House gigs a new fad for party lovers in Covid era

The Covid outbreak hit the pause button on the world and everything came to a standstill. Although life has now started opening up, the party scene continues to be bleak, with social distancing still being the norm.

While Covid is surely the worst thing to have happened to the live concert scene, it has helped in bringing out hidden gems and fantastic ideas -- one of them being the concept of home gigs, where a band is available at your doorstep!

The pandemic has also proved to be a blessing in disguise for music lovers who have turned musicians, adding an extra zing to the regular gatherings.

Vocalist and guitarist Kasturi Ghosh told IANS that the concept of home gigs will bring in a change in the gig culture.

Kasturi said: "To see a gig, one had to travel to different places with friends and family. But the idea of getting a gig delivered at the comfort of your home has revolutionised the gig culture dramatically."

Musician Vaibhav Srivastava says the idea of house gigs is as organic as it gets.

"We as musicians always had the luxury of friends to play music for. It has a certain comfort zone. The audience and the performers don't have the boundary that can be experienced in a stage performance," Vaibhav told IANS.

He added that it is more of a sing-and-dance-along vibe that makes everyone feel a part of the group and hence they feel easy to express themselves.

Can home music events take over the experience of open air or bar gig experiences ?

Guitarist and vocalist Karan Gosh feels that the future of home gigs is "very good".

"I think there is a huge upside potential in this market as people are looking more and more towards customised and personalised experiences nowadays. Additionally, Covid has truly burgeoned the need for these indoor gigs. So, yes, I do feel that the future holds very good turnouts in the home gigs domain," Karan told IANS.

In terms of business, Rohit Manchanda of Houze Gigs told IANS it is more about the experience and then the money for both the host and the musician.

"It's not necessarily an artiste's first experience. The host is the star of the evening, which means that entertainment becomes an important part of the house gig experience. Its instant remuneration and a satisfying experience for both the listener and the musician. More than an artiste you're one the guests at the party, so there is a more intimate interaction with the people in the party," Manchanda told IANS.

Security is a concern as walking into a stranger's home or even having strangers over sounds scary. However, that part is covered, too, and there is nothing to worry, says Snigdha Pandit, musician, Youdley Music told IANS.

"Of course, the safety of our artistes and most importantly our guests is an utmost priority for us, for which we always make sure to verify the id proofs (Aadhaar/ Pan card) of both guest and artiste," Pandit told IANS.

(Durga Chakravarty can be contacted at durga.c@ians.in)

House gigs a new fad for party lovers in Covid era.

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