delhi street
New Delhi’s Vibrant Music Scene, a Needle in a Haystack Situation
Every year I have been to New Delhi – three times now – I have played at a different location. Sometimes it has been the same open mic that has located elsewhere – as with the Rabbit Hole Sessions of the Turquoise Cottage. In fact, last year I played in the Rabbit Hole Sessions at two different Turquoise Cottage bars, and this year I again played in a Turquoise Cottage Rabbit Hole Session, but the bar had moved…and the other one where I played last year I could not confirm if it still existed, or not for the moment. Neither could I confirm if the TLR still existed and had its open mic. In any case, the point here is that New Delhi is a massive, massive city, and for a foreigner to dip in and try to find live music in open mics and open jams, well, it is possible, and there is a lot of music – both Indian and Western – rock, blues, pop, you name it. But as with everything in Indian, don’t expect to find it easily. I’ve put up on my list the only one I managed to attend this year, and as I learn of others I will expand the list. For me the important thing was to provide that first link for at musician, since it’s getting into one open mic in a city that often provides the key to finding another – via the musicians, etc. The wonderful thing about playing in New Delhi is when you realise that you really are speaking a universal language, as the Indian musicians are talking the same language, and the open mic has the same vibe, as what you’re used to finding elsewhere.
Worldwide Open Mic Guide Philosophy
The only guide I am really in a good position to update regularly is that of Paris, since I live there. But I decided to do guides to all the other 20 and more cities on my worldwide open mic tour in order to give the knowledge I have personally of each city’s open mics. The guide has links to sites I know of local guides that may be more up-to-date, but I have chosen to list the open mics or jam sessions that I have played in myself. There may be others that I know of, but if I have not played there, I will not include it on the list. That way, the user learns a little of my own impressions. But I cannot be as certain that the guide is up-to-date – so check before you go.
So here, now, in any case is the Thumbnail Guide to New Delhi Open Mics, Jam Sessions and other Live Music. Please do help me whenever you have information to give me on venues.