BENGALURU : Up Close and Unplugged gives the audience a chance to know the person behind the artiste, which can be a very moving experience,” says Manasi Prasad, music director, Indian Music Experience. Kicked off in May, the first episode of the event series organised by Indian Music Experience welcomed prominent musician Raghu Dixit. The upcoming episode will feature Khalid Ahmad and Mir Kashif Iqbal from Urdu Psychedelic -Rock outfit Parvaaz.
The event will involve two segments, with the first segment featuring a conversation between the artistes and Prasad. The conversation will go through the artiste’s influences, inspirations, creative process, turning points and milestones. This will be followed by a specially curated performance by Ahmed and Iqbal, where they play unplugged versions of their memorable hits like Gul Gulshan, Roz Roz, Color White and Shaad.
“The artiste’s perspective on key turning points, influences and challenges have the power to inspire and resonate with everyone in the audience. Parvaaz is one of India’s most happening bands today, and we are looking forward to hearing from Khalid and Kashif about their years growing up in Kashmir and listening to their fabulous originals,” adds Prasad.
Started in 2010, Parvaaz was brought to life when childhood friends Ahmad and Iqbal reconnected during their college days in Bengaluru.They further connected with Fidel Dsouza on bass guitars and Sachin Banandur on drums. This resulted in the formation of a unique outfit, which has taken the Indie music scene by storm with Kashmiri and Urdu lyrics, along with their sleek riffs and ambient sound.
The band released their debut EP Behosh in 2012, which received applause from critics and audiences alike. In 2014, Parvaaz released their first full-length album Baran, which received an extraordinary response including the Toto Award (2015) in the music category.
Speaking about the upcoming performance, Ahmad says, “To play intimate shows such as this is a very special experience, which is also rare at the same time. Interacting with the host and answering questions from the audience is a great initiative.”Up Close and Unplugged will be staged on September 14, 6 pm at MLR Convention Centre, JP Nagar.