From a Mumbai-based junior college band to an accomplished 6-piece Hindi Alt/Rock band, Last Minute India is a group of young, talented musicians who cater to a rather unfulfilled niche in our country. The band was formed by Subodh Gupta, the bassist and Bhumit Gor on guitar. They were joined by Austin Furtado, who plays lead guitar and Jay Jain who handles production. To round things off, Abdul Shaikh joined as the vocalist along with Yash Khona on the drums. The band takes inspiration from a polarity of artists like AR Rahman, Arjit Singh and Slash.
The band’s new song ‘Kaagaz Ki Naav’ was released on March 12, 2021. The song reminisces the paper boats we all made during the monsoons when we were kids and would set them afloat the streams of water, hoping they would sail. Childish as it may be, this was one of the most innocent forms of hope that we as humans express. Similarly, the idea behind this song was to instill hope among the listeners. Well, that, apart from being a treat to the ears! The rock influences of the band really shine when Austin breaks out in a electric guitar solo that comes out of the blue to the rather calm and somber track. Nonetheless, it adds a new layer and flavor to the song altogether.
Last Minute India has a lot of medals on its lapel, including playing for some great automotive events such as the Mercedes Benz Luxe Drive MTV Sessions as well as the TVS Racing Moto Soul 2019 biker’s festival. Despite issues with production that are associated with being independent artists, the band plans to release their debut album by the end of this year if all goes to plan. Last Minute India’s sound is a beautiful blend of Hindi Classic and Western Rock music through which the band intends to express deep emotions and create meaningful music.
