Shor Bazaar live @ Carter Road Amphitheater (Thursday, 27th January 2011) as part of the Queer Azaadi Week celebrations

After a long hiatus, we are back to performing live! Shor Bazaar will be performing an acoustic set as part of the Queer Azaadi Week celebrations. The details of the event are here. Please drop by and enjoy.

Also, our bass guitarist (KK a.k.a. Krishna Kumar Venkitachalam a.k.a. Kris Bass) will be performing a solo set with our guitarist Abhishek Dasgupta and ex-drummer Sumit Pillai.

Other artists performing alongside us will be the lovely duo of Alisha Batth and Alisha Pais and the band MH04.

(Link to the FB event page)

http://queerazaadi.wordpress.com

Dr. D. Y. Patil Dental College: Fahrenheit ’10 – Jan 23rd, 2010 – our experience

During our trip to the venue, through heavy traffic on a warm Saturday afternoon, our drummer Sidd Coutto (ex-Zero/HFC, ToT) was reminiscing about the fact that he had won his first competition at DY Patil College a few years back. Apparently, once he had had to play drums without drumsticks (yes, with bare hands). He went on to mention various anecdotes from the numerous times he had performed there. It was encouraging for the rest of us because it was the first time that all of us apart from Sidd were about to perform at DY Patil, and more generally in Navi Mumbai.

We were taken care of very well by our hosts (special thanks to Shruti Shanbhag and the team) after our arrival. The entire process of soundchecking was marred by some technical snags related primarily to the monitoring situation. But the sound consultant Carl Alfonso (Elektra events) and our friend Geo (sound engineer) did their best to provide use with decent stage sound.

We started out with “Jaisalmer Express” as an experiment; usually, it what we end the show with. Despite a low turn out, the crowd seemed to enjoy the first half of the show – especially, the appreciation that we got for “Chandramukhi” and “Savita Bhabhi” was remarkable! The second half was rather lukewarm as the audience seemed to looking forward to the “Battle of the DJs” event which was scheduled immediately afterward.

It’s ironic that a few uncivilized (drunk) members in the audience assaulted one of the DJs and halted the “battle” almost before it started. Police and security had to intervene to restore sanity to the proceedings, which unfortunately ended on a rather dull note.

However, we enjoyed ourselves on stage – for the first time in humane temperatures – with our new line-up that includes Sidd (drums) and Rohan (Utpat) on percussions/tabla. We would like to thank the entire team of Fahrenheit ’10 for their excellent co-operation and care. We also would like to thank Aditya Jha and Kaniskha (our manager) for the necessary communications which made this gig happen! Also, thanks to Carl and Geo for the sound!

All in all, a wonderful experience. We look forward to performing there again. Here are some band photos that we took before and after the gig!

Our set-list for the night

1. Jaisalmer Express
2. Mumbhai (Bombay Boys cover)
3. Nahin Accha
4. Yeh Hasin Vaadiyan (Roja/AR Rahman cover)
5. Chandramukhi
6. Savita Bhabhi
7. Pehla Nasha – Pal (QSQT cover/KK cover)
8. Rasili
9. Yaar Bina (Junoon Cover)
10. School
11. Madhushaala
12. Sayonee (Junoon cover)
13. Apsara

Shor Bazaar LIVE! @ DY Patil College of Engineering, Nerul

Drum Roll!

Shor Bazaar is back to performing LIVE in Mumbai. Year 2010 began for us on the freezing slopes of the Himalayas. Now, we are going to heat up the annual festival at DY Patil College of Engineering in Nerul.

We are headlining the event on the 23rd of January, 2009. This is the first time that we are being joined by Sidd Coutto, the multi-talented musician ex-Zero, ex-HFC, ToT on stage. He’ll take the honors of drumming for us!

In addition, we have the a Rohan Utpat on percussion and tabla. So, we invite you this brand new power-packed line-up! We promise you fultoos fun! Be there and help us make a Shor success!

Shor Bazaar @ Celebrate Bandra festival - Nov 19th, Carter Road promenade

Hey y’all! After a period of intense procrastination due to the fear of outlash from right-wing extremist groups for the excessive usage of non-Marathi languages in a public speech/performance/swearing-in ceremony, after investing in multiple security upgrades ranging from a team of 22 Black Cat commandos, a crate of chappal-repellents from the U.S.A., and anti-anxiety drugs including newer generation benzodiazepines, Shor Bazaar is venturing to perform at the Carter Road promenade in Bandra, which is the social capital of Mumbai, which, in turn, is the economic capital of the nation, as part of the “Celebrate Bandra festival” alongside Xenabob.

It’s apparent that the guy who wrote this has forgotten the art of simplicity. We, at Shor Bazaar, apologize. What he meant was this.

Shor Bazaar Live! @ Celebrate Bandra Festival alongside Xenabob
Stage: Carter Road promenade, Bandra
Date: November 19th, 2009
Time: 7 pm onward

We would appreciate it if you would turn up and provided appropriate laughter/applause. We promise to show placards to help you decide on the appropriate amount of response for each moment.

FB event page: http://www.facebook.com/krishnakumarv?ref=name#/event.php?eid=176029404386&index=1

MyBand MyMusic event @ Hyderabad - 26th of September

So,

Adam Gilchrist calls us and says he needs someone to infuse some energy into the likes of RP Singh and Rohit Sharma (vis-à-vis the Champion's League). Needless to say we agreed.

Umm, we wish!

The real story is like this. 8 of the top bands from the country. MyBand MyMusic event. 26th of September (this Saturday). 6 hours of non-stop music. Last time we checked, the Nizams are going to dance with us. Well, let's see.

As a part of this, we are going to be on TV, radio, and the papers. The gig will be telecast live on a Music television channel as well! So, are YOU gonna go our way?

You better!

Details:

Saturday, September 26, 2009
5:00pm - 11:55pm
Rock Heights
Hyderabad, India

Price: Rs. 100/-

(Tickets available at select Cafe Coffee Day outlets in the city.)

More details at

http://www.myband.co.in/MyBand_MyMusic/
http://www.financialexpress.com/news/myband-mymusic-concert-by-indian-music-bands-at-hyderabad/520116/
http://www.facebook.com/myband.fanpage?v=app_2344061033&ref=ts#/event.php?eid=134796262435&index=1

We aren't I-Rocking XXIV

Shor Bazaar regrets to announce that we will not be participating in I-Rock XXIV. We were very much looking forward to performing there, but due to reasons beyond our control, this has become impossible.

Our next scheduled gig is the MyBand MyMusic event at Hyderabad on 26th of September. Don't miss it!!

Tonight on Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM with Jeeturaj RJ

Shor Bazaar will be on air with Jeeturaj on Radio Mirchi's Klub Mirchi show from 9 pm. What can you expect? A wacky interview, a few of our songs, a couple of special songs as requested on air by Jeeturaj (including a Ganapati song) etc.

This is part of the 'band banaao jeeturaj ko sunao' contest which airs every Saturday from 9 pm onwards Radio Mirchi in the Klub Mirchi show. Tune in and let us know what you think. Did we sound good? Did we sound foolish but entertaining? Did we strike up a controversy? We'd love to hear from you!

We would like to thank Vaibhav Wavikar (Filter Coffee) for joining us on tabla and percussions for this gig!

Time: 9 pm onwards
Where: Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM
With: Jeeturaaj, India's most wanted RJ

The Kyra Theatre experience

Yesterday was the first time ever that Shor Bazaar played down in the South. Bangalore, Kyra theatre, and the amazing crowd that had gathered made us feel really special. It was the first time in a long long time that we played our entire set. The occasion was made extra-special by the mercurial Jai Row Kavi on the drums.

As always, we had a blast performing and going berserk on stage. "The electric set was the loudest that Kyra had heard" said Shimrei (the sound engineer) at the end of our performance and we don't think he was kidding. That kinda explains why our first-ever five-piece 'unplugged' set got an overwhelming response from the crowd. That included a new version of "La Ilaj" and a mellower version of "Pagli Ladki." We also debuted a couple of new songs - "Chandramukhi" and a version of "Rehen De."

The most endearing memory of our performance was the standing ovation and applause after the rendition of "Pagli Ladki". Quite honestly, we were astounded to see so many people standing up and giving kind smiles and the applause of our lives! There have already been getting quite a few requests for the song and we are thinking of recording it!

The sound was excellent - probably the best that we have played in an indoor setup. It is incredible to realize that Kyra is just 3 months old and already has a fantastic list of artists/bands who have had a blast playing there. We applaud the managment at Kyra for providing another brilliant destination for performing and enjoying live music.

Apart from the performance, we had a great time in Bangalore, away from the grind of a busy city like Mumbai. The folks at Kyra took wonderful care of us and put us up in this wonderful guest house which made us feel like staying back for a couple of weeks more at the least. Barring a couple of cab-related coordination problems, we couldn't have asked for anything better.

We also managed to catch up with Namita Malhotra who's making a documentary film on internet censorship. We are being featured in the documentary. More details later. Lastly, we would also like to thank our friends who turned up and gave us wonderful support!

Kyra Theatre - Aug 8th, 2009 - Shor Bazaar set list

• Electric Set (I): Rasli, School, Chuppi, Savita Bhabhi, Nahin Accha, Mumbhai (cover), Jaisalmer Express
• Acoustic Set: Chandramukhi, La Ilaj, Pagli Ladki, Rehn De (cover), Laal
• Electric Set (II): Madhushaala, Yaar Bina (cover), Wada Shikan, Savita Barbie, Apsara
• Encore: Rasili, Pagli Ladki
  

Collaboration, citations etc.

Shor Bazaar, as a band, has always wanted to pursue something new. We usually like off-beat, whacky stuff that tickles your senses in just the right way and we are pretty darned certain that there are others who feel likewise. Yes, we want to meet people from different niches of the art world - people with vibrant, tangential ideas so we can work with them to create something interesting and worthwhile.

Since posting about this on FaceBook and Twitter, we've already received a number of responses from across the nation. We are thrilled! Honestly. That's the reason I'm writing about this on our blog. So, if you think that you would like to work with us, or if you know someone who might fit the bill, please let us know. We'd be more than happy to hear from you.

Apart from that, we still continue to be amazed by the fantastic coverage we are getting. These are the new pieces. The rest of the stories can be viewed here.

• The Telgraph (Calcutta - 1st of August, 2009)
• Buzz 18 - Tribute to India's first toon porn
  
• Hindustan Times (Chandigarh - 31st July, 2009

We have also stumbled on a YouTube video of our CNN-IBN interview. Thanks to baboonlogic.


If you stumble on any such stories, please let us know - as a comment, e-mail, or the various social networking options.

Lastly - for only those in Mumbai - you can catch us performing live (with Tough on Tobacco) tomorrow (Sunday) at the Ce'st la Vie Swimsong Sundays brunch. 12 pm onwards. Cover is 1200 Rs./- per person. We have at least one surprise for you!!

Here's the FB event listing.

:)

We thank you!

We sincerely thank EVERYONE who have helped us promote our own "Savita Bhabhi"! We can't be indebted for the wonderful articles/coverage our friends in the media have come up with. And freedom for all!

• Times Of India (Mumbai Edition - 29th of July, 2009)
• Hindustan Times (Delhi; HT City - 29th of July, 2009)
• Radio City 94.3 FM (Malini's show, Mumbai - 28th July, 2009)
• Indian Express (Mumbai edition - 27th of July, 2009)
• DNA Sunday (Mumbai - 26th of July, 2009)

Let's just not stop here. If you like us and our luscious "Savita Bhabhi," do spread the message around?

(PS: Don't forget to check us out live. For a start, tonight at 'Daddy's WindSong Wednesdays' - gig dates are posted RIGHT here -->)
(PS2: Don't forget to send in your reviews/comments/amor/criticism. We love to be appreciated!)

Shor Bazaar Live @ Daddy's WindSong Wednesdays - 'Savita Bhabhi' launch performance

Shor Bazaar is back - this time with a brand new single! We are extremely overjoyed to announce the release of "Savita Bhabhi," our first single, on the 29th July, 2009 (Wednesday). The song will be available for free download and streaming all over the web on the 29th.

Even cooler is to drop by at il Terrazzo, del Italia during our first ever performance of the song. We will be closing to Nikhil D'Souza and the K*N*A*P.

What's the big deal? We will be distributing copies of the 'limited edition' Savita single! Now, you wouldn't want to miss out on that. Especially because it's FREE!

Well, we can't reveal everything... but we can assure you that we will be springing some surprises. Maybe you will see something that you would never ever see! So get yourself off your couches and come down to Juhu!

To make things more interesting - here's an offer. We'll be putting "Savita Bhabhi" up for you to listen on Wednesday early morning. If you like it and would like to review the song for us, we'd love hear from you.

First add us as your friend on FaceBook/MySpace/Blogger/Twitter. Then send your review along with your name etc to kk[at]shorbazaar[dot]in. You can also post the review online too at these places (the wall here OR Shor Bazaar fan page on FB OR our blog OR even Myspace). We'll select a chosen few amongs the first few (whose names will be announced) and they will get FREE ENTRY to the gig!

ARE YOU READY?

~SHOR~

Entry: Rs. 500/-

(Why Savita Bhabhi? Why not? We think it's fun to write a song about such a cool website. It's a shame such web-niceties are banned. We have our right to freedom of expression, don't we?)

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=135806976350

Shor Bazaar @coustic Live! on 10th of May

You've heard us loud, you might even have heard us on the radio. But you haven't seen us unplugged! Yes, for the first time ever, Shor Bazaar presents its stripped down version with acoustic guitars and piano. And this time, we're debuting brand new songs and you don't want to miss that!

In this unique promotional event on Mother's day at 'The Club' in association with Furtados, we'll be sharing the stage with Cirkles for an afternoon of acoustic rock.

Entry: ONLY CLUB MEMBERS. NO GUESTS ALLOWED

Date: Sunday, May 10, 2009
Time: 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Location: The Club
Street: 197 D.N. Nagar, Andheri (West)
City/Town: Mumbai, India

Thank you VNIT Nagpur!

We are packing up to leave Nagpur and the memories of yesterday night at Aarohi '09 linger on. We had a wonderful time performing in front of the most responsive of audiences. We'd like to thank everybody for letting us have a wild time on stage - the organizers, the audience, the people who took care of our stay and food, fellow bands (including Indigo Children)! We' love to come back and Shor-ify Nagpur!

Adios!