Bengaluru prog rock band The Pulse Theory. Photo: Zero Hour Productions
The traveling gig series Prog Encounters returns for its third edition this April, expanding to five cities and enlisting a stellar lineup of 15 bands, including rock act Daira, progressive metallers Eccentric Pendulum, instrumental outfit Letterz, Jatin Talukdar Project, and prog-rock band The Pulse Theory.
Prog Encounters 3.0 kicks off in Mumbai on April 10, 2025, at Antisocial, featuring performances by Jatin Talukdar Project, Mumbai-based Sei Hek (a Manipur-origin act), Pune-based Lotus, and post-rock band Seconds in Space. The series then moves on to Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Gurugram, and New Delhi.
Founder Avishek Dasgupta—also the vocalist of The Pulse Theory, who will perform in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Gurugram—calls this their biggest edition yet, building on the momentum of the 2023 and 2024 editions. While the tour initially served as a launchpad for The Pulse Theory’s album Coming Back Home, it has also helped revive legacy prog bands, such as Coshish, who returned to the stage last year.
In addition to genre-adjacent festivals like Oddball, progressive rock and metal in India needs regular show series like Prog Encounters to keep the local circuit afloat, with the only other live avenue for bands coming up when international prog artists come to town, from Leprous to Animals As Leaders to Karnivool and more.
In addition to The Pulse Theory being fixtures for certain stops, Dasgupta says they’ve sought out new and upcoming artists such as Seconds In Space, progressive metal band Monolitheon, guitarist Harasis Wadhwa, alternative act Orchid Eyes, Hindi prog act Kalb and sitar-infused act Kitanu. There’s also more metal on the lineups. Dasgupta adds, “When it comes to new acts, this year we wanted a more diverse soundscape. Progressive metal was always on our minds, and no better names than Eccentric Pendulum and Coordinates to inject some firepower metal energy.”
For Pulse Theory, their sets will focus on providing a “high octane, soaring experience.” Dasgupta says, “From our 2023 album we will be playing ‘Troubled Child’ for the first time on stage, which is exciting. Recently, we have also, in a sense, resurrected the songs from our 2018 EP with a newfound energy and will be playing some of them as well.”
Prog Encounters 3.0 – 2025 Dates
Apr. 10, 2025 – Jatin Talkudar Project, Lotus, Sei Hek and Seconds in Space at Antisocial, Mumbai
Apr. 13, 2025 – Coordinates, The Pulse Theory, Monolitheon at EXT, Hyderabad
Apr. 20, 2025 – Eccentric Pendulum, The Pulse Theory, Letterz, Orchid Eyes at White Lotus Club, Bengaluru
Apr. 26, 2025 – Coordinates, The Pulse Theory, Progress Report, Harasis Wadha at The Piano Man, Gurugram
Apr. 27, 2025 – Daira, Kitanu, Kalb at The Piano Man, Eldeco Centre, New Delhi
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