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Bucolic Meets Neo At The White Owl

Freshly Brewed Music: The White Owl

Whose music are you hooting for?

Joining the list of cities that have their own breweries, Mumbai has finally arrived when it comes to the self-brewed beer market. Despite minor hiccups in procuring licences (still under dispute), The White Owl, situated at One India Bulls in the corporate landscape of Lower Parel, sees crowds barraging in with might-and-motivation to let their hair down. If you’re wondering how the crowd-pull happens without the brewery, then we’ve got an answer straight from the horse’s mouth. Owner Javed Murad has queued up live music gigs from a multitude of electronica varieties – be it experimental or commercial sounds, they’ve got it all.

If you’ve heard and seen dime a dozen commercial tunes, it’s time you attend their Once in a Blue Moon nights that happens as often as the name suggests. It offers a flavour of experimental sounds that are doing the rounds in the indie music circuit. Bringing artistes for a performance works like a two-way street – for audiences who want to be entertained, and for bands who want to get down to grass-root recognition. September saw the first of the series with DJs Boombaba and Chhab, followed by techno-geek Bullzeye and electronica DJ Arsh performing in October. Sneak peek at the funky and jaunty nights at September’s “Once in a Blue Moon” here.

Minimalist Lighting Dots the Decor

Describing his reason for bringing in live music Murad says, “Culturally, The White Owl is all about having fun, while doing things a bit differently – which is reflected consistently in its unconventional gigs, one-of-a-kind Owltails (cocktails) and delicious food. Innovating around all these elements continuously will always be important to us.”

Piercing through stiff competition from neighbours like Irish House, blueFROG, and the most recent The Barking Deer, The White Owl presents an artsy bucolic ambience that illuminates a bulb of enthusiasm within you as you walk in. Minimalist lighting strewn across walls and artefacts – shades of white, red and halogen, sends out an incandescent yet comforting vibe of a cross between garage and neo-conceptual design. Talking food – those who are always drivelling for a new taste and a chance to surprise the palette, the Gingerale Chicken & Asparagus Entrée, complemented by the whiskey-based drink Biddy, will not fall short of your expectations. With their Sunday brunch in the offing and underground-themed gigs set to explode, this venue will soon become the go-to joint for many.

Fairy Lights and Cycles

Addressing competition, frequenter Rutuja Marfatia admitted, “The Barking Deer is the other brewery in town. But The White Owl draws far livelier crowds because they always have something new happening – in terms of music gigs or general events.”

Yes, once the licences arrive, no more travelling all the way to the closest brewery (150 kms away) in Pune. Look out DJ Uri playing alongside dub-advocators Bay Beat Collective’s Kris Correya on November 29 as part of The White Owl’s Funk’d Up Weeknights. For more updates see here.

One Indiabulls Center, Tower 2, Lobby Level, Jupiter Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai. Call at 022 2421 0231

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