Juhu music store turns into metal Mecca

Four rock bands who feature in an album released by Furtados Records, will perform at the music store

Four rock bands who feature in an album released by Furtados Records, will perform at the music store

This evening's gig at Furtados' Juhu branch is a lot more than just a bunch of rockers performing for their fans. It's a celebration for the alternative music industry with one of the city's oldest music stores launching its own label featuring ten young bands from across the country, playing genres ranging from death metal to blues. All 10 bands debut with this album, so the excitement is palpable. Four of these are set to perform original numbers from the album titled, Because You Love Music Vol.1.

Charan, Pritesh, Eldon, Jugal and Pratika of Chronic Phobia will perform at Furtados, Juhu, this weekend. pic/Rane Ashish

Interact with your favourite performers
The organisers suggest you get there early because the store can accommodate no more than 120 people. "There have been times when fans came up to me to ask what cymbals I use or what drum kit I perform on. This performing space is intimate so they won't have to chase us for an interaction," says Hamza Kazi, drummer with Apollonian Quest.

Young bands get a taste of professionalism
Most bands are no more than two years old, with members aged between 15 and 24 seeing this as a great opportunity. "We had Sahil Makhija, the godfather of Indian Metal, guiding us through the recording. The process has been great. Now, we think differently, we compose differently. In a way, we've moved closer to being professional," says Pritesh Prabhune of Chronic Phobia.

The emphasis is on originals
Each band will be given 45 minutes to perform, and the musicians are a grateful bunch. "There are hardly any venues left for Death Metal, where we are free to perform for more than 15 minutes," Kazi laments. They are all well aware that being part of a compilation album means they are competing with one other. "Today, listeners can put one song from the album on repeat mode, and shut out the rest. So, we need to make sure that the song they are listening to is ours," says Abhishek Shah from Echoes.

AT: Furtados Yamaha Music Square, JVPD, near Sujoy Hospital/Costa Coffee, Andheri (W).
Time: 5.30 pm
Entry: Free