<p>It began not with a plan, but with restlessness. “Before how, it was why,” says pianist Hemadri Srinivas, 28, recalling the moment he knew a conventional nine-to-five life wasn’t for him. For drummer Athreya Vishal Kalbag, 29, the realisation was similar : music wasn’t just a career, it was inevitability. For veena exponent Mahesh Prasad, 31, the journey was more circuitous — an MTech degree, a government job, and then the decision to walk away, choosing music over a steady job.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The three had known each other for years, crossing paths at gigs across Bengaluru. But it was a late night in May 2022, after a performance and an impromptu conversation near Shankarpuram’s Shankar Mutt, that the idea crystallised. Over dinner and coffee, they asked themselves the question that would change their lives: “Why don’t we form a band?” And so, Kacheri Gang was born. They blend Karnatik, Hindustani and western classical styles into a contemporary indie fusion sound. Their musical journey is largely centred on live performances where they reinterpret popular covers in their own style.</p>.Byrnihat, where they breathe India's foulest air .<p class="bodytext">The name is a nod to their south Bengaluru upbringing amid classical kacheris (concerts), paired with the easy camaraderie of a “gang”. Prasad, steeped in Karnatik tradition, has played the veena for films including ‘KGF’. Kalban, trained in Hindustani music as a tabla player, expanded into drums and multi-instrumental explorations. Srinivas, a western classical pianist, honed his craft at A R Rahman’s K M Conservatory in Chennai and continues his pursuit of London College of Music grades.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Their rehearsals are less about rigid structures and more about exchange. A melodic idea from Srinivas might find fuller expression through Prasad’s veena; a rhythmic concept rooted in Kalban’s tabla training might morph into something unexpected on drums. “We never stick to the plan on stage,” they admit. Cue points are fixed, but the rest is instinct. Concerts often reshape themselves mid-performance — sometimes to the mock frustration of bandmates — but always in pursuit of something alive.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At the heart of their evolving sound is experimentation. Prasad now wields what they believe is Karnataka’s first electric veena — compact, mobile, and liberating. On stage, he moves like a guitarist, pushing the instrument beyond its traditional frame. The next chapter is already in motion. Kacheri Gang is working toward their first original album, ‘Praaram’ — meaning “beginning”. Slated for the later half of 2026, it promises an indie sensibility while blending Karnatik textures, Hindustani rhythms, and western harmonies. Genres, they insist, are secondary. “We don’t decide what the music should be. The composition will ask for what it wants,” says Srinivas.</p>
<p>It began not with a plan, but with restlessness. “Before how, it was why,” says pianist Hemadri Srinivas, 28, recalling the moment he knew a conventional nine-to-five life wasn’t for him. For drummer Athreya Vishal Kalbag, 29, the realisation was similar : music wasn’t just a career, it was inevitability. For veena exponent Mahesh Prasad, 31, the journey was more circuitous — an MTech degree, a government job, and then the decision to walk away, choosing music over a steady job.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The three had known each other for years, crossing paths at gigs across Bengaluru. But it was a late night in May 2022, after a performance and an impromptu conversation near Shankarpuram’s Shankar Mutt, that the idea crystallised. Over dinner and coffee, they asked themselves the question that would change their lives: “Why don’t we form a band?” And so, Kacheri Gang was born. They blend Karnatik, Hindustani and western classical styles into a contemporary indie fusion sound. Their musical journey is largely centred on live performances where they reinterpret popular covers in their own style.</p>.Byrnihat, where they breathe India's foulest air .<p class="bodytext">The name is a nod to their south Bengaluru upbringing amid classical kacheris (concerts), paired with the easy camaraderie of a “gang”. Prasad, steeped in Karnatik tradition, has played the veena for films including ‘KGF’. Kalban, trained in Hindustani music as a tabla player, expanded into drums and multi-instrumental explorations. Srinivas, a western classical pianist, honed his craft at A R Rahman’s K M Conservatory in Chennai and continues his pursuit of London College of Music grades.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Their rehearsals are less about rigid structures and more about exchange. A melodic idea from Srinivas might find fuller expression through Prasad’s veena; a rhythmic concept rooted in Kalban’s tabla training might morph into something unexpected on drums. “We never stick to the plan on stage,” they admit. Cue points are fixed, but the rest is instinct. Concerts often reshape themselves mid-performance — sometimes to the mock frustration of bandmates — but always in pursuit of something alive.</p>.<p class="bodytext">At the heart of their evolving sound is experimentation. Prasad now wields what they believe is Karnataka’s first electric veena — compact, mobile, and liberating. On stage, he moves like a guitarist, pushing the instrument beyond its traditional frame. The next chapter is already in motion. Kacheri Gang is working toward their first original album, ‘Praaram’ — meaning “beginning”. Slated for the later half of 2026, it promises an indie sensibility while blending Karnatik textures, Hindustani rhythms, and western harmonies. Genres, they insist, are secondary. “We don’t decide what the music should be. The composition will ask for what it wants,” says Srinivas.</p>