Vedanth Bharadwaj & S.J. Downes @ Everyman Theatre – 09/11/2023

Across 22 venues throughout the Liverpool’s city centre, the Indika festival has thrived over the past 12 days.

It’s events like Indika that make us feel like we’ve missed a trick in some sense. The sort of event we would like to cover in far more detail, however such as the sheer volume of other projects and with so few resources to give these events the time and effort they deserve, it’s a balancing act that’s too much to bear. It’s a shame, but also a reality.

Out of all the events during the festival, the performance that instantly sparks the senses is the improv’ collaboration between Vedanth Bharadwaj and S.J. Downes, brought together by Indika brains trust, Milap, and Liverpool constants, Mellowtone.

Fusing together Bharadwaj’s Eastern traditions with Downes’ Western blues folk experimentations, on paper it makes for an interesting concoction of ideas, and in front of a healthy crowd in the Everyman basement, together they bring that intrigue from paper to life.

Not to be deterred by the rouge fire alarm that causes a slight delay in proceedings, Downes is first to take the stage. Delivering songs from his 2020 EP, Lion’s Path (Mellowtone), Downes’ folk-laden roadhouse blues is evocative of Duke Garwood scrapping with the junk yard dogs; his creamy purr resonating with the audience.

Bharadwaj follows, as Downes looks on with warm appreciation as it’s the Chennai craftsman’s turn to light up the crowd. Firstly, on his own, then alongside Downes, as Bharadwaj delivers songs inspired by the Indian poet, Kabir. Steeped in spirituality and what could be considered as outer-world folklore, Bharadwaj recounts the inspiration behind the workings of Kabir, firstly the skin that forms as the fabric encasing the soul; the second composition, a song about a swan being a celebration likened to an all-knowing god. 

Perhaps it’s not the imagery you’d want to experience heavily under the influence, but thankfully the beer alone is just fine. And so are Downes and Bharadwaj for that matter, somehow finding a middle ground melding together Indian classical music, folk and blues to form a wonderful blend of string-laden psychedelia.

The pair alternate between a myriad of instruments during a set that is full of nice touches. Downes and Bharadwaj warmly shaking hands at the conclusion of each song in ardent appreciation of one another’s work. Tonight’s set, constructed from afar, with the pair having communicated over Zoom in the months prior, and with just four days of rehearsal at Liverpool’s Sort Rehearsal Rooms, if there are nerves than both Downes and Bharadwaj show no sign of them whatsoever. Completely lost in these new sound worlds they have created, it marks for a very nice evening indeed.

All photos by Alan Blundell