Setting the stage up for Thane

Comedian Aadar Malik performs at Backspace

If you log on to any ticketing platform and search for open-mic events that involve music, poetry, storytelling and other performance arts, you'll find that a majority of such venues tend to be centred around one suburb - Bandra. There are a few other spots, such as The Integral Space in Lower Parel, and a handful in the northern suburbs of the city, including Clap Centre in Malad. But the Queen of the Suburbs is the undisputed epicentre of performance arts venues in Mumbai. A place like Thane, on the other hand, is a barren land in comparison. And that's what prompted Waquar Rehman to launch Backspace in a mall in the satellite city, which will host a new property called Hooted at the Back this evening.

Waquar Rehman, the venue's founder, tells us, "I live in Thane and we had to go to Bandra for everything like stand-up comedy shows and poetry sessions because there was no space in Thane for people to go up on stage and perform their own material. So, we came up with the idea for this place for those who usually backspace their thoughts, in the sense that they tell themselves, 'Some day I'm going to get up and learn guitar,' for instance."

Waquar Rehman

Hooted at the Back is an extension of that thought. It's an open-mic event where people are free to express any talent they have, whether comedy, rapping, dancing, storytelling, poetry, music or magic. Mohit Kumarm, founder of Hooted1nce, which is organising the event, says, "We took the 'hooted' from Hooted1nce and 'back' from Backspace to come up with the name. The lighting at the venue is so dark that it seems like an underground sort of space. And we thought of using it as an open forum for anyone to come and participate. They can also get themselves recorded if they want, because we have the facility for that too."

The initiative is thus meant to give a leg-up to these locals who feel like they have something to express, but don't know where. Rehman tells us that there is just one other place in Thane - Kidpop - that hosts similar events. Backspace itself is a limited-seating venue meant for 40. It's a sort of mini-auditorium with leather-cushioned seating.

Mohit Kumarm

"We are focused right now on building a community in the area and making sure that every event has good footfall. And we are concentrating more on open-mics because artistes who already have a following don't need much promotion. The response so far has been good, and the only disadvantage is that most artistes live far. So, commuting is an issue," Rehman says, though going by the big-name performers that Backspace has hosted so far - including Kunal Kamra, Sapan Verma and Rohan Joshi - crossing that hurdle doesn't seem impossible.

On Tonight, 8.30 pm
At Backspace, Lodha Boulevard Mall, Thane West.
Log on to insider.in
Cost Rs 200

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