Two renowned Indian artists will be reinterpreting the works of two very varied musical influences from around the world. While indie singer-songwriter Raghav Meattle will be giving his own twist to English singer-songwriter-guitarist George Ezra’s lively body of work, rock legends Pentagram will be deconstructing American alternative-industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails’ extensive list of songs, on October 9 and 16 respectively.

Former frontman of prog rock band The Uncertainty Principle, Raghav Meattle who was also a part of electro/acoustic pop-rock duo Meattle & Malik  is a versatile musician who oscillates from singing soft, lilting numbers to fuller, groovier ones. A popular face in the concert circuit, Meattle has had a varied setlist, where Ezra’s Budapest has found space frequently. Even then, taking on a full session of Ezra’s discography gave Meattle the chance to examine his work more closely.  “It was a completely different process.

“I’ve heard these songs over many years but finally got down to performing them live, in my own way. The first step was to learn these songs, and then improvise to make them my own. I really enjoyed the process because in this lockdown, there was something to look forward to. Also, when you reinterpret another artists' song you try and understand what would've made them write it and that made me go into a YouTube rabbit hole!” Meattle adds.

Ezra, who rose to prominence with the release of his hit single Budapest, backed it up with the delightfully infectious Shotgun. Meattle will be performing a mix of Ezra’s works at Paytm Insider’s Jim Beam Originals on October 9. “The usual suspects like Barcelona and Blame it on Me are there but there are also many unexpected songs which I'm excited to hear the reactions of. It’s also a really tight band set so anybody sitting at home would groove to it!”

Speaking of tight bands, Nine Inch Nails have been widely credited for making mainstream, typically industrial sounds. Trent Reznor-fronted NIN is renowned for songs such as Closer, Hurt and Head Like A Hole. The band has sold over 20 million records and have been nominated for 13 Grammy Awards, winning for the songs Wish (1992) and Happiness in Slavery (1996). Closer home, Pentagram have been pivotal in bringing noisier, more robust rock sounds to the live music scene in India. That they are reinterpreting Nine Inch Nails is a glorious extension of their musical personas.

Says frontman Vishal Dadlani, “Nine Inch Nails, as a band, have always been pioneering at what they do and have been one of our favourite bands since the beginning. So, it was an easy and obvious choice. This series has been quite eclectic in its choice of artists, and we are truly happy to be onboard this adventure. We’ve always loved watching tribute gigs for inspiration, so this is great.”

Pentagram is among the legendary 90s outfits to have given the modern Indian live music scene a definitive impetus. Starting out as an alt. rock band, over the years the band has traversed electronica and industrial soundscapes. Guitarist Randolph Correia adds, “I think audiences and fans alike can safely expect a radical approach, typical of any Pentagram show or session. It will be an uneven blend of electronic meets rock music, sinister riffage and a big drum sound.”

Tickets for the concerts on October 9 and October 16 are priced at INR 99 each and can be booked on:

https://bit.ly/3uduCBM