ParaCrew or Para Crew is a name given to fans of the Indian electric-blues-psychedelic band, Parachute XVI.

Sodium Trail, our debut EP was launched on the 27^th of August at the Tavern Inn in Bangalore amidst a lot of ruckus and blistering electric blues. The band didn’t have time to relax after the launch though. Our management, Mix Match Parade (twitter.com/mixmatchparade) put together this very unique concept dubbed A Band of Images. What happens here is, they took the works of two very talented photographers – Hari Adivarekar (adivarekar.in) and Parikshit Rao (parikshitrao.com) and exhibited it while we dished out jam after psychedelia fuelled jam. The images were mixed live by the young and talented Shilo Shiv Suleman. This event went down real smooth, last night at Kyra, as smooth as Scotch on ice. We have thanked the ParaCrew already, but for us they are the ones who really matter – yes, YOU.

Many walked up to me saying, “Hey, man! Thanks for the music, I downloaded the EP. Ripped a CD and play it when I drive to work!” This gives us immense JOY! This is what matters. It doesn’t matter that promoters/venues treat you with indifference (this has to change – bands should STOP PLAYING FREE GIGS!). Venues need to understand that by providing bands with an opportunity they are not doing us a favour; this is a give-n-take process. They can’t keep ripping bands off. Bands need money to sustain. Just like how the dirty pasta, cheap wine, undercooked meat and overcooked veggies (that are served at atrocious rates) don’t come for free (or cheap), the band’s rehearsal space, the commute, logistics, amps, strings, guitars, pedals, drums-sticks, etc don’t come for free. Then there is marketing and promotions. Unless the junta out there hears about the gigs, nobody is going to come – and when that does happen, the band bears the brunt. This too has to be a combined effort. While the band uses its power of reaching out to its fanbase, the promoter/venue needs to be on the ball and treat every band/artist with the same respect it would a….let’s say….Trilok Gurtu. BUT, with us there is the ParaCrew.

All that matters is YOU each and every member of the ParaCrew.

The Sodium Trail will appear for one last time in Bangalore on the 17^th of September at Hard Rock Cafe. We will see you there where you can bid us farewell as head out to Delhi-Gurgaon-Kathmandu.

Download Sodium Trail for free: www.parachutexvi.com

Stay tuned to the ether, droogies. Godspeed.

Cheers!!

Ganesh

(The bass player – Parachute XVI)