The Bicycle Days And TAAQ Jam Out at CounterCulture
The two bands play on home ground as part of the JD Annual Rock Awards Jam Sessions on November 15th
Vocalist Karthik Basker from The Bicycle Days
The last time alternative rock band the Bicycle Days played a gig was at Alliance Francaise with Hindi rock band Parvaaz, jazz/soul artists from the Leslie Charles Trio, “orange rock” band Mad Orange Fireworks and Thermal and A Quarter (TAAQ), who are their alt-rock collaborators today.
But the excuse for The Bicycle Days’ brief absence is a valid one. Turns out, they have been busy occupying studios all over Benagluru, including their home studio, preparing their new release “Calamitunes” for next month. They will be playing some of those new tunes with TAAQ at the Jack Daniel’s Annual Rock Awards and Rolling Stone Jam Sessions on November 15th at CounterCulture.
The band’s frontman Karthik Basker says, “We’ll be playing experimental versions of new songs.” Their 45-minute set will see songs such as “Indignation,” “Radio Song,” and “Hush” and favorites such as “Circles.” The band has been performing “Radio Song” for over a year, and Basker says the song has taken a completely new shape now. “It’s more of an electronica song, with less from our drummer and probably more effects.”
The most interesting draw of the evening, however, is the musical jam between TAAQ and The Bicycle Days. “We do mess with a lot of stuff on the sly,” says Basker. TAAQ frontman Bruce Lee Mani adds the collaboration will be “pretty spontaneous,” with him jamming one of The Bicycle Days’ songs, and Mani’s band inviting guitarist Rahul Ranganath and drummer Shreyas Dipali on stage. “We haven’t jammed together or anything. We’ll figure out something during sound check. The rest will be left to the moment,” says Mani.
Basker also spoke about The Bicycle Days’ new release “Calamitunes,” which was originally slated for a release this month. “Now, the plan is to put out a video in November and release the album in early December,” says Basker.
The Bicycle Days and Thermal and A Quarter play at Jack Daniel’s Annual Rock Awards presents Rolling Stone Jam Sessions at CounterCulture, Bengaluru on November 15th, 8pm onwards. Entry: Rs. 600 (cover charge). Event details here.
Watch The Bicycle Days perform “Radio Song” here
