Huge stages, bright lights and high-voltage sound along with a discerning audience - all this is a dream for any musician, especially for the growing Indie music artists. But the journey to the top is not so easy and one needs to think long and deep before embarking on a career in the medium, top musicians say.
It's a long grind to live performances, concerts and music festivals. So it's better to plan ahead. Sustenance is the key. It's best to plan an alternative career that gives one the freedom to dream big - and at the same time helps ends meet, they say.
India's Parikrama, a classic rock and fusion band started its journey almost two decades ago when India's independent music scene was still nascent. Making it a career was not even on the agenda; so forget about planning for the future.
‘When we started the band, earning money from it was never on our mind. It was a passion for us and all these years we have been passionately playing our music,’ says Subir Malik, Parikrama's keyboard player. ‘But it is important to think long-term. When you are young and single it is good to dream about creating music, but one must also not be blind to reality. There is no music happening 365 days a year,’ he added.
Hemant Chona, 22, bass guitarist with the Mindflew band, agreed that there are many hurdles in the musical journey and he has seen the insecurities of older artists and what a disbanded band goes through.
He felt it is wise to keep options of an alternate career open.
‘Contrary to what you see or read, it is not an easy journey. The initial days or years of struggle can cripple many. I have seen many failed bands with whom I used to dream of playing once,’ rued Chona, who is trying to balance his passion for music with graphic designing.
‘I am freelancing right now because I am a beginner. If I associate myself with a particular band, the money flow will be difficult. So I play with different bands,’ he added.
What gives the artists extreme satisfaction is the fact that the Indian music industry is booming. This has automatically led to the rise of many bands catering to different genres to dabble with, from electronic, rock-and-roll, sufi, fusion and rock to pop.
Music festivals like NH7 Weekender, Sunburn, Storm and the Escape Festival of Art and Music have also given the young and the not so old artists a chance to showcase their talent to a wider audience.
And not to be left behind, pubs and restaurants want to draw .
The going is still not so easy, although the music industry has really expanded in the past two decades.