Chennai
October 19th – Hyderabad
October 20th – Bengaluru
Event details here.
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