@ Tolbooth, Stirling, on Thu 16 Jul 2015
On a damp night, the seated auditorium at multi-arts venue the Tolbooth is just over half full for the Raghu Dixit Project, a band from Bangalore in India more used to turning on UK festival crowds. Raghu Dixit, the band’s front-man and lead singer, immediately warms the audience with a few self-deprecating jokes. It doesn’t matter that the crowd is short on bodies, Dixit gives it large for the opening number, the title song from their latest album, Jag Changa.
The songs are a mix of western pop/rock influences and traditional Indian styles, particularly through the haunting, melodic virtuoso flute-playing of Parth Chandiramanj and some of Joe Jacob’s compelling drumming/percussion, led by Dixit’s powerfully soaring, yet heartbreakingly tender vocals. Gaurav Vaz’s solid basslines verge on rock in places and it is only during Amma that it feels overly heavy, but this may be due to the sound mix. The band’s new eighteen year old guitarist, Achyuth Jaigopal’s (AJ) skilful handling of a beautiful Les Paul through everything from a Fleetwood Mac/Dire Straits feel on Gudugudiya Sedi Nodo to a distinctly Lloyd Cole indie-pop vibe on Mumbai, Waiting for a Miracle (where Jacob’s beats morph into hip-hop a la De La Soul/Deee-Lite) is inspired. On the crowd-pleasing No Man Will Ever Love You, Like I Do, the career-expanding song featured on Later, with Jools Holland, AJ makes the ukulele-sized guilele guitar sing with a grace that belies his age; a true star in the making.
Each song comes with an uplifting and entertaining story. Indeed, Dixit puts a positive spin on one audience member’s loud belch, ‘A burp is a beautiful thing. You can release and feel better…’ and, ‘You guys are so well behaved,’ he berates gently. ‘Dance like there’s no-one watching!’ Finally, the audience loosens up for the super-energetic Mysore Se Aayi which ends in true rock ’n’ roll fashion.
But does this crossover of musical genres become confusion? Not here. The subtle infusion of musical influences has created a unique and delicious sound of sheer joy. Once again, the Raghu Dixit Project reaches across cultures to remind us there is more to unite than divide.