Audio engineer Tummala Abhyuday and his percussionist friend Sai Teja, founder of the band Capricio have been missing the live music experience during this pandemic. “Virtual concerts have been happening, but nothing matches the excitement of a live gig. It is all about the experience; musicians performing on a decked up stage with laser lights and the audience enjoying a drink and music. The applause and thrill creates a beautiful evening,” say the duo. They were also concerned about the state of Telugu music scene post the pandemic, which had peaked in the last few years. While a performance in a packed auditorium is next to impossible now, they have set out to create a live music experience in the form of Echoes Project, a platform they founded for live in-sync performances featuring various musicians.
Live in sync concerts
Tummala Abhuday | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Teja discussed the concept with Abhyuday, who has worked on films. Abhyuday explains, “These are live in-sync concerts. Unlike a virtual concert, these concerts give music lovers a feel of watching a live gig on stage. Some live streams cannot broadcast this experience. Virtual concerts on Facebook or Instagram use the microphone and camera of a mobile phone to go Live. We have figured a technique by which the audio and video quality are translated to the highest format available. Our audio and video digitalisation setup helps in creating audio and video from multiple inputs (the audio is mixed by a team of engineers) and is edited on the fly during a live performance. It is then streamed on to either a social media platform, private video conferencing platform or multiple platforms simultaneously. ”
The duo put their money (₹50k) for the first concert of Capricio which attracted 3000 people and post-show, garnered 27K views. Singer Chinmayi and Telugu music band Merakee have performed for the virtual show till now. The first two shows were held at Moonshine Project and the team has now erected a unique set for it at 788 Avenue in Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad. The audio and video team including Satya Chaithanya and Kraftsmen Media. Singer Usha’s show that was also lined up has since been rescheduled. “We are concerned about SP Balasubrahmanyam garu’s health and decided to pause these concerts for a while,” shares Abhyuday.
Sai Teja, founder Capricio | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
None of the musicians they approached till now have charged anything. Calling it a unique opportunity for music bands to stay connected with fans, Teja adds, “We are happy that some artistes have supported us but it is not the case with all musicians. They are eager to do these concerts but back out due to money issues. They need to support each other and collaborate to grow together. Ours is a new venture and we cannot pay.”
Abhyuday elaborates, “Musicians are not able to see the business model in these gigs. The crew that works for live concerts work here too — people who set up the stage, lights and props. By supporting streaming, the musicians are also supporting these guys and the live industry. This is also a good way for music bands to stay connected with their fans and an avenue to show talent to music companies.”