Bengaluru is known for being a host to spectacular musical events. With popular artistes from the pop and dance music genres making their rounds in the city, the metalheads in the city worry over the scarcity of rock and metal acts. “Before Bengaluru was a metal haven, we had the likes of Iron Maiden, Metallica and Slayer grace us with their presence, but now we’ve become the hub for EDM while all the metal events have transitioned to Shillong,” says Noel William, a musician.
It is believed that there is a scarcity in metal gigs because of the noise levels as well as the music being genre that isn’t to the general public’s liking. Due to Bengaluru being more of social city, Dance music has been the current trend for quite some time and musicians around the city feel that this has made them feel obsolete. “I feel the production techniques required to be a DJ in the city requires a lot of experience and training. No matter what is said, there’s nothing more thrilling to see live than singers sing their heart out while the drummer is in a fury while the guitars wail,” says Rahul Raghunath, the singer/growler.
Aspiring and veteran local bands in the city are finding it very difficult to find gigs and performances in the city. “The main reason for this is the lack of support for the metal music scene. There’s not enough encouragement by the public needed to be a good metal band. In order to be a band let alone a metal band, takes a lot of time and dedication, and there’s rarely a return on investment,” says Srikiran Gosangi, drummer of metal band De’Sat. On top of not being able to get gigs and shows to perform, metalheads are also saddened by the decrease in international metal acts performing in the city. “Bengaluru once used to be called a metal haven. The cause in downspiral metal events all started because of the mismanaged Metallica show. The show had a large turnout, which was too much for the venue. The aftermath from the show made sure that rock and metal shows were banned from Palace Grounds,” says Manas Amrit, A bassist and metalhead. “Ever since the ban occurred, makeshift venues have gathered minimal audiences and in turn lesser shows” he adds.
