September 2013. Thaikkudam Bridge is a sensation on social media. However, they are still to make their mark on the international stage. September 2017. Thaikkudam Bridge has played at 50 international venues of a total of 350-plus live concerts. A moment of pride for artiste manager Sujith Unnithan of Aum-i Artistes. With independent music etching new records in the music scene in India, artiste managers have become integral to the industry. They are the backstage boys and girls behind the success of many a music band. Making it work Their job portfolio is simple: branding the bands and artistes and positioning them in the industry. Easier said than done in an industry where film music and playback musicians are still the chart setters. “Each artiste and each scene comes with its unique set of problems. Finding the right stage is just among the many hurdles we face. So the solution is to back the right artistes. Once you’ve got that covered there’s always gigs,” says Chennai-based Nithin Subramanian, currently artiste manager of Skrat, Kulam, Shakthisree Gopalan, Madras Men Records, MADM and Amrit Rao and the Madrascals. While on the rewind track, Sujith says, “When Aum-i came into the scene, the indie music in Kerala was still in its nascent stages with only Avial making the right kind of noise. When we tried to promote Thaikkudam and, later, Masala Coffee, we had to start from scratch, right from familiarising event organisers with the name of the band.” The scene has changed for the better. Aum-i, started by musician Suraj Mani to promote his band, Motherjane, now handles more bands and musicians exclusively — Thakara, Suraj Mani & The Tattva Trip, Project Malabaricus and Gowry Lekshmi. In addition, it works closely with many non-Malayali bands when they perform in Kerala. “The advantage of handling multiple artistes is that I can give an option for the client if we can’t agree upon the rates or dates for a particular band,” adds Sujith. The criteria But that doesn’t mean any and every band or artiste will be promoted. “Potential is the key. Then it’s about whether we can have a mutually beneficial relationship. It’s all completely irrational [and emotional],” says Nithin. Sujith chips in, “Bands and musicians approach us under the assumption that the moment we step in they are going to get more stages. But it is their music that brings in crowds.” Working as an artiste manager also calls for experimentation and innovation. Besides negotiating with the organisers and arranging their travel, itinerary and accommodation, these managers have to ensure the best technical support for the band. Most bands have their own technicians who travel with them. Travelling with a master sound engineer is important so that the band always sounds consistent, says Nithin, who studied music management from University of Sheffield. “We now have designers who do live graphics at the venue on the LED walls for major shows,” adds Sujith. Artiste management is incomplete without a proper PR machinery, says Lakshmi Venugopal, banker-turned-artiste relations head with Aum-i. “One show is different from the other. For instance, the work we put in for a public show is huge when compared to a private function. If it is a music festival, we have a different approach. If a band is set to be launched or if there is an album release, we have to build up the excitement with pointers and teasers many months in advance,” says Lakshmi. Meanwhile there are bands that prefer to have their own members as artiste managers. Bengaluru-based Lagori, for example, has Geet Vaz, their guitarist/vocalist as the artiste manager. “He knows us and our music inside out and he is good with managing the finances. Also, we have more freedom to choose our own shows,” says Tejus Shankar, Lagori’s lead vocalist. He points out that most of the new bands have artiste managers who are now like permanent members of the band. “But it is quite a tricky thing because choosing the right person is as important as making music,” he says. According to Ritnika Nayan, founder of Music Gets Me High, a leading music entertainment company and author of Indie 101, a guide book to independent music in India, the role of an artist manager isn’t very well defined in India. “People often get managers and booking agents confused. An agent just gets you paid shows and other engagements while a manager helps the artist shape their whole career. This is the main reason why some bands prefer to manage themselves as they feel they don’t get enough out of their manager,” she says. She also stresses that a manager isn’t a magician and the artistes themselves should understand that. Subir Malik, founder member and keyboardist of Delhi-based Parikrama, formed ParikramaInc. over two decades ago with the aim of promoting live bands. He mooted Tripti, a floating band through which he ‘customises’ bands. “Indie artistes — vocalists, instrumentalists and percussionists — register with us and from them we can give you a two-piece band to a 25-piece one. Quality makes the difference and we induct musicians who handle different genres after strict monitoring,” says Subir, who arranges bands for corporate events, government programmes and international conferences such as the BRICCS summit. Ask him about the disparity between mainstream music and indie music and he brushes it aside, saying, “Why do you compare the two at all? I feel that indie musicians are happier than those in the mainstream, especially Bollywood musicians, who are always under scrutiny!” To which Nithin adds, “It’s funny how some playback singers and actors are now calling themselves ‘indie’. Well, at least someone is trying to bridge the gap for whatever reasons!”

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