At Kaber Vasuki’s live performance in Chennai, the primary cease of his maiden tour titled Oorvalam, everyone seems to be mates with the artiste. No less than that’s what it appears like. What else can clarify elaborate conversations and foolish little jokes between the artiste and his viewers of 300, because the guitarist adjustments patches on the aspect?
The viewers and performers appear advantageous braving the warmth whereas ready for some sea breeze to settle on the Bharata Kalanjali Natya College in Taramani at 7pm on Could 4. Regardless of the oppressive warmth, nothing appears to discourage the group, which watches the live performance whereas singing ‘Suthanthiram oru dabba’ (the place freedom is a field) typically with their eyes closed, typically to Kaber.
Even earlier than he has gotten to fan favourites like ‘Rasathi’ and ‘Rockstar’, everyone seems to be impatient. They immediate Kaber, and start singing these songs on their very own accord. Kaber interjects to ask, “Naa padalama? (Can I sing?).” Everyone seems to be in on the joke so the viewers laughs and permits him to proceed. It’s now not Kaber’s live performance. It’s theirs.
Kaber’s passionate viewers typically comes for all his gigs and has a penchant for sharing. Only a few are first time listeners. After concert events and meet-and-greets, one can see a posse ready to inform the artiste tales about how he has impacted their life. “Final yr at a meet and greet in Chennai, a younger girl got here as much as me, hugged, cried and left saying she is going to converse to me subsequent time. She was going by one thing. That one incident stayed with me for a very long time however different such incidents of various diploma of depth occur too. I didn’t know what to do. I’m delicate too,” the artiste says, after the live performance.
Kaber Vasuki
Kaber says that individuals typically uncover his music when issues will not be understanding for them. “They inform me that the music helps. If we have been to categorise me as an artiste in a Jungian sense, I might be slotted beneath ‘the healer’, however I didn’t intend for issues to be that approach.”
Whereas the artiste’s impactful lyrics and vivid imagery present solace for many, Kaber’s tracks are additionally riddled with mischief, typically eliciting jeers. He says that earlier than releasing his impartial songs, he typically asks himself “Is that this who I’m? Is that this what I really feel?”.
Is it this authenticity that makes him among the many most celebrated rockstars within the Tamil indie music scene?
Cheeky strains which are sung in an occasion nonetheless, will not be written on a whim. Kaber says that his songs typically stew and marinate for some time. He scrawls strains on his notes app or in a ebook to maintain observe and pulls it collectively when it vaguely resembles a track. ‘Suthanthiram oru dabba’ was written over two years, he says, with bits of the pallavi and charanam preventing for a spot within the scheme of rhythm and meter.
Lyricists like Kannadasan, Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram and Vaali have influenced him. “My father and uncle are enormous [former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister] MGR followers. Songs from that period are accessible. The phrases will not be from Sangam literature, however the concepts behind the songs are likely to punch you within the face,” he says. He provides that early music influences together with rock bands, and rappers like Inexperienced Day and Kanye didn’t attempt to be terribly literary. “They wrote within the language they spoke, and that’s what labored,” he says.
In his tenth yr of being a musician with information and albums, Kaber now is aware of that there are sufficient songs for tour that persons are accustomed to. “I’m doing this now as a result of I can,” he says. The singer is able to carry out in Coimbatore on Could 11 and Bengaluru on Could 18 and full the total circle of the tour subsequent yr with a live performance at a bigger efficiency venue in Chennai.
At Oorvalam’s first pitstop in Chennai
Whereas he’s persevering with to work on movies after Captain Miller and Aelay, he’s prepared with 4 new impartial songs that will likely be launched by KYNrecords. A number of shock collaborations will be anticipated, he says.
What’s life like shuttling between Chennai and Canada over the past 5 years? “Transferring there compelled me to do different issues. I produced, organized and directed about eight songs there. It didn’t attain the viewers and I puzzled if it was throughout, if I used to be forgotten. However I experimented and thought in another way about writing,” he says.
Coming again this yr with the tour must have boosted the artiste’s sense of self although. It solutions the looming query of who Kaber Vasuki is to the Tamil indie rock scene. Right here, “Ooru poora parakudhu annan car-u. Annan dhan da rock star-u”.
On Could 11 at Kasthuri Sreenivasan Auditorium, Coimbatore and on Could 18 at Medai – The Stage, Bengaluru. Tickets will be bought on www.bookmyshow.com
