Drum circle :: The Music Bay

The perfect sunday evening at a groovy drum circle with the brilliant Anand Bhagat!

The people participating in the drum circle organized by The Music Bay, may not be best friends in real life; they may hate each other or try to steal each other’s wives in future. But when a part of the drum circle, they were a single powerful entity – entirely in sync with each other’s minds, anticipating variations, encouraging each other with smiles, drumming away… As we stood awkwardly in the side-lines witnessing the whole affair, it felt like we were outsiders to a joke which only the people in the circle were privy to. However, it wasn’t a secret society or anything like that – they even invited us and everyone else to join in on the fun!

Once in the circle, you were a part of a close knit family, sharing your deepest fears and joys through music. A synchronized rhythm was established with every set, as the motley crew of people of varying hairstyles and sizes had their way with djembes, tambourines and an assortment of different exotic instruments. The rhythmic thumping looked like a well-practiced effort rather than an impromptu jam. Don’t believe us? Check this out!

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Anand Bhagat, the percussionist extraordinaire, his dreadlocks swinging with the beats, looked almost mystical, leading the jam to an exhilarating crescendo. He pushed the participants to experiment and bring out their individuality with every set, until they shed their initial inhibitions and unleashed forth pure, unbridled music. He conducted the jam with an easy going smile in his trademark bohemian flair. After every round, the person giving the basic beats was changed, thus bringing a refreshing variety to the whole affair.

Drum circles have known to be excellent stress busters. You could visibly see the players breathing easy with each set. Once they had a good groove going on, they would work on it, tweaking it, mutating it, building on it, until you could feel the beats coming from inside you. The newcomers were assisted and made to feel welcome. Even the tone deaf us were asked to join graciously, but we, like the wusses that we are, preferred to dawdle in the background pretending to take arty-farty pictures. There was a general air of bonhomie and warmth around. Just what the doctor had prescribed for the perfect Sunday evening.

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This Drum Circle was just one of the many music related soirees which The Music Bay is known for organizing. Along with providing whiz bang instruments, they conduct a wide variety of workshops and jams involving more than just the conventional instruments like guitars, drums etc. Now here’s the cool thing: they’re habitual travelers! So from every one of their travels, they pick up an instrument or two to take back to their shop, resulting in a whole collection of exotic musical marvels. We spied some of those groovy instruments at the jam, and within their shop. They even have their own line of guitars!

For more details, check out their Facebook page. Or even better – if you live in Mumbai, go check the store out in person! You won’t regret it.