Every Wednesday throughout the Summer at Surfside, we have the very talented Indi Smith-Sandhu play an enchanting solo acoustic set in our Rum Bar. Indi, originally part of the band ‘The Wingmen’ is an artist who spans across multiple genres. He sets the perfect vibe and often takes song requests during his sets, allowing for a very interactive gig.
We asked Indi a handful of questions to help you get to know him and his music a little bit better.
How long have you been playing music?
I originally started playing music at the age of 4 as a drummer. I was 11/12 years old when I first picked up a guitar and began to redirect my focus.
What style of music do you typically play?
I find myself playing all styles of music due to playing requests 90% of the time at my gigs. However, my favoured styles would be a mix of soul/funk/motown/jazz/blues, all the old good stuff!
Have you got a favourite song to play live?
A few standouts are ‘I Want You Back’ Jackson 5, ‘Volare’ Gipsy Kings, ‘Signed Sealed Delivered’ Stevie Wonder and ‘Is This Love?’ Bob Marley.
What do you like about playing at Surfside specifically?
I love how it feels both very lively and very chilled. The huge outdoor space at the back creates a great atmosphere and is just a nice place to play! The staff are awesome, I look forward to every Wednesday!
You also play in a band called The Wingmen, what’s different about playing solo compared to playing as a full band? Is there one you prefer?
It feels very different playing solo compared to The Wingmen – I love both. I like how with The Wingmen I have the opportunity to get more saucy on guitar as well as bouncing off each other/interacting with my mates as we play.
Playing solo I like the freedom of song arrangements and requests and find I concentrate a lot more on the nitty gritty of my vocals which is very nice.
What initially got you interested in music?
Growing up around music in the house – my parents and older siblings were all very keen on music.
Are there any musicians that have heavily influenced you?
As a drummer I was influenced initially by Kerrang and rock music, including some heavier metal music. This changed, when I started playing guitar, to the likes of Jack Johnson and Newton Faulkner. Which then deviated to more electric guitar based music – John Mayer, Tom Misch and then further into blues/jazz and everything around it!
You take song requests during your sets, do you prefer working this way as opposed to working off of a setlist? Are there any song requests you frequently get asked to do?
I much prefer taking song requests, it’s interactive and everybody enjoys choosing the songs! People become more interested when seeing all of their requests being played off the cuff. It’s also very fun for me to play songs I’ve never played before, stopping it from ever feeling repetitive! The big three most requested songs are Wonderwall, Mr. Brightside and Sex on Fire which now cost £300 each
Indi At Surfside
You can catch one of Indi’s solo sets every Wednesday in our rum bar, following our ApresSea event. Entry is free as always, but if you’d also like a table in our restaurant, please book online in advance.
We also host a plethora of other live music gigs and events, so make sure you keep an eye on our socials for updates!
