Swarathma’s live show in Chennai promises music that moves and stories that stay

We are always running. From villages to towns, towns to cities, Chennai to Bombay, London to New York, and, if ambition allowed, all the way to Mars. Yet in that restless search for elsewhere, we often overlook the roots that steady us. ‘Aiyanar Kudurai’, the first Tamil song by Bengaluru-based folk-rock band Swarathma, holds up a mirror to that hunger for escape. 

Seven years in the making, it tells the story of a temple horse that leaves home in pursuit of something greater, only to make its way back to the same banyan tree, realising that belonging was never lost, only forgotten. This weekend, the band is bringing the song to Chennai for the first time, to the land that inspired it. 

“We love performing in Chennai because the audience there knows music, and it is creatively satisfying to play for an audience like that,” says Jishnu Dasgupta, the bass guitarist of the band. Swarathma will be performing in Chennai after a gap of two years. 

Bengaluru-based folk-rock band Swarathma
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Beyond the story the songs tells, Swarathma is known for turning their shows into a dialogue with the audience rather than a one-way performance. “The reaction from the audience is never just passive. It’s an exchange of energy,” says Jishnu. “Our singer Vasu will go into the audience, and interact with you at a very close distance. We will blur the divide between the audience and the stage,” adds Sanjeev Nayak who plays the violin. 

Among their repertoire, songs like ‘Manwa’ and ‘Raah E Fakira’ stand out, both for their musicality and the live energy they generate. “Manwa has a good vibe and a violin solo that I love playing,” says Sanjeev.

Every song in Swarathma’s set is chosen with care. “For Chennai, we wanted to bring out tracks that are reflective, soulful, and creatively challenging,” says Jishnu. “Songs that we don’t often get to perform, but that feel alive in this city.” The band treats their set list like a map, weaving familiar melodies with new journeys, allowing the audience to move with them through energy and quiet introspection.

Swarathma in Bengaluru at the Mahindra Percussion Festival
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

This careful attention to which songs resonate live also reflects the way Swarathma’s sound has evolved over the years. “We are all curious music lovers,” says Sanjeev. “The music we listen to shapes the new ideas we bring to the band. Sometimes inspiration comes from a melody thought up while stuck in traffic, or a simple riff on the guitar. We jam on it, let it simmer, and return to it until it finds its form.” Over time, their mix of folk and rock has expanded to include disco elements and more energetic, danceable tracks, crafted as much for the stage as for the recording studio. 

Certain moments on stage are almost ritualistic for the performers. “The part I look forward to is usually towards the end of the set when we are playing ‘Naane Daari’,” says Jishnu referring to a Kannada song from their sophomore album Topiwalleh, which was co-produced by composer Loy Mendonsa. “By that time, the audience is nicely marinated and ready to take off. The energy can be transformative,”. At the Ziro Festival in Arunachal Pradesh, he recalls, “there were about 3,000 people jumping together at the same time. It was such a beautiful sight, to know that we had a role to play in that.” Even in Chennai, where the audience will be smaller, the band is confident that 300 people can feel like 3,000 when you have the right kind of vibe.

Swarathma will be performing at The Madras Taproom on October 11 at 8pm. Tickets on in.bookmyshow.com starting ₹599.