BLR Echoes - April '25
What we talk about when we talk about Bengaluru.
Is Jazz back in BLR? Again?
In our last piece, we dug into why Bengaluru (once proudly crowned the Rock Capital of India) is no longer on the touring map for major global acts. Crumbling infrastructure, venue shortages, licensing nightmares, and a lack of institutional support have left the city gasping for breath. But as international artists fly over us and legacy venues shut down, younger musicians are embracing a new wave of homegrown sound.
Big stages out of reach? Musicians in Bengaluru are building their own. Apartments? Nope, try makeshift rehearsal spaces and micro gig venues. Moonlighting? It’s a part of the hustle, baby. This spirit of improvisation — the scrappiness, the refusal to wait for permission — is where musicians in Bangalore find themselves today.
So, is jazz where it’s at now? Is jazz cool again?
Jazz isn’t a genre we’ve historically embraced but post lockdown, its resurgence has caught people’s attention. It’s about freedom, experimentation, and the joy of working with what you’ve got. You riff. You adapt. You keep going. (Weirdly reminiscent of Sunday Jam, anyone?)
On the 30th of this month, we celebrate International Jazz Day, and a host of events honouring the genre are set to take place in venues across the city - Science Gallery, Alliance Française and Jagriti Theatre, to name a few.
We spoke to Jagadeesh M.R; the founder of MoonArra; an Indian classical, jazz and world fusion ensemble, and the Director of The Bangalore School of Music, to understand the resurgence of jazz in our social circles and Instagram feeds.
Why jazz and why now?
“One thing about jazz is that it is a genre that's beyond people. It has withstood the Cold War, it has survived World Wars, and it's survived all kinds of ‘artistic choking’. It is such a creative genre. It has the ability to include and embrace new sounds and new styles. There's a sizeable universe of people playing it. And the genre acquires a new form the more people that keep contributing to it.”
Jagadeesh sees the genre from both sides — as a musician, and as someone building spaces for the genre to thrive - “For anything to happen, you need education. So there are music schools supporting jazz and formal music education for younger musicians. I find that there are quite a few musicians who are pursuing it seriously — even musicians in their 20s. Economically too, there are venues which support this kind of thing — music venues are open to all kinds of genres, but jazz is being performed quite often.”
Audiences too, are gravitating toward smaller, intimate sets — gigs where you’re sitting on the floor, chatting with the artists after. It’s got that personal touch that sold-out concerts and commercial events fail to achieve just because of their scale.
As a colleague remarked recently, “going for concerts is no longer just about being entertained while nursing your drinks. We now have many intimate venues, smaller-format events, and gigs that allow the audience to really engage with music in an intimate way. People want to really “be present” for the music (or whatever) event they're attending, and it's lovely that there are spaces that seem to be facilitating that.”
For artists, jazz is about agency.
“The venues we grew up watching shows in, they don’t exist anymore. As a musician in today’s day and age, you cannot wait for people and promoters to tell you that your sound matters. You have to take matters into your own hands,” says Vikas, a young musician in the city.
I get him because there isn’t really a clean-cut ‘scene’ right now — at least not for those trying to break in. Traditional stages might still pay, but they’re rarely where up and coming bands or artists get to perform.
Jazz is reemerging on unexpected platforms — and maybe that’s the point.
While Bangalore’s love affair with rock might be a lovely story to look back upon, today, jazz offers genre-fluid, community-driven, impossible to categorise music and it is full of promise for the future.
As International Day of Jazz approaches at the end of the month, maybe we don’t need a big shiny festival. Tuning in to the city’s beat is more than enough.
Here’s where you’ll spot some of us jazz enthusiasts at UnboxingBLR. Come say hi? 👋
Can’t Quit The Blues: A Hands-On Blues Workshop | 26th April
An Exploration of Jazz: Lecture & Demonstration | 27th April
International Jazz Day Bengaluru | 29th April
Sabha BLR - A Breath of Fresh Air?
In a city where it's easier to build something shiny and new, it's refreshing—powerful, even—to see an old space reimagined to meet a growing need for inclusive, community-driven, cultural spaces.
In the backdrop of heritage sites quietly fading and venues struggling to stay afloat, Sabha’s arrival in the heart of the city was very timely and just what the city needed.
Housed within the meticulously restored 160-year-old CVS Sabha school – Sabha blends old world charm with the new to create a hub where artists, thinkers, and communities can come together, connect, and grow.
Here are some things that have us really excited:
It is built to nurture creativity across genres: With spaces like Humming Tree, bFlat, and Take Five gone, artists have fewer places to truly connect with their audiences. Sabha steps in — simple, welcoming, and built for those looking to familiarise themselves with all the city offers. Take a look at their event calendar if you don’t believe us.
Their revenue model for artists is really cool: Sabha After Hours offers a significant portion of revenue directly to artists who perform at Sabha. Artists being supported more equitably? We’re soooo ready.
They have free weekend art classes: Sabha hosts free weekend art classes for children of the local community. To me, this is a direct investment in the future of BLR’s art and culture. If you’re excited to chip in, you could join them too!
For years, BLR has struggled with the loss of venues that offer a true sense of community. Sabha fills that gap, offering a platform where art is celebrated for the value it provides to communities and artists.
Annnnnd that’s a wrap for this edition! We’ll be back with more updates and exciting content in May, so don’t forget to check your inbox for our monthly update!
PS: It’s been such a joy writing to you each month — discovering the city, meeting its people, and sharing the stories that made it feel a little more alive and exciting. As I — Winnie — wrap up my time at UnboxingBLR, thank you for reading, supporting, and ‘unboxing’ the city with me. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading your feedback on the longer pieces we’ve done on music in the city. It has been chaotic and marvellous, in equal measure ;)
Until next time,
Winnie ( and Team UnboxingBLR) 💌
BLR Echoes is UnboxingBLR’s newsletter; a monthly curation of Bengaluru events, interesting tidbits, and the many amazing things that we’re up to - all yours to unbox and discover!