Arre yaar, who says India is not free enough? For a nation entangled in red tape, we are so amazingly inured to corruption, nepotism, babudom and political meddling that we deserve the honour of being anointed the freest nation on the planet.

On Mother India’s 63rd birthday, Thermal And A Quarter offers you an irresistible return present. We introduce you to the greasy soul of India — the hidden nation of Kickbackistan where funny money tickles our netas and babus into granting anybody the unqualified freedom to do anything.

Consider the skeletons tumbling out of the cupboards of the Commonwealth Games honchos. Suresh Kalmadi and Co have allegedly (yes, our lawyer advised us to print that) made so much funny money that they are laughing all the way to the Rishvath Bank of Kickbackistan!

In that spirit, our new song Kickbackistan premieres exclusively to our audiences in Delhi and the National Capital Region, where the uncommon wealth of our sporting politicians is on flagrant display ahead of the games that may or may not be! Let the song play in your head, let it become our nation’s new anthem as we admire those elaborate trenches where footpaths used to be, those twisted mazes of concrete and steel that show no sign of turning into finished structures, the leaky roofs of stadiums, and the Baghdad-esque war-zone that once used to be known as Connaught Place.

Listen to a live performance of Kickbackistan and collect limited edition issues of funny money at:

AUGUST 16: Attitude, C-002, Supermart – I, DLF Phase – IV, Gurgaon, India

AUGUST 17: Turquoise Cottage, Basant Lok, Vasant Vihar, New Delhi

Due to unfortunate circumstances, these gigs had to be cancelled at the last minute. We will be back in Delhi to make up for the unexpected disappointment to our fans.

Watch the preview video:

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Photographs: Gurudarshan Somayaji

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We’re back in Delhi this weekend to enjoy a nice nippy evening while Bangalore is soaking up the November rain.

Sunday night, 9ish, at the Garden of the Five Senses on the occasion of Kingfisher Rocktoberfest. Be there and tell everyone who missed us last time to make no excuses this time round.

It’s Kannada Rajyotsava in Karnataka on November 1. All of you partying back home, don’t miss us too much!

The post NovemberFushtu at Rocktoberfest, Delhi – Nov 1 appeared first on Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ).

TAAQ live at Hard Rock Cafe, DLF Place, Saket, New Delhi.

Thursday, September 3.

8 PM onwards.

This is our first visit to the capital in a few months and our first at the new Hard Rock Cafe. Be sure to be there.

The post Gig Alert: Delhi – Sept 3 appeared first on Thermal and a Quarter (TAAQ).