I have certain issues with the music that is permanently glued to the radio stations’ playlist. As you might have guessed, I’m one of those irritatingly obstinate fellows who still swears by the punching bass line in the song. I am someone for whom the musical space-time continuum stopped right when the good ol’ rock and roll dominated every other playlist over the globe. While searching for sound I could relate to, I ‘accidentally’ stumbled upon rock and decided never to grow out of it. And, whenever I feel the need to recharge my batteries, rusted by the constant synthesizer-heavy sounds flowing from everywhere else, I head out to Thamel to reconnect with my roots, metaphorically and musically speaking.
While places around Thamel that feature live performances have a unique vibe and energy of their own, nothing compares to the sounds leaking out of the Bamboo Club. It’s the home circuit of Robin and New Revolution. This rock band is comprised of highly talented singer, songwriter Robin on vocals and guitars, Sanam handling the rhythm section on drums, Deepesh belting out licks and chops on his guitar, and smooth sailing Sonam thumping it out on bass guitar. Together they are the tightest and most rocking band you’ll find in Thamel.
Robin and the New Revolution are the arena rockers when it comes to that. They are the one of the best bands playing the circuit and are recognized throughout the country for their music. They have already cut three studio length albums, and they’ve got everything that makes them so good. They belt out their every performances with so much of enthusiasm that it’s actually contagious. And yes, their repertoire is something of a treat, too. While most of the acts on the Thamel scene stick to time tested and somewhat stale lists of the classics, Robin and the New Revolution prefer their own original compositions.
For the whole time that we enjoyed the band’s performance, they dished out one original after another: a true treat to their fans. While their every song is a crowd pleaser, it doesn’t get any better than when Robin begins singing their version of the song that catapulted Kathmandu’s image as a paradise, in a totally other sense of the word — ‘Dum maro dum’. This song, straight from the 80’s Bollywood movie, is permanent on their playlist. It has become their anthem and, I must admit, I love their rendition of it better than the original. It has everything that one expects from a good old rocking song: a strong and tight rhythm section, bluesy feel to the bass line and superb delivery quality. It’s such a treat to watch this great band in action.
Robin and New Revolution plays at the Bamboo Club every Tuesday from 7 onwards. While reservations are optional, you’ll definitely want to show up early to get the good seats.
