Cue to explore

KOCHI: Since 2013, folk-reggae band ‘Oorali’ has been bolstering conversations and modelling themselves as the voice of the voiceless — speaking on the destruction of the environment, culture and ever-changing times. Imbibing a spirit of theatre, art, visuals, poetry and song, ‘Oorali’ feels at home on a repurposed bus ‘Oorali Express’ that travels around the country as soothsayers. Staying cooped up within four walls was indeed a testing time for the gipsy band. 

After eight months and around 100 virtual shows, the contemporary band comprising Saji on lead guitar and composition, Martin John as lead vocalist and front man, Arjun on bass and Sudheesh on percussion and vocals, is back on the road to begin a slew of performances in Goa from November 25 to December 3. They’re supported by Shaji Surendranath who pens the lyrics, actor Mallu P Shekar, textile designer Geethu Gopi and Diana, who handles public relations. 

“Beaches have always welcomed independent bands. Reinventing ourselves through these shows is imperative. The music scene in Goa has always been exciting and our spirits are high. Bands have begun to perform in several places and we’re rather pepped up for this newfound experience,” says Saji.

While the pandemic-induced lockdown came as a massive blow to artists and performers, ‘Oorali’ chose to revamp themselves. The lockdown took place right after the ‘Oorali Express’ was repainted and refurbished for new shows throughout the year. While this was a bummer, the band kept their spirits high by regularly performing on their Facebook page. “We went down memory lane, fished out the songs we thoroughly enjoyed, strengthened our skill by accessing old resources, learnt the songs we liked and worked on three album projects. We stayed afloat by being creative. The albums will be recorded post the Goa gigs,” he explains. 

Leaving your comfort zone and transitioning online isn’t an easy task. “Initially the experience was rather strange and we just had around 30 listeners. But we worked hard on ourselves -- we did our research and figured out the right technology to use. Our instruments were equalised, mixed and rendered through another medium. Once we got the hang of how the platform worked, we ended up with nearly 2,000 listeners online,” elaborates Saji. 

For years, ‘Oorali’ has been associated with a certain kind of political climate, which the band chooses to shift away from. “We’re not political. We are merely standing up for what rightfully belongs to us. We’ve been employing art as a mode of communication to express our strong-willed opinions. The pandemic has shaped our ideologies to a large extent.

Ever since inception, we’ve never been locked up. However, this has given us space for introspection, reinvention, collaboration and dabbling with technology for better reach. Our musical language has become more community-oriented, and an advocate for mental health. Viewers who told us that our music kept them going pushed us to keep performing,” adds Saji.