Indians attend concerts for music, not for partying: British musician

Indians are attracted to concerts because of their passion for music and not an excuse to party, says Jono Grant, a member of English dance music group Above & Beyond.

"We have performed in India on several occasions and we know the crowd here. They are very passionate about music and I think that people come for the music and not just for drinking and partying," Grant told IANS in a group interview on the sidelines of Vh1 Supersonic 2014 being held on the shores of Candolim beach here.

"People here know their music and that is the best crowd a DJ can play to. I think India is a great place to play," he added.

Grant got together with Tony McGuinness and Paavo Siljamäki to form the group in 2000 and since then there has been no looking back. They have released three studio albums, two remix albums and one side-project album. They have their own Anjunabeats and Anjunadeep labels. Grant felt that the music from 2000 till date has become more complex and intriguing.

"The production of shows has become a lot more complex and involving better lights, sound and visuals. I think we spend a lot time on the road doing shows now because when we started, it was not a big scene. Now, it is a global scene because of the internet.

"Everything changes with time and it is changing faster than ever. So, it is a really interesting time to be in dance music," the artist said.

The electronic trio also has a Group Therapy radio show that Grant said helps them connect with their fans and also update them about the music scene.

"We started doing a radio show because the ministry of sound invited us to do a show and we thought it would be a great idea to connect with fans once every week. Then it kind of grew.

"It is a way to interact with the audience every week and also keep us on top of the new music that is coming through," he said.

The musician says he looks up to people for their creativity, but prefers not to follow anyone's footsteps to retain the edge in his music.

"I look up to people who have done some amazing things and are dedicated to come up with some amazing things whether it is music or technology. I don't follow any DJ because I think if you follow dance music then you end up sounding like everybody else," he said.

Above & Beyond is ready with a new album "We Are All We Need" and Grant said it will keep the trio on its toes in the year to come.

"The year 2015 is all about new album. We are doing a European tour in January and a US tour in February. I hope we come to India again for a tour for the new album. And then maybe some acoustics in 2016," he said.

(Sugandha Rawal can be contacted at sugandha.r@ians.in)