An intimate independent music showcase in Kolkata brought regional voices and original compositions to the forefront, as Moonstone Multimedia hosted the second edition of Indieমেট at The Creative Arts Academy in Kalighat on August 1.The event, positioned as a platform for emerging musicians, focused on smaller, audience-facing performances where artists presented original material rooted in personal narratives and regional identity. The format continued to emphasise direct engagement between performers and listeners, moving away from conventional large-scale programming.The evening opened with an experimental set by a Kolkata-based artist, setting the tone for a lineup centred on non-mainstream sounds. The headline act featured Bhojpuri musician Arun YDV, accompanied by Chandril on drums, Chiranjib on guitar, and producer Sampliyaha, who travelled from Patna for the performance.Over the past decade, Arun YDV has been part of a shift within Bhojpuri music, with his work exploring themes of identity, home, and social realities while positioning the language within a contemporary independent music space. The set also engaged with long-standing stereotypes around Bhojpuri and Bihar, using performance and storytelling to foreground cultural nuance and diversity.“The whole event made it easy for me to perform at my maximum potential. I enjoyed the rest of the lineup as well and look forward to working together more often,” said the opening act.Organisers and attendees noted that the response to the second edition points to a growing interest in smaller, community-driven music spaces that prioritise original work and regional voices within the city’s live music circuit.
