The Urban Link: Mumbai Gets a New Monthly Gig Series

The newest addition to Mumbai’s live performance venues is the Link Room, which begins its monthly series The Urban Link this weekend, complete with a flea market that will offer jewelry and clothing. The series has been organized by Neil Banks, who happens to be veteran jazz musician Louiz Banks’s son.

Inspired by an impromptu jam between veteran musicians that took place at his father’s party, Banks took up the initiative of creating an accessible, youth-friendly environment that would host any and every genre, along with a flea market. Says Banks, “Our city is sort of deprived of the live music culture ”” the three or four venues that exist are very highly priced, so the common college-going student cannot actually go and watch a band perform. So we are building this up because we want to get the youth involved.”

The first edition of The Urban Link will feature Mumbai-based reggae band Rastapariahs, comprising vocalist Sid Coutto, bassist Johan Pais [both from the pop-rock band Ankur & the Ghalat Family] and guitarist Nathan Thomas [of Blackstratblues]. For future editions, Banks will be bringing together the likes of ace musicians Gino Banks, Sheldon D’Silva, Indrajit Sharma ”˜Tubby’, Karan Joseph and Sarosh Nanavaty, and will eventually work towards a no-genre-barred live culture across the city. “We’re trying to promote the live music culture here, because it’s quite stagnant and nothing is really happening on a regular basis. Eventually people should listen to all kinds of music,” says Banks.

The Urban Link takes place on Sunday, April 10^th at the Link Room, Bandra, Mumbai. Click here for more details.