Usha Uthup Returns To Trincas As Kolkata Revives Live Music Culture

Veteran singer Usha Uthup returned to the stage in Kolkata for a special live performance as iconic Park Street venue Trincas revived its all-day live music programming, rekindling a culture once central to the city’s nightlife identity.

The performance carried emotional significance for Uthup, who made her live singing debut at Trincas in 1969 before going on to become one of India’s most celebrated performers. Her return to the same stage decades later symbolised a renewed effort to preserve Kolkata’s legacy of intimate live music experiences.

The revival comes at a time when many hospitality venues across India have gradually moved away from curated live performances in favour of playlists and DJ-driven entertainment formats. Trincas’ latest initiative aims to bring back a more immersive and performance-led music culture through programming spread across the day.

As part of the new format, the venue has introduced a weekday lunch band called Island Breeze, alongside genre-based programming ranging from Latin and jazz afternoons to retro Hindi evenings, Western pop nights, and Bengali folk and rock sessions.

The move reflects a broader attempt to restore the charm of dedicated listening spaces and live artist interactions that once defined Kolkata’s cultural and nightlife scene.

For audiences and musicians alike, Usha Uthup’s return served as a reminder of the city’s long-standing relationship with live music and the enduring appeal of shared musical experiences in intimate venues.