CHENNAI:Vibes of hope, fun and excitement fill the air. On the phone, we can hear the rumbling noise of musical instruments being tuned in the background. The Keepers Of The Gloom were practising for their show on Sunday. We catch Matt Bacon, guitarist and Sanaea Bubber, vocalist, on a call ahead of their event, to discuss their journey as a band, and their dreams for tomorrow.
Started three months ago, Keepers Of The Gloom is a relatively young band started by Matt Bacon, who is a teacher at the KM Music Conservatory. "I sent emails to my students about my idea to start a classic rap band. I wanted to collaborate with a few of my favourite students," he says. The band comprises six people: Bacon and Rakesh on guitar, Reuben on the bass, Tazim on keyboard, Rahul on drums and Sanaea on vocals. Their songs are predominantly blues, rock and classic. “We perform four times a month. We are still infants but growing fast and getting better," Bacon says.
The name of the band is inspired from the song 'Rain' by Led Zeppelin, the influential English rock band. Clearly, it is one of Bacon's all-time favourite band. With Led Zeppelin's 50th anniversary coming soon, Matt Bacon had planned the upcoming Chennai show as a tribute. “I have been listening to Led Zeppelin’s songs since I was a kid, and I always wanted to give the band some form of tribute. When we decided the theme of our next show, the city's response was incredible. We had a great time rehearsing for the show,” says Bacon.
Their set had 12 songs from almost every Zeppelin classic such as 'Rock and Roll', 'Kashmir', 'Whole Lotta Love' etc. "Our songs are usually not thematic in nature. We made a few changes in the scales and arrangements. For instance, Tazim, keyboards, will give a slight Indian twist to his tunes. We're sure that will drive the crowd crazy," Sanaea shares.
Preparations had been going on amid exams, and other band rehearsals as some members are part of other bands too. "It was indeed a lot of work to get together,” says Bacon. “It was really hectic for us but it went well despite exams and other shows," says Sanaea.
Speaking about the music scene in Chennai, Sanaea says that it is growing every day, with more people appreciating bands. "It was surprising for me to see so many Led Zeppelin fans in Chennai," Sanaea says, as Bacon chimes in that no other band in India has ever played Led Zeppelin songs before. He is keen to play outside the city. "We especially look forward to perform in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru," Sanaea says.
("Keepers of the Gloom” will be performing next at Bay Area on May 26.)