Since its inception, October Octaves by 5M has lived up to its purpose of bringing musicians to parts of the city that don’t have many cultural events. This year, they are hosting Kochi’s Thaikkoodam Bridge for an evening of music in South Bengaluru.
Madhavan Ramesh,Founder and organizer of 5M says, “With their distinct delivery of songs and a unique arrangement, Thaikkoodam Bridge is one of the most popular bands today. Their sound appeals to music lovers of all genres and age groups, and audiences will definitely enjoy the show and its captivating visuals.”
October Octaves has made a name for itself presenting a wide range of artists with guests including Swarag, Irani from Rajasthan. daf Player and Japanese drummer for years. He further added, “Thaikkoodam does not have any ticketed shows in this part of the city and one of our objectives is to promote the best of music in South Bengaluru so that the dependency on certain venues or areas is reduced.”
Viaan Fernandes, vocalist and bassist of Thaikkoodam Bridge, says, “Bangalore is like a second home to us; We have to shuffle our playlist a lot when we’re there because we perform regularly in the city. While we play songs from our album Namah, We will also introduce new content.”
inside Story
Known for their high-energy concerts, the members of Thaikkoodam Bridge take to the venue with a vibrancy and flow of energy, usually performing around 15 songs per show. The band came together when singer-songwriter Govind Vasanth needed a group of musicians to work on a project. “Govind called up all the musicians he knew and also his cousin Siddharth Menon. We all went to Kochi, practiced and went for shooting after a week. There, we had to come up with a band name for our performance and ended up at Thaikkoodam Bridge, because that’s where we were staying,” says Viaan.
Viaan Fernandes of Thaikkoodam Bridge | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
His project went viral on YouTube and caused musicians to seriously reconsider being a one-hit wonder. That was 11 years ago. Today, Thaikkoodam Bridge has become a household name with its distinctive sound of Indian folk, rock, pop and world music. Some of his most popular numbers have been in Malayalam, Tamil and Hindi as well as English covers.
Viaan says, “We also have a Marathi track and Namah There are two original copies in English, titled ‘Inside My Head’ and ‘I Can See You’. But our fan base is mostly connected to our Tamil, Malayalam and Hindi songs.
Coming back from a recent show in Dubai, he says, “When we started in 2013, Dubai was our first international destination. Now, we have at least one show there every year.” Given that the Middle East has slowly become an extension of South India, this should come as no surprise, but Viaan says his show and the audience in Hong Kong really blew him away.
“In the early years, the audience rarely included people from other nationalities, but now this has changed and Indians constitute only 30% at international venues. Even in India, we now have shows in Rourkela, Kolkata and Uttar Pradesh.
tuning in
Thaikkoodam Bridge implemented. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Since many of the band members have settled in different locations and are pursuing individual careers, joint practice sessions are few and far between. “Most of the time, we practice wherever we are and then do a few sessions together before the show. We get together in our drummer Anish’s studio, make whatever we want to make, make it and then go on stage,” says Viaan, who is from Mumbai.
Considering that the band has stuck with almost all of its original members for 11 years, it appears that this system works for them.
“We recently conducted a full three-day practice session at Govind’s house. It was like a throwback to 2013, when all the equipment was in one small room – we would just practise, eat, sleep and start again,” he laughs.
Viaan admits that Thaikkoodam has now reduced the number of its shows. “Although it wasn’t ideal at first, we’re now finding the balance in between, so we have time to create new things, put on quality shows, and live life to the fullest.”
magic of the moment
Viaan believes there is a strong case for live shows. “Social media has nothing on live events. That’s when you earn an audience and that’s where the magic happens. Seeing a band live is the only way for both parties to connect emotionally.
Thaikkoodam Bridge implemented. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“Live shows have changed me as a person and a musician, and helped me move forward in life. And I know this is true for others too. Lockdown was an example of this – so many people found strength, peace and comfort, and our music helped them deal with their issues. That’s when we, too, found a deeper meaning in the music we were making.”
“Whenever we start a show, I ask how many first timers there are in the audience and it’s a pleasure; You want to do your best for their first impression, whereas people who have already been to our shows know the process and the mix of the audience is what creates the magic.
Thaikkoodam Bridge by October Octaves will perform at the Prestige Hari Khode Auditorium on October 19. Tickets on BookMyShow.
published – October 16, 2024 12:13 PM IST
