Manipur’s Lo! Peninsula bring shoegazing and rage to Bengaluru

Manipur-based Lo! Peninsula make their firsr-ever appearance in Bengaluru this weekend

Updated - September 25, 2026 11:30 am IST

Lo! Peninsula | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

In the last three and a half years that Manipur has seen conflict and tension, musician Nitin Shamurailatpam from shoegaze and psychedelic rock band Lo! Peninsula feels there has been a “gradual erosion of empathy, truth and beauty of everyday existence” for ordinary people.

This is something they address with their latest single ‘Song For The Undead’, which comes about eight years after their 2018 debut EP Lo Peninsula and after singles such as ‘Kintsugi’, ‘Battleships’ and more. Nitin wryly mentions that Manipur has officially seen at least 523 days of bandhs, shutdowns and economic blockades, with more than half of that period also involving internet suspensions.

“With transport, businesses, communication, and everyday activities disrupted for that long, on top of constant power outages, I leave it to your imagination to figure out what it could be like trying to function as an individual with responsibilities,” he says.

Earlier this month in September, Manipur’s seasoned guitarist and music educator Vikram Chongtham Singh was beaten to death in New Delhi by a mob for complaining about noise, and Nitin notes it sent shockwaves across the Northeast State’s music community and the country.

Although not vehemently and overtly political, there is a sense of protest and rage in Lo! Peninsula’s music. It is one that will be heard live in Bengaluru for the first time on September 26, when they perform at The Humming Tree in Indiranagar as part of gig series OafBigGigs.

Joined by Mumbai band Long Distances and local alternative act Packers & Movers, Lo! Peninsula say Bengaluru is a city they have wanted to play in for a long time. “There’s no high quite like performing for an audience that is completely new,” Nitin says, adding, “Bengaluru is known for having one of the best crowds in the country, with an incredibly diverse taste in music, and that is exactly why we are drawn to it. We cannot wait to experience that energy firsthand.”

Coupled with the restrictions of the global pandemic, the last six years have seen starts and stops for Lo! Peninsula. The trio comprises Nitin on vocals and guitars, Avinash Thokchom on bass, and Jyotin Elangbam on drums. The frontman says they went through a “period of lull” like many artistes and bands, owing to personal commitments and sometimes, “a lack of inspiration.”

He says, “It is hard to explain exactly, but I think it had a lot to do with missed opportunities to grow as a band, which affected our drive to keep pushing. That period also gave us a lot of clarity on how we could shift our approach to pursuing music, and that led us to refocus and get back to it.”

Among the reinforcements that came the band’s way was KEXP — a Seattle-based non-profit organisation and radio station — spinning their songs and helping them find listenership in the United States right from their debut EP in 2018. The radio station also aired ‘Song For The Undead’ as a premiere and Nitin says the band even got an enquiry for a show in Seattle.

“A US tour is something we have wanted to do, provided we can get our resources and finances sorted. Without a doubt it looks extremely difficult, but not impossible, and we are positive that we can make it happen,” the frontman says.

Closer home, Lo! Peninsula have played at music festivals such as Magnetic Fields, Ziro Festival and NH7 Weekender, but Nitin notes that it has not been easy to tour as a band from Manipur, given the ongoing political unrest as well as financial and logistical constraints.

He explains that people from Imphal Valley cannot often travel safely by road, which means flights are often the only option, even if they are expensive. The possibilities of power cuts, internet outages, roadblocks and more, constantly loom overhead. “Despite all this, we are determined to keep growing as a band. Touring as an artiste from Manipur right now comes with challenges most people wouldn’t imagine, but we’re figuring out how to navigate them, the same way everyone back home is navigating them every day.”

For now, their focus is on the Bengaluru show, where the band promises old and new songs as well as merchandise. Then, there are gradual steps towards becoming a sought-after indie band. “We’ve got a few shows lined up in Manipur before the year ends, and we are aiming to put out an EP in early 2027. We are hoping the situation improves so everyone in Manipur can get back to business,” says Nitin.