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Rock band Bamboo Shoots are performing in India for the first time. Here’s a lowdown on them...

by Rhik Kundu

They are the only band with members of Indian origin to win MTV USA, Best Music on Campus contest, back in 2006. Three years later, Bamboo Shoots is in their land of origin for a series of concerts. These live performances will take place in cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Mumbai and our very own Bengaluru where it is scheduled to be held on April 11 and 12. With four musicians — Avir Mitra, Karl Sukhia, Shiv Puri, Ankur Patel hailing from India and one Ahmed Mahmoud of Egyptian origin, the band is all set for rock the desi audience.

“Pop music you would like to rock out to” is the term used by the band to describe their genre of music. Influenced by the likes of Michael Jackson, INXS, Police and Foo Fighters, the band is popular in the US for their dueling two-person rhythm section, their South Asian identity and influence. Their current Indian tour also happens to be their first international tour. “We are looking forward to connecting with people through our music. We would like to hang out with them and get a positive response,” says Shiv Puri, a member of the band.

Bamboo Shoots started off as a college band representing Middlesex College. But, winning the MTV contest gave them a glimpse of fame. But, this didn’t come without competition. “At the MTV contest there were more than 1600 registered bands competing for the laurels. We were lucky to win at such a huge competition,” says Shiv. They feel that a whole new world of opportunities opened up after the competition. They were signed by Epic Records in the summer of 2007. As a result, Armour, their debut album is all set to hit the market this summer.

Also, greats of the music world like Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads and Spike Stent associated with Madonna, Britney Spears and Maroon 5 were associated with the band for their debut album, thanks to their record deal with Epic.

The band is eagerly looking forward to their Bengaluru show. Only Shiv has been to the city as a kid. But, they are positive about making an impact. “We are expecting a nice young crowd and a good turnout,” he says.