Thaikkudam Bridge’s origin story is as unconventional as their music. Thirteen years after they “accidentally” became a band, the group is coming to Dubai to perform. They will share the stage with iconic singers like Usha Uthup and Benny Dayal at Thaalam Beats, a South Indian music festival taking place at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena on August 15.
The performance is particularly significant for the band. “This is the first time we are playing at the Coca-Cola Arena,” said lead guitarist of the band Mithun Raj, speaking to Khaleej Times on Zoom from India. “We have played in a few arenas in Dubai. The reception has always been great. Dubai is very special for us. People show us a lot of love. Our very first international show was in Dubai at Al Nasr Leisureland. So, we are really looking forward to playing there again.”
He said that concert goers can expect the band to play all their hits but also expect something new. “We will try something new,” he said. “Probably a new track but also we will be playing all those songs that made people fall in love with us.
The accidental beginning
Thaikkudam Bridge’s team first came together for a single television performance in 2013. “We recorded for a one-off TV show called Music Mojo,” said Mithun. “It was a medley of four popular Malayalam songs from the 90s and we titled it Nostalgia. We weren’t planning to make this full-time thing.”
The band, which now features 13 members, parted ways after the recording, assuming it was simply a fun experience. But fate had other plans. “Once the videos were uploaded on YouTube, it became viral,” he recalled. “We began getting a few inquiries, but we turned them down saying we were not a full-time band.”
However, the demand continued unabated and they decided to give it a shot. “We did the gigs and the reception was overwhelming,” he said. “It was positive and everything went so well. Basically, it took off from there.”
What followed was a whirlwind of activity. “We were doing 18-20 shows a month, often travelling long distances,” he said. “It was very hectic.”
Unique sound
With a lineup featuring seven singers trained in different genres, Thaikkudam Bridge has developed a distinctive approach to songwriting and arrangement. While some of its singers are out and out Hindustani music artists, others are trained in Carnatic music. “What we always try to do is to compose a song for the singer and arrange it accordingly,” said Mithun.
He added that the band’s instrumental core remains consistent regardless of the vocal lineup: “Two guitarists, a keyboardist, a bass guitar, one drums and a violinist. For all the songs, this is the common thing. This is the glue of the entire sound. Even though the singers come and change, we do sound like a band because the instrumentalists remain the same.”
Currently, the band is working on their third album, adopting a more measured approach to their creative process. “Our first album, Navarasam released in 2015, was a very heavy, dark album,” recalled Mithun. “The second one was Namah in 2019. We were lucky to feature some stalwarts from across India on that album and it was a massive project for us. So, for the third album, we are experimenting and trying to do something which we haven’t done before.”
This time, the band is taking a different approach to release. “We are planning to release each and every single separately unlike putting it all out at one time,” he explained. He added that they were very close to releasing the first single of the album and that it would be out very soon.
A more relaxed pace
According to Mithun, over the years the band has settled into a more relaxed pace of work. “Now we do about four or five concerts a month during the events season which lasts from August to March,” he said. “During the December to February period, it gets busier and we do around 10-12 shows a month. Now we leave enough down time so that the members can also pursue some of their own projects.”
With members spread across the cities of Kochi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Trivandrum, maintaining the band’s cohesion requires commitment and sacrifice. Mithun shared his own example. “Last year, there was a show in Qatar and five days before the show, my father passed away,” he recalled. “But I did the show. I completed all the formalities here and I went.”
He emphasised the collective responsibility: “Everybody will be having some issue or another. All the members have cooperated very well and have prioritised the band. That mentality has helped a lot.”
Source: Khaleej Times