Amyt Datta: I miss playing at Rang Bhavan

Ahead of a last set at blueFROG, guitar legend Amyt Datta on how changing music tastes are killing performance venues

Q. How much does the closure of a venue affect an artiste emotionally?
A. There is nothing one can do, people do not like this kind of music (Rock, Jazz, Experimental) anymore. As far as the logistics are concerned, it is difficult to fly down artistes. The pay is low. Owners are not responsible for the closure even though it is temporary. It is about the people and what they want to hear. The scene is all about DJs.

Amyt Datta; Guitarist

Q. Which are the venues in India you miss playing at?
A. I miss playing at Rang Bhavan (Mumbai). Among the current venues, I like The Humming Tree (Bengaluru). Earlier, there used to be many Jazz and Rock gigs. Even in Kolkata, clubs like Dalhousie Institute and Tollygunge Club organised many such events.

Q. You will be playing a set with Gino Banks, Sheldon D’Silva and your student Bodhisattwa Ghosh. How do you match up the energy from both sides?
A. They are talented and have created a space for themselves. Bodhi is very hardworking. It is not about matching up to me as such.

Q. Your thoughts on today’s young guitar players compared to the yesteryears…
A. Youngsters today are in a rush to make it big. During our days, it was a lot of Rock and Roll, and we only did music for a living.

Q. What are the tunes you will play on Sunday?
A. It is going to be an impromptu jam. I doubt whether we will have time to rehearse for the gig; hence, it will be a fun night. It will be a couple of my tunes, then Bodhi’s tunes and we are planning to rearrange and do a cover of a classic, preferably, The Beatles. I share an old relation with blueFROG and the co-founders — Dhruv Ghanekar and Ashutosh Phatak.

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