Mumbai-based band The Yellow Diary is taking In Case We Forget, their debut album on tour across 15 cities between August and October 2026. It is the band’s biggest India tour to date, and the first time all nine songs from the album will be performed live together alongside older fan favourites. Fans are rooting for tracks like “Marz”, “Kahe Kahe”, “Rab Raakha” and “Buniyad”.
The five-piece band comprises vocalist and songwriter Rajan Batra, producer and keyboardist Himonshu Parikh, guitarist Harshvardhan Gadhvi, bassist Stuart DaCosta and drummer Sahil Shah. The India tour follows their first run outside India in May, when they played Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne across three consecutive nights. They sat down with Billboard India to answer our On The Road questionnaire.
1. Where are you guys touring, and are you flying, driving, or a bit of both?
Batra: We’re going to about 15 to 16 cities, pan-India, and usually we take flights, considering the schedule and the amount of gear we have to carry.
Parikh: For gigs that are close by, Sahil has been trying to convince us that for a few of these, we shouldn’t take flights, we should just drive down.
Shah: Delhi and Jaipur can easily be a road trip.
DaCosta: The last time we did that, I took the flight, and these boys took a road trip. And then there was this competition as to who had more fun. It’s very clear that I won that competition.
2. You were in Australia in May, your first time playing outside India. What’s different on the home turf vs playing abroad?
Batra: On the surface, the band is far less nervous performing in cities we’ve been to before, we know our people, we know the vibe. Going to Australia for the first time was a little anxiety-giving, because we weren’t sure of the venues, how the crowd would show up, what the setup would be. But honestly, more often than not, it felt like we were playing in India.
DaCosta: In fact, there were people at the Australia shows for whom it wasn’t their first TYD gig.
3. What’s the best thing you found in Australia? A meal, a hangout spot, or something else?
Parikh: The coffee in Melbourne blew my mind. All these small boutique coffee shops, world-class coffee. For me, that was a top, besides the show.
Batra: For me it was the fresh air. We take it for granted, but you get there and realise how amazing it is.
DaCosta: Melbourne felt like a socialist city with so many varied cultures, a metropolitan city with such diverse people. Beautiful. Kind of like India.
4. What are some essentials that always go in your suitcase?
Parikh: Undies.
Shah: The one thing I’ve just started carrying is a tongue cleaner. You get a toothbrush and paste at the hotel, but not a tongue cleaner.
5. Who’s mastered the art of packing, and who hasn’t?
Parikh: I think I’m pretty good at packing, I take pride in it. I usually don’t find myself looking for anything when travelling. I think that’s the mark of a well-packed person.
Batra: I would’ve joined him, but at the last gig I forgot my belt, so I think I’m off the list.
Shah: I remember one gig where Harsh turned up carrying just his guitar case and his processor case, no bag. I asked him where his bag was, he opened the case and said, “It’s here.” Everything packed into that one case.
Gadhvi: For me, my suitcase is basically a laundry bag.
6. What’s on the rider now, and how has it changed from early years?
Batra: Electrolytes have been added. Back in the day it was just water on stage, then sugar, then honey, then anything that would help with dehydration, and eventually we landed on electrolytes.
Parikh: The biggest shift has been on the tech side, the team’s gotten a lot bigger. Initially it was a very audio-focused act, no lights, no stage tech, no camera crew. That part of the rider has evolved massively.
7. The tour includes a lot of cities, anywhere you’re especially excited for?
Shah: A few spots we haven’t been to in a while: we haven’t gone to Calcutta in a few years, or Ahmedabad. Indore we don’t get to often. Nagpur, we’ve never played. Those are the ones we’re really keen on.
8. If you get free time in a city, who leads the itinerary?
Batra: Sahil. Even before he’s on the flight, he’s already locked in the restaurant we need to go to.
9. Food spots you’re excited to hit again this tour?
Shah: Alright, hold up. When we play Bangalore, there’s a place called Nagarjuna, that’s where we have our meal – best place, period.
In Hyderabad, there’s a place called Spicy Venue, the thali there is incredible.
In Bhopal, there’s this place called Jehan Numa Palace, an Indian five-star restaurant, the food was incredible.
In Lucknow, there’s a chaat place that Stu and I went to that was killer.
And in Delhi, we eat at Rajan’s place. We can’t always make time for it, but whenever we do, it’s the best meal we have, the top food in Delhi.
10. All the songs from the debut album are going into the set this time. Which are you most excited to play?
Gadhvi: Dil Challeya Ve.
Shah: Yours Always, Dad.
Batra: Yun Hi Kahin and Chasing. But apart from the album songs, I’m most excited about the new song we’re going to perform. Since the first hour of starting to write it, we’ve been excited to take it to the stage.
