DJ's promote Indian Bands

Indian bands have a reason to be happy. With local DJs playing their rocking numbers everywhere, their popularity is destined to shoot up. Having heard and appreciated what the Indian bands have to offer, these DJs are doing their best to enhance their reach.
DJ Denzel says, “Though you may find a lot of takers for different kinds of music from the West, not many people are really aware of Indian music. Bands like Avial, Zero and Junkyard Grooves are really talented. Representing a medium that has such a large connect, I feel introducing them to people can prove very effective.” Having established a good fan base for these Indian bands at all the places where he performs, he adds, “I get a lot of requests from guests for songs like Folk You and Rock n roll by Junkyard Grooves, Naada Naada by Avial and PSP by Zero. People are also great fans of Animal by Pentagram,” he says.
Be it rock, fusion or metal bands, Pune music lovers are always looking for something different. And DJs know this well, which allows them to add new tracks to their ever-expanding play list. DJ Amit always plays songs of bands like Advaita and Indian Ocean at his parties. He says, “I attend as many rock concerts as I can, and study the reactions of the audience to each band. Based on that, I download the songs and play it for the customers. I have got a good response for songs of rock bands like Something Relevant, Advaita, Paravay and Rosemary. If the mood is right, I also play metal songs of Bhayanak Maut.” At times, guests from abroad display special interest in the music and inquire about the bands, adds Amit.
With DJs playing an important role, things are looking better for Indian bands. However, DJ Yashodhan feels that there is a long way to go. “Playing the music of Indian bands has been an experiment. We have received a good response so far. While people are slowly getting used to it, one cannot be completely free to play any kind of music. We have to be choosy about the bands we play.” Yashodhan makes it a point to listen to new bands to know about the latest Indian tracks. “There is a new show starting soon which will showcase Indian musicians jamming together. I am on the lookout for that so that I get a wider choice to play.”
Nitin Jayaraman, project manager of an IT company and drummer of a rock band, says, “It’s great that DJs are taking the initiative to play songs of Indian bands. Many youngsters today do not really know much about the local music scene. Though pub owners are still apprehensive about playing music with Indian influences, it’s nice to see that bands like Mother Jan, Advaita and Avial are getting established well here.”
Architect and music lover Rohit Jain feels that listening only to Western music can get a tad monotonous. He says, “Though I am a fan of Western rock music, sooner or later, you want to hear something different. Most places end up playing the same songs. So, it is a fresh change to hear Indian music. It’s also a great way to connect to your roots.”
The growing popularity of Indian bands cannot be denied. With DJs playing their original compositions, bands can look forward to a bigger fan base from the city.