India this week

Violence in Gurgaon between Honda workers and the police.

Unbelievable, killer rains in Mumbai and Maharashtra.

A fire in an offshore platform, just off Mumbai.

Stampede in Mumbai caused by someone spreading a rumour that a tsunami was going to hit.

A bomb blast on a train, going from Patna to Delhi.

Terrorism in Srinagar and Delhi.

What is this? Bad karma week for India?

Fusion 9 was supposed to be reviewed here

I meant to post this stuff about Fusion 9 (a restaurant in Hyderbad) here, but my brain was lulled to sleep in the gloomy, dark sombre mood that has come with the rains in Bangalore, and I posted it on my other blog. (No, no, this is not a shameless plug for my other blog. I already do that in the sidebar.)

So, if you're interested in reading about Fusion 9, please read it here.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Pushing Tin at Barista Unplugged

I got this email from Rave Events yesterday and I was busy, so I could not post it. I know it's late (the event's today) but maybe someone might see it and attend. I won't be there this time.

Date: July 22, 2005
Time: 7 pm onwards
Location: Barista, St. Mark's Road

The band's name is Pushing Tin and its members are Sanjit George, Ashley Joseph, Joel Rozario, and Mark Escottee.

Irani Chai

If you ever go to Hyderabad and have some free time, visit the Paradise Cafe in Secunderabad. (Ask anyone for directions to Paradise and then ask for Paradise Cafe. They'll tell you.)

Go to the counter and buy a cup of tea (Rs. 4, the last time I went). You'll get a green token, which you hand over to the guy standing near the thermos flasks. He'll give you a plastic "cup" filled with tea. Drink it.

If you've ever tasted tea like this before, I'll eat my hat. (For the record, I don't wear hats.) Irani chai is one of Hyderabad's specialities and you get it in many of the cafes (pronounced kay-fss) in Hyderabad.

The tea is aromatic, it's flavoursome, refreshing, and it sets off music in your head. If you love tea, you'll probably love Irani chai.

I'm in Hyderabad, so you can bet your behind that I'll be drinking Irani chai. The biryani at Paradise ain't too bad either, but that's another story for another day.

Buffet lunch at Indy Joe's

(I can't believe that I've not blogged about this yet.)

The buffet lunch at Indy Joe's (Carlton Towers, Airport road, Bangalore) is a good deal, especially if you like salads, Italian food, and (or) Oriental food. They have a couple of salads, some Italian dishes, and some Chinese/Thai dishes. They also have a pizza (thin crust but under a heating lamp), two soups, breads, some cold cuts, and sometimes a desi dish. All for the reasonable price of Rs. 155 or whereabouts.

Leave some room for the dessert too. They have ice cream, an Indian dessert, some pastries, fresh fruits, and a souffle or a cheesecake.

Go there slightly before 1.00 p.m. to avoid the buffet traffic.

Why it was called The Last Laugh

I went to see Zebediah Plush and Thermal and a Quarter (the band also known as TAAQ) at the Alliance Francaise yesterday. It was hot at the venue (they closed the doors) and with people in there, the temperature rose quickly.

The music made it hotter.

Zebediah Plush is a young, rocking band. The drummer (Arfaaz) and the lead guitarist (Anand) both sang lead vocals, though by my count the drummer sang more songs. And he had a good voice too. Anyone who can sing Message In A Bottle well is a good singer (in my book at least).

The keyboard player (Avijit) and the bass player (Anindita) rounded off the band. Plush is a tight band, all the band members play well and they rocked the place. They played some of their own compositions and a couple of Led Zeppelin and The Police covers.

That's the good news.

The bad news is that the guitarist is leaving for the US. Hence, The Last Laugh. (Archana, you were right.)

When I was buying the CD (gotta support the local bands), I spoke to the lead guitarist and he said that they were looking for a guitarist. So, if you wield an axe and can play some mean chops, contact them.

In a related note, what is it with musicians moving or migrating to the US/Canada? Stop!

TAAQ were the second band to play and they came in, set up in about five minutes (you gotta love a band that's really good but really not fussy at all) and then Bruce started playing some funky stuff on his guitar, doing some funky things on the mike (basically sound check), the others joined in and then they morphed that into Brigade Street. Ah, those harmonies on Brigade Street. Kick ass. And what a wonderful singer Rzhude (pronounced: Rudy), the bass player, is too.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. TAAQ ROCKS. They're my favourite Indian band. I hope they make it big. You want good things to happen to good bands.

I caught only about four songs, I had to leave early. They played Bend the World from the latest album (Plan B), which you can download here. Bend the World is one of my favourite songs. I love the initial riff in that song, it gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.

So, stop reading this and go download their songs.