When Freddie Mercury sang, 'Radio, someone still loves you', in 1984, it was an obituary of sorts, for television had come to dominate the scene already
Duane Wilson, Warren Swaries, Peter Abraham, Vijay Fernandes and Keith Pereira
When Freddie Mercury sang, ‘Radio, someone still loves you’, in 1984, it was an obituary of sorts, for television had come to dominate the scene already. Though radio made a comeback through FM broadcast, it was presence on the Internet that created a parallel platform for musicians.
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InRegalia, a Mumbai-based Rock group formed in 2012, got a taste of the medium’s power when they reached out to international radio stations to promote their music.
Once the band released their EP, A New Horizon, in 2015, they were looking for avenues to gather more listeners. That’s when radio came calling.
"Last year, I connected with programmers of international radio stations. They loved our songs, and the response was positive. Since then, they have been airing them," says guitarist Vijay Fernandes. "Our music has been aired at over 100 stations across Germany, The Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Australia, Malta, Canada, the UK and the US. Now, we have developed a good rapport with them," shares the 41-year-old musician. A few of the popular stations that air InRegalia’s music are Rocker’s Dive Radio (Wisconsin), 365 Radio Network (Ohio) and Dee Rocks Radio (Liverpool).
The band gets monetary benefits from the broadcast, though nothing substantial. However, they look at it differently. "As
an Indie band, you want your music to reach more people. It’s too early to bother about other gains. We earned a lot of traction and also got new fans. They send us messages on social media," he adds.
InRegalia, meaning 'In royalty', is inspired by Carnatic and Indian Classical music
At tonight's gig, among their originals, watch out for Lalitha and Was It A Dream. "Lalitha is a romantic ballad inspired by the stories of cross-dressers who ask for money at traffic signals," Fernandes shares.
The band also plays popular English and Hindi covers. "We will perform Nothing Else Matters (Metallica) and Are You Gonna Go My Way (Lenny Kravitz). We attempt Hindi songs that blend with our band sound, like Dosti (Junoon) and Socha Hai (Rock On)," he says.
The group is currently working on more original material, and plans to release an album next year.
Time 8 pm onwards
At Harry's Bar + Cafe, first floor, Ventura Park, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai.
Call 7506787212
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