Tamaasha: Putting up a show, one song at a time

Describing themselves as a classic example of a 'network' coming together to execute, Pakistani band Tamaasha is all about living loudly.

The band made its presence known to the Pakistani audience when it performed a cover of Raag Neela, originally by Aaroh, at the auditions of Pepsi Battle of the Bands.

With a rowdy and energetic sound, the band had originally paraded around in Karachi’s underground circuit as "The Psychonauts".

Come 2018 and Battle of the Bands, the name Tamaasha was on everyone’s tongue as the band reinvented itself for the singing competition.

“For us making music was all about bringing the audience an energetic performance that ranged from metal to rock to classic funk/blues,” said vocalist Bilal Ahmed.

And that they did.

Karachi’s underground circuit which is already vibrant with metal and rock bands was handed a dose of Tamaasha who brought their showmanship to the table.

The band was formed in early 2013 when Ahmed and guitarist Anas Lutfi met while studying at the Institute of Business Management. They were soon joined by drummer Hyder Ali and bassist Ali Raza with guitarist Zahid Qureshi soon joining the band as they revamped their sound from their university days to what the audience came to know and love now.

Striking the right balance

Influenced by Junoon, Mauj, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Audioslave, the band has not been afraid to experiment and bring something new.

However, it has not been an easy ride for them.

“Our biggest challenge has definitely been the acceptance of our sound on a commercial, mainstream level and the translation of it in a Pakistani context,” said Lutfi.

“Pakistan listeners are attuned to easy listening and that becomes an obstacle for,” he added.

Tamaasha wowed the judges with their performance of Sajna, Is Parcham Ke Saaye Talay and their original song Roshni among others during the ongoing third season of the Battle of the Bands, each performance garnering them a standing ovation from the judges.

“We tried to strike the right balance of staying true to our influences, and injecting it with enough appeal so that a layman understands it too,” guitarist Qureshi added.

“Understanding a band and developing a market takes time, and that's a vision that we plan on achieving steadily,” he continued.

Putting up a show

Throughout their run, if there was one thing that set aside Tamaasha was their ability to put on a show.

“The name of our band is the perfect description for our music,” drummer Ali said.

“When we put up a show, we deliver a tamaasha which literally translates to that,” Ahmed adds.

From incorporating heavy riffage to funky guitars, powerful bass slaps to smooth grooves, loud drums to slick beats, and powerful vocals to easy falsettos, the band always has a trick up their sleeve when putting up a show.

“Whether it is an all-out rock song, a funk track, or even a ballad, Tamaasha has it all up their sleeves without leaving their essence and recognisability,” added Raza.

The ‘Tamaasha’ process

When asked about their music-making process, the band shared there are two ways when it comes to creating a song.

“Just like any other musician or band its starts with us brainstorming,” said Lutfi.

“Though Qureshi pens our Urdu songs and Ahmed works on the English ones, when it comes to creating the music, we take on one of either two routes — we get an idea and everyone contributes to getting it up and running or we set a theme and feel to a song we would like to make and work to add parts to it slowly and experimentally,” he added.

“Making a Tamaasha song takes time because we believe in creating the right balance of commercial appeal and critical understanding,” he remarked.

Going forward

Speaking about their future plans, the band shared they will be releasing an original single coupled with a music video by the end of September with an album release planned for late November.

When asked what is it that new musicians should do when breaking into the music circuit, Raza said, “The universe favours the bold.”

“Gauge your talent, find your strength, and strike while the iron is hot. It is not always about recognition, sometimes the right moment is just around the corner.”

— This article is part of Geo.tv’s series spotlighting Pakistani bands and musicians.