House gigs are the hottest trend in Bhopal, this winter

I didn’t want to celebrate my housewarming party the conventional way with mainstream music in the background. Instead, I decided to host a gig at my house last week,” says musician Samar Mehdi. He invited fellow musician Animesh Chaurasia to perform at the event. Samar’s friend Rashee Anand, who helped him organise the bash, adds, “It was a very close knit-affair.We only invited the people we knew and those who wanted to be a part of something like this. The response was amazing. We could all feel the magic in the air by the end of it.”
House gigs such as these are the latest music trend in the city. Though they have been around in cities like Mumbai for a while, in Bhopal they are gradually catching up. As opposed to sold out stadiums, pubs, restaurants and cafes, these gigs are small-scale, intimate and usually done at someone’s house. The ambiance is unpretentious and non-fussy. For example, Samar says, “The artistes sat on a diwan placed between two bookshelves, which functioned as a ‘stage’ or platform, while everyone else sat cross-legged on the carpet in front of them. We had also asked the guests to bring their own snacks with them, while we served them three rounds of chai.” While they may be far from what we expect when we hear the word ‘gigs’, such gatherings are gaining popularity for the fact that they offer upcoming artistes exposure and music-lovers the chance to experience live music, up close and personal.

NOT JUST LIMITED TO MUSIC
Mechanical engineer Vinamra Gupta keeps organising baithaks at his house, where rappers, musicians, poets and writers come together to learn from each other. “We sit in the balcony and enjoy the cool breeze while listening to each other perform. Though our art forms may be different, we try to borrow and learn from each other as much as we can,” he says. Poet Jayant Chibber often organises poetry reading sessions at his house, where everyone sits on a carpet in a circle and recites their poetry over chai and snacks. He says, “The objective of this type of an event is to listen to new talent while you’re in your comfort zone. Open mics and other events lack that personal touch. Here, you can talk to the artiste after he/she has finished performing as well.” Educational counsellor Nishant Upadhyay, who regularly attends these events at Jayant’s house, adds, “We all sit down together and recite our work. We also give feedback to each other, not only about how the work is, but also our expressions and how to recite it better. This way, such sessions also double up as workshops.” Poetry enthusiast and writer Mudit Shrivastava feels that these events also help in strengthening artists’ networks. He shares, “One of the major problems we face at the events organised at cafes and other centres is that they are filled with people who come and go. But at places like these, we get real listeners who are there just for us. We get to meet new people each time and explore their hidden talent, because even if someone is reluctant to perform, the informal atmosphere gives them courage.

ONE-ON-ONE WITH THE AUDIENCE
Music is an intimate affair and much more pleasurable when experienced without interference. Animesh, an entrepreneur who also moonlights as an artiste, is planning to launch an album soon. He says that such gigs are the perfect opportunity for him to test his music in front of the right audience. “I played five songs from my album at the party," he says, adding, "I wanted feedback from an audience who has a good ear for music.” The musical performance was accompanied by a story-reading session by engineering student Divyanshu Rathore, who narrated his short story, Udaan. Likewise, Nitesh Gupta who will soon be launching his EP (Extended Play Record) performed two songs that evening as well.