Blue Ribbon

For frequenters of Blue Frog,it isnt surprising that the UK daily The Independent recently listed the club as one of the top 10 venues for live music in the world.

Within a year of its establishment,Blue Frog finds itself in the UKs The Independent as one of the best spaces in the world for live music

For frequenters of Blue Frog,it isnt surprising that the UK daily The Independent recently listed the club as one of the top 10 venues for live music in the world. And when a place keeps company with the likes of Madison Square Garden,New York City,and the Asia World Arena,Hong Kong,you know that it has arrived.

When we decided to set up Blue Frog,our plan was quite simple we wouldnt follow the crowd. Wed do something that we truly wanted to do, says Mahesh Mathai,one of the five founding partners.

One would often hear of the great jazz bars that once thrived in the city. But as the Jazz Age died out,so did the clubs,until only a couple of places would host the occasional live act. However,since 2008 the city suddenly seems to be bursting with places which regularly host live music acts. Mathai says that they would like to believe that Blue Frog has been instrumental in pushing this wave of revolution in live music. He says,For the longest time,there really was no place,apart from Not Just Jazz by the Bay which offered live music acts everyday. We were probably the first to create a space especially for music,unlike other places where the focus is on food and drink. Now there are many more such places and our view is that its not competition. We knew that if we were to be considered successful,our strategy would have to be copied by other place.

The club also hosts a recording studio and an independent record label and management service.

The futuristic-looking interiors of the club are more than just for aesthetic value they also serve a practical function. Our brief to the architect Kapil Gupta was warehouse-meets-La Scala. Even before the music starts,there has to be a sense of the theatre to the place; a feeling that a performance is about to start shortly.

Blue Frog is also probably the only club to give equal importance to food and music. The long bar is a highlighting feature of the club as the menu,which includes a variety of bites from garlic pepper shrimp to lamb confit. There is even a regular Sunday brunch. Mathai says People told us we were crazy to try it,but we went ahead. The risk was the secret of our success,I guess.c

Pooja Pillai

Pooja Pillai is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, working with the National Editorial and Opinion section. Her work frequently explores the intersection of society, culture and technology. Editorial Focus & Expertise Pooja’s writing spans several key domains, often blending analytical commentary with cultural critique. Art & Culture: She writes extensively on cinema, books, and the evolving landscape of arts and entertainment. Technology & Society: Her work examines the human impact of the gig economy, the rise of AI in creative fields, and the cultural shifts driven by digital platforms. Food & Lifestyle: She often uses food as a lens to explore history and politics, covering everything from the origins of pantry essentials to the impact of nutrition policy. Politics: She closely tracks political developments in South and West India and provides commentary on international political transitions, including the shifting landscape of American politics. Multimedia & Podcasting Pooja is a prominent voice in the Indian Express’s digital ecosystem. She is the host of 'DeshKaal with Yogendra Yadav', weekly video podcast where she facilitates deep-dive conversations on Indian democracy, social movements, and current political affairs. Notable Recent Works Cinema & Identity: “SRK@60: Why Shah Rukh Khan is Bollywood's last, and only, superstar” – an analysis of stardom and the changing face of Indian identity Global Politics: Commentary on the Trump administration’s misguided “war on woke culture” via typography and analysis of the visual semiotics of Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s attire during successive visits to the White House. Art & AI: “An unequal music: AI is lowering barriers at the cost of music itself” – a critique of how technology is redefining artistic value. Professional Presence Pooja is active on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, where she shares her latest columns and editorial insights. Her full archive and latest updates can be found on her Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More

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Blue Ribbon

For frequenters of Blue Frog,it isnt surprising that the UK daily The Independent recently listed the club as one of the top 10 venues for live music in the world.

For frequenters of Blue Frog,it isnt surprising that the UK daily The Independent recently listed the club as one of the top 10 venues for live music in the world.