Tripwire

Tripwire is an Indian punk band from Mumbai, formed in 2002 by Ameya on guitars and vocals, Tanveer on bass and vocals, and Aditya, also known as Jack, on drums and vocals. The band’s early line-up changes when Tanveer leaves for Australia, after which Sagar joins on bass; the group’s line-up then remains unchanged.

Early shows and live activity

The band plays its first gig at IIT Mumbai’s Livewire competition, where it is placed in the opening slot and performs to a very small audience. It later plays a range of shows in unusual and conventional settings, including a denim showroom launch, a fashion college festival, Tantra at Pune, a fresher’s night at an IT institute, Slap Pop, a terrace gig, and support slots for other bands such as Psychomotor.

In 2004, Tripwire headlines its first major show, the Smells Like Punk Spirit gig at Razz Rhino. It then gets professional management from ennui.BOMB, followed by a period of frequent performances at events including Rock By The Beach, Alternative Nation, and a series of Punk-O-Ramas. The band also plays a two-hour set at Not Just Jazz By The Bay, an all-acoustic set at The Boat Club, a performance at Knife Party under the name P.A.O. — Punkaj Art Orchestra — and a set at RAM Fest in Pune.

Recognition and releases

Tripwire becomes the first punk band selected to play at Mumbai’s Independence Rock competition in 2004. Its single Norm The Guy Is Cool appears on ennui.BOMB’s compilation We ARE The Scene – Vol. One, and its live performance of the same song at Independence Rock 2004 appears in Enter-Exist-Exit, described as India’s first rock videos compilation. The band also has a single, That’s Not What I Want, featured on WATS 2.