Official UK Tour Press Release

NEW YORK RISING STARS BAMBOO SHOOTS TO TOUR UK WITH 3OH!3!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(NEW YORK, 28-10-2009) BAMBOO SHOOTS, American Epic Records artists are slated to begin their first-ever tour of the UK next week opening for hitmakers 3OH!3!. The tour will bring the foursome, whose music has been described as “Daft Punk meets Hall and Oates” to Wales, Great Britain, and Scotland over a week-long string of dates.

“We’re psyched to get out there and bring our music to a new audience,” says Avir Mitra, vocalist/guitarist. Coming off the American release of their debut, “Armour,” which was produced by the Talking Heads/Modern Lovers’ Jerry Harrison, and features the catchy single “Hey Girl,” this will mark the second international outing this year for Bamboo Shoots. The band traveled to India last April, where they played to sold out crowds around the country and were featured in media like Rolling Stone India and on channels like CNN-IBN. “India was a blast, and it seemed like the next logical international stop for Bamboo Shoots would be the UK,” adds Shiv Puri, drummer.

Bamboo Shoots’ shows, with their blend of “rhythmically propulsive alt-rock,” have been called “energetic and electrifying performances,” “a riot on stage,” and “a party, whether you’re ready to move or not.” Get ready—starting November 2nd, the party is finally coming to the UK.

Dates (with 3OH!3!):

11/2 - Cardiff - Millenium Music Hall

11/3 - London - Electric Ballroom

11/4 - Brighton - Komedia

11/6 - Glasgow - Classic Grand (Sold Out)

11/7 - Manchester - Academy 1

—————-

Bamboo Shoots will have select media avails over the course of the tour. Please contact Jared Kaner at jared[at]brightlineartistsmanagement[dot]com or bambooshoots[at]gmail{dot]com with any requests.

www.bambooshoots.com

www.epicrecords.com

www.myspace.com/bambooshoots

Bamboo Shoots blog/press wrap up

Here's what everyone's been saying about us...

"Bamboo Shoots’ debut ‘Armour’ is out... first track is hot" via Ultrabrown

"Bamboo Shoots' major-label debut features Parsippany native" via The Daily Record

"A band with an eclectic sound, unique look and rising popularity may soon be joining the list of famous musicians from New Jersey...Bamboo Shoots will debut its first CD, "Armour," on Tuesday. The release is the latest stop on this quartet's meteoric rise in the music industry." via Burlington County Times

"That album, a bubbly cocktail of new wave, dance pop and a dash of their Indian heritage, would be shepherded by producer Jerry Harrison...who straddles the line between megapop (Madonna, Beyonce, U2) and indie (Arcade Fire, CSS, MIA) like few others. The result is a frenetic offering that teems with Price-indebted electro like “Hey Girl..." via Shakefire

"Armour officially drops today, and we’ve officially started paying attention." via Format Magazine"

I cannot seem to get [Hey Girl] out of my head, so I wish you all good luck with that." via Guilt Free Pleasures

"Try It Before You Buy It- Week of September 29th, 2009" via Largehearted Boy and KEXP Blog Out This Week

Anokhi Magazine Article

Cheers to our friend Hilal for writing this piece which you can read in its original form here


Bamboo Shoots Are Shooting Stars
Desi American Pop-Rockers Are New Jersey's Next Big Export

BY: Hilal Nakiboglu Isler
PHOTO: Courtesy of Hilal Nakiboglu Isler

I met Ankur Patel in an over-lit New Jersey diner a few years ago. A
kid with a quick smile and over-sized jeans who didn’t talk much, and
when he did, it was about this band, called Bamboo Shoots, he was in
with a couple of his buddies.

I might not have taken Patel that seriously (what is it with boys and
their garage-bands?) if Rekha Malhotra, a.k.a. DJ Rekha, hadn’t been there.
She’s the New York-based turntablist responsible for bringing Bhangra to the
city through her long-standing club night Basement Bhangra. I was
interviewing her and had spent the day being SUV-ed around to a local
TV taping to her offices in Brooklyn and now here to this restaurant
booth off the New Jersey Turnpike.

It was she who introduced us. And over some deep-fried food, which the
three of us now shared, she told me Ankur’s band was the real deal, a
group to watch. She was a fan, and had recently hosted them at
Basement Bhangra, part of an attempt to showcase Desi-American music
not of the dhol-beat-repeat kind.

Patel, softspoken with an earring and well-pruned goatee, told us
about a competition they’d recently entered: an annual contest
sponsored by mtvU, held in attempt to find the "Best Music On Campus."
He said if they won, it would be "huge" and gave me the online address
where I could go and place my vote — which I did later that night.

So did thousands of others. The Bamboo Shoots secured a win, becoming the
first Desi-American band to do so. The prize: a chance to perform on
Late Night With Conan O'Brien and a deal with Epic Records, a major
mainstream label.

That was two years ago. Since then, there have been gigs, lots of
them, across the United States: at dive bars, clubs, even a theme park
(the tween girls seemed to really enjoy that one). Then three months
ago, a first: a five-city tour of India.

You don’t see many young bands travel to India so early on in their
careers. That’s something generally reserved for rock veterans
(Metallica, Iron Maiden come to mind) who roll through, almost as an
afterthought, on the tail-end of an Asian blitz. So why India? And why
now?

"We get the sense that most American bands would only come to India
once they were firmly established internationally," frontman Avir
Mitra told me from Delhi, where he had performed at the Turquoise
Cottage the evening before. "They'd stop by on their way to Japan or
something and play huge venues and then leave. We want to do it
differently…to start from a grassroots level, build a solid
relationship with India early on." They’ve managed to pull this strategy
off nicely in the States.

The guys (there are five: Avir Mitra, Karl Sukhia, Shiv Puri, Ankur
Patel and Ahmed Mahmoud) have a following as loyal as any — people
they’ve won over with their accessibility and their endearing, nerdy
charm. Watch their YouTube videos (/bambooshootsband), and you’ll see
what I mean. In the clip where Mitra announces the India tour, for
instance, he sits mumbling in a collapsed lawn chair, nervously
tossing a pebble around before someone (is that Ankur?) starts raking
a pile of dead leaves in the background.

The video ends as awkwardly as it began which makes you realize two
things. One: these guys probably didn’t go on many dates in high
school. And two: they don’t see any reason you can’t be rock stars and
normal people simultaneously.

The Shoots cover both classics (Al Green’s I’m Still In Love With
You), and contemporary hits (by Kanye West, Radiohead), but it’s their
original pieces like Milk, Satin, Silk and Wrong All Along that are
really memorable, full of punchy charm. Their debut album, Armour, is
to be released late this year. Jerry Harrison of the Talking Heads
gets production credits.

Their legion of committed online fans will help make the album a
success here. And in India? "None of us had any idea how our sound
would be received," says Avir Mehta, "But people there are definitely
getting it."

That’s reassuring and suggests if word-of-mouse spreads, as it does,
the Shoots just might become a band with a transcontinental following.

Visit the band on MySpace for more info: http://www.myspace.com/bambooshoots.

Consequence of Sound: Review of Northside Festival Performance

From Consequence of Sound:

Sunday, June 14: Day 4

Those who managed to jump back on their hungover feet, returned to the streets of Brooklyn/Williamsburg to catch the last day of Northside Festival. They waited in parks, drank more “coffee” and “smoothies” and listened to meringue from leftover attendees of the Puerto Rican Day festivities. The momentum was clear – time for more so let’s move on to day four .

Bamboo Shoots:
Public Assembly (back room)

Bamboo Shoots approached the stage with a handicap – the lead singer was off somewhere in Turkey, while his band managed without him. This quirky quintet played their asses off and at times, the whole missing lead singer thing was forgotten. Although similarities can be drawn to Radio 4, the band has its own pop-indie sound that put the audience in a good mood.

During one song, the synth player grabbed up a drum and banged on it furtively to pick up a tribal element for an already energetic tune. The force of Bamboo Shoots’ music was received with dance and smiles but this is nothing new to them. The word on the streets about this band is getting around, which is what got them signed to Epic Records in the first place.

Mayor Jun H. Choi of Edison, NJ issues proclamation honoring Bamboo Shoots

Mayor Jun H. Choi of Edison, NJ issued this proclamation honoring Bamboo Shoots:

Proclamation: Office of the Mayor

WHEREAS, The Bamboo Shoots will be performing during the post-walk celebration in support of the 8th Annual Michelle Offsie Memorial Walk for Hope on June 7, 2009 at the Community Campus in Edison, New Jersey; and

WHEREAS, the Walk for Hope is a nation-wide fundraising effort in support of breast cancer research, treatment, and education programs at City of Hope; and

WHEREAS, The Bamboo Shoots won mtvU's 2007 Artist of the Year Award for Best Music on Campus--performing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and signing with Epic Records; and

WHEREAS, The Bamboo Shoots will be releasing their debut album, Armour, later this year,

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jun H. Choi, MAYOR OF EDISON, NEW JERSEY, do hereby recognize

THE BAMBOO SHOOTS

And encourage all residents to honor them for their hard work, dedication, and talent.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of Edison to be affixed, this Seventh day of June, in the Year Two Thousand and Nine.

Feature in Appendix Mag

We were featured in Appendix Max last week - click here to read the interview.

Press Release from Edison Mayor's Office about Walk for Hope

Read the original article here.

Breakout Band and Mayor Choi Call on Others to join Nation's Largest Suburban Walk for Hope
(May 21, 2009)

EDISON, N.J.: In an effort to increase the ever-growing fund-raising event, Mayor Jun Choi once again announced his support of the 8th Annual Michelle Offsie Memorial Walk for Hope, which will take place on the morning of Sunday, June 7.

Mayor Choi made the announcement at the Jewish Community Center on Oak Tree Road alongside Janna Zuckerman, the 19-year-old Edison resident and college junior who has organizes the walk each year and the Bamboo Shoots, Epic Record recording artists who will headline the post-walk festivities.

“There is no other event quite like this in our community. I encourage Edison residents and residents from around the region to join us in our efforts to raise awareness and raise money to find a cure for breast cancer,” Mayor Choi said. “It is the people who are willing to selflessly serve that make a community great. I commend Janna Zuckerman and her family for all their efforts.”

The Michelle Offsie Memorial Walk for Hope to Cure Breast Cancer started in 2002 with 260 participants. The event grew to nearly 2,000 walkers last year and is expected to have more participants this year. To date, the local walks have raised more than $650,000 for the City of Hope Cancer Center. Zuckerman’s goal is to raise $1 million by the time she graduates from college in 2011.

“I hope everyone comes out to make a difference and support this cause. Hopefully, one day, we won’t have to be walking because we would have found a cure,” Zuckerman said.

Registration for this year’s walk begins at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 7. At 10 a.m., a 4-mile run will begin. The 2-mile and 4-mile walks will begin at 10:15 a.m. Post-walk celebrations involving awards and a festival atmosphere will commence at 11 a.m.

The Bamboo Shoots and their electro-rock sound won the mtvU Best Music on Campus contest in 2007. They signed with Epic Records in the summer of 2007 and are slated to release their album, “Armour,” later this summer.

The Community Campus at 1775 Oak Tree Road is where the walk will begin and where the post walk festivities will take place.

To pre-register or for more information on the 8th Annual Michelle Offsie Memorial Walk for Hope log onto this page.

Yellowbuzz covers Bamboo Shoots

You Better Dance Or Else It's Your Loss: Bamboo Shoots Wields Rhythmic Discipline

I have a secret. I’ve been listening to Bamboo Shoots 2006 Blue EP non-stop since I saw their show at Alley Katz in Richmond, Virginia on March 15. This disc has been spinning in my car stereo system for about 6 weeks now. Its groove leeches on you and your internal organs. This disc is a party, whether you’re ready to move or not. No joke. I have been failing miserably at resisting the temptation to put this disc on repeat.

Based out of the New York metropolitan area, linking the Jersey suburbs, New York, and Brooklyn, the five-piece band Bamboo Shoots has been making groove-oriented indie eletro pop since their first show at the Pianos in New York City in 2004. The band stems from a close, long-term collaboration project between two friends Avir Mitra and Karl Sukhia that started in their pre-college years in South Jersey. Notably, in 2007, Bamboo Shoots won the MTVu Best Music on Campus contest after qualifying to be in the final round of 50 and then surpassing all other contestants by the grassroots support of votes from family and friends around the world. Packaged along with the prize were instant media exposure – a live performance on Late Night with Conan O’Brian – and a major record deal with Epic.

Before their load-in, Bamboo Shoots met me for an interview at a Thai restaurant nearby the club in downtown Richmond. They thoughtfully answered my questions about their music endeavors and experiences. They talked about the centrality of rhythm in their music, their South Asian musical influences, experiences of growing up within the South Asian community in New Jersey and negotiating their parents' expectations for professional career like medicine, engineering, or finance. Interestingly, Karl used the analogy of “coming out” to describe the process of divulging to his parents his passion and pursuit for music making. Our conversation evolved into an informal chat about music gear (geeky!) and their DIY plans for touring India [documented on the band blog]. At the end the interview, Shiv turned the table around and asked me about my research findings.


More photos from this performance

It was a particularly rainy and foggy night in Richmond, unfortunately. Despite the low turnout, Bamboo Shoots played a high-energy, crowd-pleasing set consisting of songs from their 2006 EP and the more recent “Hey Girl” and others from Music for Cotillions, a mixtape web release in spite of their contract with Epic. Ankur’s percussion was low in the mix - a disappointment, personally. Nevertheless, I had a blast moving to the syncopated rhythmic texture and tension between guitar and keys, drum set and bongos (and drum machine!). Who says that indie rock lacks rhythmic depth?

The best way to enjoy their music is to throw all objects aside and feel the music through moving the body. Bamboo Shoots will perform on June 14 at Public Assembly in Brooklyn. The performance is a part of Northside Festival in Brooklyn that features NYC bands. At my next Bamboo Shoots’ show, I will ditch my duty to capture media. I will dance freely following their disciplined rhythm in abandonment. Who’s going to watch my field recording devices? Also, there better be some bopping and swinging en masse. Who’s in?

Shiv quoted in DNA India...

Check out this weird, but interesting quote from Shiv in this article...

Walk like an Egyptian?

Here's a quick video of us being interviewed by Rolling Stone India outside the Blue Frog in Mumbai.

" I think we're describing what it means to walk like an Egyptian? I have no idea." - Avir

Mid-Day Bangalore Interview and Pics!!

Rock and Dhol

By: Namita Gupta

Bangalore:
The energetic and talented five-member American band Bamboo Shoots is on an India tour and their gig at Kyra's opening night has won them a big fan following


Need some ammunition to recover from your 9 to 5 grind? Go jive to some good music. Just like Bob Marley once said, "One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain". And when you lend an eager ear to these all-in-their-twenties boys from the band Bamboo Shoots, this is exactly what hits you unadulterated fun that combines high-energy rock with intense originality.

The five-member band of Indian boys, born and raised in the US, comprises Avir Mitra on guitar and vocals, Karl Sukhia on bass, Shiv Puri on drums, Ankur Patel on percussion and Ahmed Mahmoud on guitar.

Does your band have a fairytale beginning?
Avir: Karl and me met before we entered our teens through the Parsi community in Southern New Jersey. We got our guitars when we were about 12 years old and we began playing music together from 2004. We also began writing our own songs.
Shiv: I had already heard some of Avir's songs before I met him through a DJ friend, while I was a student at the Stern School of Business in New York. We started playing music for house parties and wrote for fun under the moniker Bojangles.
Ankur: My brother was a friend of Avir's and introduced me to the group at one of their early practice sessions. I remember I was so passionate about playing the dhol over their songs, that the dhol became a part of our music.
Ahmed: I met the band at Karl's birthday party in 2006. Their guitarist had quit and there I was on the guitar strings.

What kind of music did you want to create when you got together?
The kind of music we wanted to listen to and hear and enjoy. Not something, which we had heard a hundred times. We would like to call it headbobbing, hip shaking.... we have our own take on rock.

Any Indian influences?
Shiv: During our college days we met up in South Jersey on weekends to hone our music and play local gigs. We travelled a few thousand miles to work on music. We have an Indian heritage, but we don't describe ourselves as an Indian-American rock band. We never tried to shoehorn the Indian part of ourselves. We're going mainstream in America and would not like to go through any cultural identity crisis at this stage. Our culture could seep through, but we are into rock music and nothing else.
Karl: You could call us Rock n Dhol instead of Rock n Roll!

Do you write all your songs? And what's your inspiration?
Avir: Karl and I write most of the lyrics. We take inspiration from life itself and its struggles. Sometimes it takes hours to write a good song and sometimes it just happens in an hour. Once Karl broke up with his girl and wanted to write something. So it's various instances like that. They are mostly reflective.
Shiv: Also, the unique thing was that we all grew up to listening to different types of music and artists like Prince, Michael Jackson and the Indian dholak. It was like a stir-fry.

Did you have family support when you started out and did you all complete your education before you took this path?
Shiv: Family support is very important. Avir's parents are doctors and wanted him to be a doctor. But once they saw that he was passionate about what he was doing, they were extremely supportive. It's the same with our parents.
Avir: I attended Brown University for a degree in Biology and was a few months away from commencing medical school when we won the mtvU contest and I chose music over medicine.
Shiv: I received a finance degree from NYU Stern School of Business and quit a job on Wall Street to be in the band full time.
Ahmed: I graduated from William Paterson University with a degree in biology and here I am.
Ankur: I postponed his college degree in civil engineering at Middlesex Community College.
Karl: I have received my degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland. I can't straddle careers and I chose music.

Are you trained in classical music?
Avir: We took guitar lessons when we were young. I learnt the saxophone when I was in the 4th grade.
Shiv: I learnt sitar from Ustad Shujaat Khan for many years. I had wanted drums since I was four and begged for them for many years and got them when I was 13. Since then I've been playing.

What's been the highpoint of your work together?
In late 2006 we signed up for the MtvU Best Music on campus contest. In 2007 we were informed that our song Hey Girl had made it to the Top 50. Out of the thousands of participating bands, we were voted amongst the Top 5. Friends and fans voted for us and one fine day we were surprised about our winning the contest, while we were just hanging out at an apartment in Brooklyn. Our big moment was when we were told that we would be playing live on Late Night with Conan O'Brien. Our sparkling moment came on May 14, 2007 when we performed live on that show. The Conan O'Brien gig was our slice of the grand prize for winning the mtvU and Epic Records Best Music On Campus Artiste of the Year contest. In addition to the late night appearance, we received a promotion video and record deal worth up to $1.5 million. Now we have band managers, lawyers and organisers, who take care of everything and we concentrate on our music.

Tell us about your first album for which you're touring the world?
Bamboo Shoots signed up with Epic Records in the summer of 2007. In October 2007 we left New York for Sausalito, CA where we began working with producer Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads on our debut, which was completed by March 2008, which was later mixed at Chalice Studios in Los Angeles and mastered by Brian Gardner. The album, titled Armour, is releasing this year. We're on our first India music tour and have performed at Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata and now Bangalore.

Other passions besides music?
Long drives. And, all of us love to cook Indian food. Log on to www.myspace.com/bambooshoots to listen to their music

Making work fun
Bamboo Shoots dropped by MiD DAY yesterday. Natural performers, they broke into a spirited rendition of Hey Girl, a song from their debut album. Amazed by the "sounds of India" but bewildered by the ban on dancing in pubs, they confessed they were horrified when the local police burst in on their performance at Kyra. They told us they were open to all influences, and were impressed by a Kannada song they heard on FM. Hip hop and rock are, of course, big influences.

In DNA Bangalore!

New York minute

Ah the pleasures of international gigs in plush lounges! And let the city brood over nightlife deadlines, Bangalore continues to be one of the best cities to catch some phoren talent, at least as far as music is concerned

Shruti Goutham

g_shruti@dnaindia.net

They feel "honoured" to be playing in the city. An often heard statement as international bands and DJs come down to this city to perform, across various venues that range from nightclubs, amphitheatres, stages and even lounge bars. That's the magic of the city. Give them something musical and the entire city laps it up. Be it tickets worth Rs 100, Rs 5,000 or even free — the audience is discerning and loves any kind of show that makes it here.

The latest on the list is Bamboo Shoots, a New York-based five-piece band that's performing in the country for the first time and put Bangalore on their map as well. And the venue that's grabbed their time is the newest arena on the block — Kyra, where they are performing tonight. Split over different levels, Kyra comes with quite a unique concept. Apart from their fine-dining area, they also have a dedicated space for performances. Dipali Sikand, proprietor of Kyra, says that one can have a debate there if they wanted to as long as it was interesting. But they are not the only ones headhunting.

Hard Rock Café had recently played host to the Canadian alternative rock band Low Level Flight, which apparently had a great time singing to the audience. Opus is known to have live gigs often and their range of shows cover everything — from desi to international.

And while cops come down on places to prevent any kind of 'live' band, Bangaloreans continue to rock!
Coming to the band, Bamboo Shoots might be from everything American, but they'd rather sell themselves as one with an Asian identity.

Avir Mitra, Carl Sukhiya, Shiv Puri, Ankur Patel and Ahmed Mahumoud, are the partners in rhyme and are also credited for being one of MTV US's hottest artists. So if you like them at Kyra, you can look forward to their new album Armour, which will release soon.

Now all we need are a few more great places that open their doors to music. Perhaps then, Bangalore will have its true music back.

To catch Bamboo Shoots, at Kyra theatre, Katti-ma Centre, 100 Feet Road Indiranagar, tonight, call 43419999 for detailsBelt it out: Bamboo Shoot at a performance

Featured in Sakal Times!

'We just follow our instincts'

Akshata Shetty chats up Avir Mitra, member of Bamboo Shoots, currently touring India

Bamboo Shoots, a US-based band comprising young and talented musicians - Avir Mitra (vocals/guitar), Ahmed (guitars), Karl (bass/synths) and Ankur (percussion) - is currently touring India. With their energetic and electrifying performances in Pune and Mumbai, the band is now heading to Kolkata and Bengaluru. Here, Avir introduces us to their style of music and the challenges of an upcoming band...

What is your style of music?

Honestly, that's really hard for us to say. It's sort of like trying to describe the back of your own head. So close to you but so very hard to see. I'd rather hear others' perspectives on it; I think that would be more valuable. We just follow our instincts when we write.

Did you take up music because you loved it or was it a way to bask in the limelight?

We simply had to. Sometimes I don't know if it's love or hate or both. There was something that needed to come out and music was the channel. It never felt like a choice. Also, basking in that glorious limelight gives you so many opportunities to wear fashionable sunglasses!

Your idea behind the India tour?
Someone once told me, "Have goals, not expectations". So, our goal is to make a solid connection with the people who truly love upcoming music in India. Most US bands come to India only after they are established internationally. India is just one stop around the world for them. We, on the other hand, want to make a real connection here and take our fans just as seriously as we do at home in America.

When it comes to promoting your albums, what are the challenges you face?

The challenge right now is that the music industry as it currently operates is no longer viable. Selling CDs is basically like selling VHS tapes. On the other hand, demand for fresh music is as strong ever. So how do you reconcile these two facts? That's the challenge. I think it has to do with making as many personal connections as you can. You can travel and interact much more directly with people now. You have to give them an experience they'll never forget.

Do you think albums are best sold at concerts and not in music stores?

Personally, I'd rather have Bamboo Shoots sell albums at concerts, whether it be a CD or just a laptop sitting there that can transfer MP3s to your ipod. I haven't stepped into a music store for a long time. I'd also like to sell our albums in strange places like roadside food stands in Mumbai or in cabs only after midnight on commission. That would be hilarious!

Which do you prefer: covers or originals?

I'll always prefer originals, but the occasional cover here and there can be fun. We just released a free mixtape of cover songs - we did it because we were bored (if you can believe that!). It's called 'Music for Cotillions' - you can find the free download online. (HERE)

Featured in Deccan Chronicle Bangalore!

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.

Featured in Hindustan Times (Again!)

Namaste, Shooting Stars

Bamboo Shoots. the alternative dance rock band based out of New York, recently performed in Delhi at Turquoise Cottage, organized by Hot Coffee Events. The five members - Avir Mitra (lead vocals and guitar), Karl Sukhia (Backup vocals and keyboards) Shiv Puri (Drums), Ahmed Mahmoud (Guitar) and Ankur Patel (Percussionist) speak with HT City about their music and the debut album.

What's this buzz about the dancerock genre? What makes it different and unique?

SHIV: Well, I think you can get down and dirty with our songs the way you would at a club.

Tell us something about your debut album.

SHIV: This is our first album with Epic Records. We're lucky to have worked with our producer, Jerry Harrison from the Talking Heads.

How did you guys come together?

AVIR: Karl and I met when we were little kids. I met Shiv at New York university and got to know he played drums.

ANKUR: I met you guys in '03 right? AVIR: Ankur, just sort of walked in to our practice, and was like, 'I play this', and we were like, 'Alright, cool'.

AVIR: And Ahmed joined the band about two years ago. We needed a guitarist and he knew our songs better than we did. We were like, 'You're in!' How different are the shows in India from the US? Which one's better? ANKUR: The shows here are not that different from the US. The only difference lies in the venue - which varies from big and fancy to more intimate... I can't say which one is better, but both countries are exciting in their own way.

Which indian musician you would want to work with?

SHIV: I'm a big fan of classical music... I would love to collaborate with Viku Vinayakram. He's such an incredible musician.

The craziest thing you guys have done?

SHIV: Well, I recently got married here in Delhi to my girlfriend. I don't think anyone in the band anticipated dancing with the hijras. I think some of us will have some explaining to do to our friends in America, when they see these photos (above).

Are you guys planning to enter the Bollywood music industry?

SHIV: It's an interesting time to be in the Bollywood industry, especially with the huge success of AR Rehman. Even before the Oscars, however, the pulse of a lot of new music coming out of Bollywood, like influences of hip hop, is something Bamboo Shoots can contribute towards.

What next?

SHIV: We're going to continue touring America when we get back and prepare for our album release. We'd love to come back to India but maybe in the fall or winter when the weather isn't so damn hot.

himadree.c@hindustantimes.com

Interview with Bamboo Shoots featured on UGroove Online

...AN INTERVIEW WITH BAMBOO SHOOTS........

Who are they? : Avir Mitra (lead vocals, guitar), Karl Sukhia (backing vocals, bass and keys), Ankur Patel (percussion), Ahmed Mahmoud (guitar) and Shiv Puri (drums).

Tim: Awesome set guys, that was really cool. Where did you guys meet?

Avir: Me and Karl met when we were little kids, and we had like sleepovers and stuff like that. And then at some point we decided we wanted to play music, you know how that goes. Shiv I met when I was crashing at NYU, he cooked us a bunch of food, and then I realized he played drums and we became good friends ever since. Ankur…

Ankur: I met these guys in ’03 right? You guys had your first practice or something like that, and I walked in with this thing…

Avir: He sort of just walked in to our practice, and was like, ‘I play this’, and we’re like, ‘Alright, cool’.

Ankur: It was so random.

Avir: And Ahmed joined the band about two years ago – he sort of just showed up to one of our practices, and we needed a guitarist and he knew our songs better than we did. We’re like, ‘You’re in!’

Tim: So you’ve been together two years?

Avir: No, we’ve been together – our first show was in 2004.

Tim: There’s a cool electro-vibe in your music, where’s your influence, musically come from?

Karl: A lot of us are into the hip hop music, we like that, but we definitely like the production side of it also, and then like RnB production. All these weird flavors to bring to rock music.

Tim: And you got involved in ‘mtvU’ – you won best new talent right?

Avir: Yeah, it was like a Best Band On Campus competition, that we didn’t even realize we were signed up for… There was like 1600 bands, and we figured this out when we were in the top fifty, and they were like ‘You need to send your IDs over’, and we’re like for what?! Next thing we knew, we won, it was just really random.

Tim: And what came from winning?

Avir: We got to play on (Late Night with) Conan O’Brien…

Tim: That’s right.

Avir: And since, we have a deal with EPIC Records, and we’ve recorded our first album with Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads in California.

Tim: And when are you releasing that?

Avir: That’s a good question, I think it’s gonna be this summer. But when you’re on a major label, you’ve got to deal with like, major headaches.

Tim: The politics right?

Avir: Yeah, exactly.

Tim: So, what’s this mix tape you talked about during the show that you’re sending out?

Avir: That was just random. We ended up doing a bunch of cover songs, but doing them sort of weirdly.

Karl: It started off with the band doing a video tape version of a Kanye West song, ‘Paranoid’. And we just posted it up on Youtube, and then we started doing these other little covers, and we realized that we had a bunch of them sitting there, and we were like, ‘Let’s just put them out there.’

Avir: Yeah, it was just as simple as that. It’s going to be free, and we haven’t told the label or anything.

Tim: It’s undercover.

Ankur: But they’re not really tapes.

Avir: I wish they were tapes.

Tim: That would be cool, that would be retro.

Ankur: So nobody can play them.

Tim: So what’s on the album? Many of the songs we heard tonight?

Avir: Yeah, almost all of the songs from tonight.

Tim: Including ‘Tom Cruise’?

Avir: No, that one, no. That didn’t make the cut. We recorded it, it’s probably going to be a B-side or something.

Tim: Awesome, so more of that electro-rock style on the album?

Avir: Yeah, there’s probably a few slower songs on the record, that we usually don’t play live, just because…

Tim: The vibe?

Avir: The vibe, yeah.

Tim: And what’s your pick for the first release single?

Avir: We don’t know yet.

Karl: Yeah, I don’t know. We’re going to have to sit down with…

Tim: The label? The politics?

Karl: Exactly.

Tim: Any tours upcoming? You plan on doing the country?

Avir: Yeah, that’s the goal. We just want to be on the road for the rest of the year. So, we’re going to Virginia this weekend. But the goal is to start doing more opening slots. The grind.

Tim: Who’ve you opened for?

Avir: The Plain White T’s…

Karl: Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth

Avir: All Time Low. You can tell from the people we open for that we are like, either we fit in with everyone, or we don’t fit in with anyone.

Karl: Exactly.

Tim: Guys, thanks heaps and good luck.

Avir: Thank you man.

Tim Johnson www.TIJOTV.com Listen

Featured in Mumbai Mirror!

A lucky catch

Bamboo Shoots, a rock band from the States, came to India for a marriage but have ended up with their first ever International tour

By Kevin lobo
Posted On Wednesday, April 01, 2009


Dance rock, is an unheard genre in music. A five-member band from the US called Bamboo Shoots is ready to carve its niche in rock with the aid of synthesizers, samplers and other gizmos with dance rock. Shiv, the drummer of the band sheds light on the genre, "We love playing in clubs and re-creating a house party like atmosphere, with people dancing all around us. At the same time our sound is typically rock. So, dance rock is the best term to define our music."

The band brings this new flavour of music to town with a performance today which will be followed by a nation-wide tour over the next two weeks. Bamboo Shoots is made up of Avir (lead vocals, guitar) and Karl (backup vocals, bass and keyboards), Shiv (drums), Ankur (percussion) and Ahmed (guitar). Four out of the five members of the band are of Indian origin, but have been born and bred in the US.

The Indian influence in their music is subtle. "Our sound is like INXS meets Michael Jackson meets Jay Z. Our music has the global rock sound like INXS, the dance-feel of Michael Jackson's tracks and we compose music like rappers. We use dhols and other percussive instruments, but if you don't pay close attention you just might just miss it," says Shiv.

The band's trip to India originally, was not to perform, but to attend Shiv's marriage which was held last Sunday. Shiv has worked in India for a year, after completing his degree in micro finance from NYU. This is another Indian trait the band shares, all of them are well educated, or at least they have tried to be. Avir has done his pre-med from Brown University, Karl has majored in political science from the University of Maryland while Ankur started off with civil engineering, but didn't really see it through.

All of them now though have given up their careers for the band. Shiv has had an interesting heart-to-heart talk with his parents when he told them that he was going to give up a Wall Street career to pursue music. Shiv says, "They came to the States to make money and it seemed like I was doing just the opposite. They asked if I knew what I'm getting into and I said, ‘No’. But they have supported me and I suppose everything starts with a dream."

This is their first tour outside USA and Shiv believes it's just the beginning. They want to start travelling the world with their music. The band's sets are unique because they read a crowd before coming on stage. Shiv says, "I remember when we were playing with Plain White T’s, the entire crowd was made up of 13-15 year olds. We couldn't possibly play sensual tracks for kids who are still wearing their braces, I think its really important to read a crowd. You can also expect a lot of live impromptu stuff at the gig."

We're featured in DNA India!

Shooting stars

Suparna Thombare / DNA

Some artists sound good on record. But there are some that get even better when they take to the stage. So if you are looking for a fun live night, you’ve got to go for a gig that makes you stand up and shake a leg or at least your head! NYC's Bamboo Shoots is just that kind of act.

Here's what we've seen in some of their videos on MySpace. The band's a riot on stage. The drummer Ankur gets on to percussion, keyboards, drum machine and even a dholak (which he turns to one side and uses like a bongo or plays with sticks!) almost simultaneously. And when you least expect him to do anything more stunning than that, he breaks into some break dance moves!

Probably that's why they have been labeled as an alternate dance-rock band. Though it's basically a pop mentality there's something that's alternate or more appropriately different.

Let's go back to the start. The band was formed in 2004 by long-time friends Avir Mitra and Karl Sukhia, who are the band's primary songwriters and musical collaborators. The band shot to fame after they were crowned MTV's Artist of the Year for best music on campus. The band got their big break by signing with Epic Records. They've spent the last year in California recording their first studio album, titled Armour which will release this year.

All the members have grown up in the US and this is the first time that they will travel to India as a band.

The band recommends two songs to look out for during their live performance — Hey Girl and Milk Satin Silk. Drummer Shiv Puri tells us why. "Hey Girl is our most successful song. Milk Satin Silk is completely opposite. It starts with drums and not with a guitar or a melody and then there's a sudden explosion and the drums fall to the ground and shock people.” Shiv's given it away, but insists it will be something else when you are watching it live.

The event is happening today at Zenzi, Bandra, from 9.30 pm onwards.

Hindustan Times Music Pick of the Week!

Featured in Mumbai yesterday... things are off to a great start so far!