Nita Chawla

Ever heard of a Sindhi gal with a southern heart who's three parts goofball, two parts cutesy with a dollup of grace and elegance on the side? Well that's Nita Chawla in a nutshell, Born in Mississippi and raised in Maryland (just oustide Washington D.C.), she believes her Southern roots are definitive of her simplistic nature and amiable charm.... (click on url below to see full article...I don't have full text only version of article) - The Sindhian

DC Acoustic Underground Social networking, strings attached Photo by: Jonathan Quigley Michael Yugo written by Mary Beth La Rue When 35-year-old Michael Yugo moved from San Diego to Washington D.C., he didn’t give himself much time to get use to his new surroundings. Instead he immediately jumped into the local music scene, making quite an impact. Yugo founded the D.C. Acoustic Underground, an acoustic social network on the massive social networking site MySpace. Yugo uses MySpace to promote DCAU showcases at 219, a jazz club and restaurant in Alexandria, and the artists who perform there. “You’ll find that about 90 percent of people are not in it for the love of the music,” said Yugo. “Talent, I found out, is easy [to find]. Everyone has talent. What I’m looking for is the artist who has character. If someone shows up to play, brings people but doesn’t stay to listen to the other artists or doesn’t treat his set with professionalism, I don’t invite them back. When it really happens well and the artist is clicking, you’ll see it. People have a great time.” Once a performer plays at 219, Yugo posts any other shows they have booked to encourage a growing fan base. He also tries to post Open Mic nights at local establishments in an effort to thank them for supporting the local music. The DCAU has also met photographers, graphic designers and project studios that are willing to work with musicians on a low budget to produce albums, album covers and Web pages. “The goal is to help artists develop their show and skill through promoting, show planning, set lists and the inevitable troubleshooting,” said Yugo. “With every performance, the artist grows in knowledge of his craft and by booking three artists at a time they can network, get inspiration and meet the fans of other performers.” The DCAU has hosted local artists Nik Scott, Greg Moore, Flo Anito, Tom Goss and Nita Chawla, as well as national touring artists Melissa Greener, Mo Pair, Lee Tyler Post and Kevin McCarthy. “DCAU has pushed me straight into my musical endeavors. I’m lucky to have that because it’s easy to give up and hard to be self-motivated when you wonder if anyone’s really listening at all,” said local musician Nita Chawla. “So with a network like this, I feel the support of other musicians, like Michael and the others I’ve met since August. It’s really a wonderful thing.” Yugo himself has played the guitar since high school and didn’t take lessons until last year while living in California. During a six-month deployment as a Marine, Yugo began writing his own songs and experimenting with more than just basic chords and covers. He performs four to five nights a week, including a weekend gig at Alexandria’s Fish Market. “My songs are more about love found and lost than anything,” said Yugo, who is recording his first solo album which should be finished by January. “Most are personal based. I don’t tell stories so much as I tell you ‘what happened.’ I play acoustic guitar riffs and chord progressions; sing; play harp; and use foot percussion to keep it all moving.” But even with his own career on the rise, Yugo is wholly dedicated to helping other artists reach their goals. “It’s a labor of love and I’m happy to see other venues are starting to host showcases too,” said Yugo. “I just loving getting something started and networking and listening to great music along the way.”
- On Tap Magazine

AUGUSTA, GA - A giant eye stares out at the audience, with squiggly serpent-like shapes fleeing its center. The tapestry hanging on the stage behind the band forces the audience to pay attention, making people feel less like they are sitting in a bar and more like they are chilling in a basement listening to a groovy record. Once the psychedelic rock band Iritis starts playing, the eye draws you in even more, making everything flow seamlessly together in a magical harmony. No, Iritis is not just an autoimmune disease causing pain in the iris of the eye. It’s a psychedelic band out of the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Iritis blends together the laid-back tones of the ’60s with traditional Middle Eastern and South Asian harmonies. An incredibly multicultural band, Iritis’ five members come from Morocco, Mauritius, Nepal and South Carolina. Francois Smith, one of the three founding members who was born and raised in Aiken, explains that having an internationally comprised band was not intentional. It merely happened. “[The fact that Iritis is so multicultural] is quite a comment on America today,” Smith stated. Named after the eye disease that two of the members contracted at the same time, Iritis has been playing together for several years. The eye that is commonly used as a symbol for their band is a reference to the evil eye seen in certain cultures throughout history. Iritis uses philosophical and cultural events and ideas as inspiration, and draw those strong messages and undertones into their music. “We really try to stay away from political commentary,” Smith explained. “In terms of philosophical and spiritual messages, what comes up a lot [in our music] is the importance of living in the moment and not in the past. We focus on facing your fears and how [because of evolution] it is difficult for people to deal with their instincts while living in a society.” This spring, Iritis added two members, including singer Nita Chawla. Now the group musically consists of two guitars, a bass, keyboards and drums. In performances, Iritis tries to focus more on the music and less on the volume. “You can definitely get more [out of the music] when you hear the whole music,” Smith said. “We generally play softer than most bands. We play at a reasonable level, and though some of the songs really rock, you get a lot out of it without turning the amp up to 11.” With many different cultural influences, Iritis has a sound that is difficult to classify. The psychedelic feel in most of their songs is offset by elements of retro-rock and classical Middle Eastern music. “[When the band formed] there was no goal set, there was no structure,” Smith explained. “You can take our band on many different levels. People can come and listen and tap their foot, or they can look at it on a deeper level and take apart our lyrics.” “Our new album is named ‘Sail... The Ship With No Name.’ We’re riding this ship and wherever it leads is where we will go.” Iritis Red Lion Pub Saturday, July 5 10 p.m. $3 706-733-2008 redlionaugusta.com myspace.com/iritis - Metro Spirit- Augusta's Independent Voice