How A Sunday Morning Gig At Cubbon Park Became Derek & The Cats' First Live Album

A Sunday morning performance at Bengaluru's Cubbon Park wasn't meant to become Derek & The Cats' next major release. The Bangalore-based instrumental band had only planned to film a music video for 'Cubbon Park'. Instead, the DIY concert evolved into 'Live at Cubbon Park', the band's first live album and concert film, documenting a performance that also made them the first indie band to play the park in nearly a decade. Recorded at the park's historic Bandstand in May 2025, the album captures nine live performances — 'Jonty Patel', 'Leticia', 'Afronagar', 'Summer Mist', 'Soul', 'Something Wong', 'Techno Police', 'Do You Play The Techno', 'Cubbon Park', and 'Morocco' — alongside a full-length concert film released on YouTube.

The concert itself came together while looking for a location to shoot the video for 'Cubbon Park'. The band discovered that the Bandstand hosted Sunday morning classical performances as part of the Heritage Beku initiative. They asked if they could perform there, received permission, borrowed equipment from friends and well-wishers, carried drum kits and gear into the park themselves, and arrived at 6:30 in the morning to prepare for an 8 AM set. By the end of the performance, a no-budget video shoot had unexpectedly become the band's first live album. The decision also reflected the band's desire to step away from the familiar circuit of club gigs and explore a very different setting for a live performance.

Led by Derek Mathias, Derek & The Cats have built their sound by bringing together jazz, funk and house into energetic instrumental dance music. Whether performing as a full-scale big band or a five-piece ensemble, the group rearranges its compositions for every format, giving each performance its own character. That approach carries into 'Live at Cubbon Park', where the open-air setting and live audience become part of the performance itself. The release arrives at a time when the band has established itself as one of India's notable live instrumental acts, with appearances at festivals including Echoes of Earth, Jazz Weekender and Oddball Festival.

Many of the songs featured on 'Live at Cubbon Park' also appear on the band's second studio album, 'People to Meet, Places to See'. Written while touring across India, the seven-track record unfolds as what the band describes as a sonic diary, with each composition tied to a city, a person or a moment from the road. Tracks such as 'Jonty Patel' and 'Ratna Mahal' introduced listeners to the album ahead of its release, while pieces including 'Cubbon Park' and 'Techno Police'reflect places and experiences gathered during the band's travels. Their 2022 self-titled debut was also recognised by Rolling Stone India as one of the country's Top 15 Indian Albums of the year.

The live album follows an active period on the road for the band. After completing a six-city India tour in 2024, Derek & The Cats returned in 2025 for the Konkan Express Tour, travelling exclusively by train for four shows across Mumbai, Pune and Goa. Their Bangalore stop on the earlier tour drew a sold-out crowd of 350 people, while performances across the country continued to grow their following. 'Live at Cubbon Park' also reflects the band's desire to take its music beyond the familiar circuit of club gigs and into a space that already sits at the heart of Bengaluru's Sunday mornings. Since 'Cubbon Park' itself was written as an ode to those mornings in the park, performing and recording it there brought the song back to the place that inspired it, with the setting becoming as much a part of the performance as the music itself.

Follow Derek & The Cats here and watch the concert film below:

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