GIG 1: United We Groove

If you are making rock music that has an electronic bent, the sound of a sitar added to the mix might seem incongruous. But that's exactly what Akshat Deora brings to the table when making melodies for Paratra. "The instrument isn't played in a classical format, but in a rock and dance music manner. And I use an electronic sitar instead of an acoustic one, which has a more of a rock tone anyway," Deora informs. He adds that the other founding member of the city-based band, Samron Jude, has a metal background. He is thus the one who adds the heavier elements to their songs. So this, then, is a band that amalgamates various different genres — rock, electronica and shades of metal — with the strains of a sitar layered under. And you can now get a first-hand glimpse of their unusual sound at a gig this evening in Khar.