“I started a MySpace page in 2006 and it has been a fantastic forum. It allows me to be friends with my idols and fans as well as musicians, producers and event managers from all over the world,” says Akbar. The Net has become the second most important platform for musicians or bands, after a live performance on a lit-up stage, of course. With album sales still dismal, bands are using the Net to promote their music, videos and gigs and even create a fan base. Apart from their own websites, they are spread across the cyberspace with profile pages on MySpace, Ilike, ReverbNation or even Orkut or Facebook. Most of the Capital’s bands — from Menwhopause to new guns like Frequency and Oidua — have all pitched their cyber tent.

“Our website allows us to share information — on lyrics, concerts, even our personal details and photos — with people who are interested in us,” says guitarist Abhishek Mathur of fusion outfit Advaita. “We’ve even added a press-releases page and promotional videos on the website. Instead of sending press matter, we are directing event managers and concert promoters to our website.” Their website is actually one of the better ones from Delhi’s music scene.

Operating from the Net can even get you gigs, as Aditi Singh Sharma, who sings for Crimson and Level 9, discovered. “Our band profile on rsjonline.com got us a few shows. We get regular reviews about our gigs on Orkut and Facebook and more people are now interested in our music.” The 22-year-old has her own page on MySpace where she’s posted the latest songs that she is recording in Mumbai. Industrial electronic rockers Frequency was discovered at a reality rock show but it was their website and MySpace page that helped them get shows at popular hang-outs like Opus, Basant Lok and Epicentre in Gurgaon. “Organisers visited our site and after they heard our music, contacted us for a show. We’re constantly updating and improving the sound quality on the site because our music is our ticket to being recognised in the scene,” says Lalit Mehta, 22, Frequency’s vocalist.