MUMBAI: Delhiites love independent music, but sadly there are no big venues here that promote bands, says Manuj Gupta of Lost Icons group.

The Delhi-based band, consisting of Gautam Thapliyal, Arpit Chaudhary, Ishan Bhardwaj and Gupta, is known for its aggressive music style and energetic live performances.

They performed at Arise, an event hosted by Artist Aloud and Hard Rock Cafe, at Hard Rock Cafe, Gurugram, on Tuesday.

Asked how different it is to perform in Delhi and Gurugram, Gupta told IANS: "Delhi crowd is better and if they come to a gig, they pour their heart out for the band. Delhi people love indie music.

"We have seen music growing in Delhi over the last couple of years. People have started to accept independent music in Delhi now. Sadly, there are no big venues in Delhi which promote bands." 

India, especially north India, is popular for having major followers of Bollywood music. How difficult or easy has it been for the band to survive in the industry?

"It is very difficult. People like us who don't play Bollywood music find it hard to find venues which support indie music. It is not easy to survive in a country where people will pay any amount to see a bunch of people playing Bollywood songs on a stage," said the drummer.

Sometimes it becomes important for bands to play a few covers.

"But if you want to go high, you need to make your own music. People will remember you for your songs. If you want to stand out from the crowd, you need to make your own music," said Gupta.

So, they are working on their first EP.

"We are planning to release it around June 2018. It's all about sex, drugs and rock and roll. We have recorded all the songs," he said.

(Source: IANS)