Abinav Chaudhary, an engineer who recently hired an orchestra group for an association get-together, said the music added sheen to an otherwise lacklustre gathering. "I make it a point to invite orchestra groups as they offer good entertainment," he said.

Whatever be the stage, it is a great feeling to perform before an audience, says Ranjay Kumar, owner of Symphony orchestra and a keyboard player.

But can young people take up light music as a profession in Patna? Drum master Bishu of Hijackers believes so. "A lot of bands initially performed without any returns.

But now, they have turned commercial. While some bands still have poor returns, many are pocketing a decent money," he said. Even pubs and restaurants that encourage live performances provide bands with a healthy income nowadays. An orchestra group charges an anything between Rs 10,000 and Rs 25,000 for a night.

Ratnesh, another keyboard player and singer, said "Earlier, bands performed for a mere three figure sum. But today they have become more demanding. They realize how important it is to make optimum use of their talents. Now they charge a decent amount for performing."

The business of arranging musical nites or events is no longer restricted to a few organizations. Professionals have jumped into the fray. Though Patna is rocking, unlike rest of the country where original compositions by bands are encouraged, Patna groups rarely risk such attempts and stick to Bollywood chartbusters.

"Music is happening in Patna but it is still very different from the scene in Bangalore and Kolkata. Unlike the metros where original music is appreciated, the audience here want to hear the popular stuff. We have a lot to offer but don't have the right audience," rued a member of a popular band.