After 8 years of trudging through a quagmire of conventional convictions the unyielding determination of Paranoid Earthling has led them places like Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, on their first ever foreign tour.
A milestone for the four-piece band, the tour of India was highly successful as the Desi crowds were blown away by our Kandy rockers. “We played four concerts in total, two concerts in Delhi, one in Bangalore and one in Chennai. The whole experience was amazing and fun as well. The crowds were incredible,” says front man Mirshad.
Of course it wasn’t all fun and frolic, the 10 day tour which started out on September 16, was trussed up tightly with the band to perform while breaking rest and taking to the stage as soon as they landed at their destination. “While it was an amazing journey, we were playing constantly. We would play one night and then fly off to play somewhere else again. We first performed at HardRock café, and then we flew to Bangalore and then back to Delhi. There were times we landed, rested for two hours and then went for the sound check. But sound checks are fast in that country, the engineers are highly skilled,” agreed the band.
Speaking about how the Indians responded to their music the band says that “In Black and White,” “Half Cast,” “God’s Gone Postal,” “Rock and Roll is My Anarchy” and “69” were all huge hits. “The heavier songs got quite a good response. We played slower songs in the middle and mixed it up a bit. They really enjoyed our jam – “Wannama” as well as the covers such as “Another Brick in the Wall.” Covers can do you quite a good favour when you’re playing for the first time in another country. It’s best to play a cover and then three or four originals. It works in the way that they get charged up with the cover and listen to the originals that follow.”
Paranoid Earthling certainly won the Indians over and have gained a strong Desi following. Drummer, Shanka recalls “Lots of people had good things to say. I remember there was a person I met in Delhi, after the gig he said that we were better than the bands that play in Delhi.”
Describing more of India the band says, “We saw different sides of India, the posh, the good and the bad.”
Settling back down in Sri Lanka, the band says they hope to have more foreign tours soon. “We want to see what Thailand is likeand the Philippines, Amsterdam and alsoEurope.” But at the moment they hope to have more tours in India.
“As a musician if you’re serious about music, just get on that rough road and do it, because it’s a fun road as well. It’s full of amazing experiences and adventures,” is what they have to say about having gotten the opportunity to tour India. |
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