EKA have already established themselves as a major performing band in the north. Based out of Delhi, EKA’s core comprises of Benjamine ‘Benny’ Pinto on Keyboards (Ex-Euphoria), Hitesh ‘Rikki’ Madan on guitars and vocals (Ex-Euphoria) and Lokesh Madan on vocals and bass. Together, they have branded themselves as a ‘Swatantra Rock‘ band, which in their own words means “music beyond music, time and boundaries“. Don’t be amused by this seemingly over-the-top term; you simply need to attend one of their concerts to experience the wave of infectious energy with which they play. Audience participation is undoubtedly one of their core competencies. And before I make it sound like a commercial enterprise, check out some samples of their live performances here:
[youtube_video id=f0juIq6n_QY]
Theirs is a slick sound, which undoubtedly comes with a lot of experience. Besides just being technically proficient, EKA also cater to the more populist tendencies by blending in more accessible styles of Pop-Rock, Bollywood tunes and other anthemic numbers with their own style of playing. And this has led them to play numerous shows at numerous venues, not just across India, but in many other countries as well, individually as well as together. Some of the notable events where they have played include the Indo-Pak peace concert at the UN General Assembly Hall, New York, the Great Wall of China and the Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, U.S.A. We actually had the pleasure to see them perform at The Octoberfest in November 2011 in Bangalore.
[youtube_video id=d7lzCA2q96Q]
Be sure to check them out when they play at a venue near you!
