Fresh off their DIY gig Party La La La in Mumbai a couple of weeks ago, Mumbai prog rock band Coshish are still taking part of the gig’s ethos with them. For their upcoming show at Hard Rock Café in Pune on March 17, Coshish will choose their own opening band through a contest.

The idea came together after the band recently performed at one of the many college festivals hosted by Symbiosis institutes, according to their manager Ashwin Sharma. At their headlining set at Symbiosis School of Banking and Finance’s battle of the bands competition Synopia, Sharma told us the competing bands only got 15-minute set times. He adds, “These bands hardly get a chance to play longer sets or in clubs. We want to give them that chance.”

Sharma says the pre-requisites to open for Coshish are not set in stone, but they are looking out for any band (except for metal, owing to the venue’s reservations) with a 30-minute set. Since it is for an opening band slot, Sharma adds, “We're looking for anyone with a decent set and preferably a band in the same space as Coshish, with a prog sound.”  

As for their own set, the band’s frontman Mangesh Gandhi says they will play a 90-minute set which includes all material off their debut album Firdous, which released in 2013,  as well as two new songs, tentatively titled ‘Circular Time’ and ‘Revolving Sevens’. Gandhi adds, “We wanted to add one more new song but these songs are difficult – it’s taking time to wrap our minds around it.”

Coshish is currently running high from Party La La La, which drew in a packed house. Gandhi calls it “the best show we ever played.” He adds, “It’s one of those things we’ll cherish for our life. I think every other band should give it (DIY gigs) a try.”

Event details of Coshish's Pune gig are on Facebook.