The Family Cheese...On the move

The Family Cheese!? What to think of a name like that for a music band. The mention in  the excellent music guide provided by Music Matters described them as a "Blues/Funk/Jazz/Jam/Carnatic Power trio from India".

Being relatively familiar with the first 3 music styles, it was the Carnatic Power that drew extra attention. In addition, practically having at least one big toe in the country and a soft spot for Chennai, where the band was “born”, we could not be totally without bias.

So on our first night on Music Matters, after attending some truly entertaining sets of performance by e.g. Kytami, we headed off to China One for The Family Cheese, not knowing what to expect. It proved to be not little.

The three-man band

Apurv Isaac Guitar

Homi Rustumji (6 string) Bass

Yohan Marshall (Drums)

Put up a performance that left us a bit stunned, I must say. Concrete solid guitar solos  by both Homi as well as Apurv

and rebar hard drum solos with that Carnatic touch from Yohan, gave us a picture of the high rising future of Mumbai.

At times and mainly when playing their own compositions, the band sounded clearly inspired by some of Pink Floyd's early work like Saucer Full of Secrets. Nostalgia at its best for me, I had to admit.

 This first inspiring set helped us determine our agenda for the other evenings at Music Matters…More other bands and there were plenty, but also more Family Cheese.

 

So next day, in between real cool stuff from Art of Fresh and Jeremy Neal we also visited the Fern and Kiwi, the new location of the cheese for that night. We were not disappointed, next to the fact that the music was equally good, yet different tracks, the crowd had also increased. I managed to perch myself in front of the pillar that is otherwise  so awkwardly obstructing the view to the stage and took more shots of this crazy fun band, that manages to put up a mad show!

 

It seemed the word was out that The Family Cheese was good entertainment. We also wanted to be part of more of it, so for our last night of fun, it was off to the Crazy Elephant. The Elephant turned out to be packed with a crowd eager to participate in the fun.

 Some often being responsible for wild entertainment themselves!

Riding on a, so much missed, hair rising high of increasing popularity

 the band of three made the full house beg for more and although the tight but fair Music Matters organization could not allow for that, a jam later in the evening made more than up for it.

 

I believe these guys are an act to watch, and I would not be surprised if someone big in the music scene had an eye on them already!!