Telugu indie music takes centrestage in The Moonshine Project in Hyderabad

The Moonshine Project/EXT in Hyderabad is set to open a new branch at the city’s commercial hotspot, Neopolis in Kokapet. “It will be a dream come true,” shares TMP’s co-founder Hemender Reddy. It is a quiet morning at this alternative live music venue and bar in Jubilee Hills that has served a platform for Telugu music for 11 years now. In fact, TMP is widely recognised for being a home for Hyderabad’s regional music at a time when the independent Telugu music scene was still in its infancy.

Setting up the sound

“Nothing has changed except the stage, which has got bigger,” says Hemender pointing towards it. The 20 X 16 feet elevated stage before the heavy, dark curtains, has the bar counter to its left. The stage has a drum kit, microphone and music stands and audio equipment and cables. When the venue launched in 2015, the sound, staging and acoustics settings were minimal.

“During PipeDreams’ first gig, Jonathan David, drummer from the band enquired about the mixer and keyboard stand. We had a basic set-up but the requirements for a live venue are different. We have learnt over the years.”

The name ‘Moonshine’ is inspired by Moonshine, an illicit liquor manufactured in Chicago. “Since intoxicating drinks including alcohol were banned in the US during Prohibition, it was smuggled in modified race cars,” he explains Although a wall with a mafia theme behind us narrates this history, the founders were clear about building the space’s identity as a music venue rather than a bar or a nightclub with music.

Live music journey

The first six months after the launch were good as they introduced a couple of bands but the journey was far from easy. “When the clubbing culture took off in Hyderabad, breweries mushroomed, techno music emerged and listeners drifted away from English music to Bollywood.”

The venue got a new identity as an exclusive platform for Telugu music in 2016. What began as one performance evolved into the venue’s strength. “An indie singer told me that his microphone was switched off at a gig when he began to sing a Telugu song. As a Telugu person, I felt bad and asked him to sing his heart out.”

Since then, TMP has hosted regional music sessions daily. Although the initiative faced resistance initially, audiences connected to it gradually and today, Telugu music gigs are a common feature across the city. While TMP is dedicated to Telugu music, EXT, a semi-indoor live space launched in 2022 in its first floor has a distinct flavour and hosts musicians of all languages and genres including visiting musicians.

Respect for artists

For a venue that has introduced 36 bands from Hyderabad till now, its enduring appeal lies in its artist-first philosophy. “We have immense respect for artists. We are here only because of them,” says Hemender. “Moonshine is a community venue and artistes from various creative fields help us to build it. In all these years, we have been able to build communities in art, flea markets, music, theatre, workshops and dance.”

While Hemendra credits his partners for supporting his vision, he acknowledges the work of Abbas from the death metal band GODLESS and sound engineer Sri Varun. “The duo have been instrumental in shaping the live-music experience. They were consultants first but have now become close family friends.”

For someone who wanted to learn Carnatic music and also put Hyderabad on the music map, Hemendra hopes the upcoming branch in Neopolis will be a significant milestone in their music journey. Looking forward to its launch in 2027, he says, “The New Year will bring a new sound, and more opportunities for indie musicians and music lovers in Hyderabad.”