Live music’s return marked by caution

Small concerts and recreational events are an essential part of Dhaka life for many city dwellers. But as the pandemic hit and the world went into a standstill, such live performances also came to a halt.

However, after a long break, shows are slowly coming back, to the delight of performers and attendees alike. But an air of caution hangs over the scene, and rightfully so.

Banani's L'esspresso Coffee recently hosted the premiere of singer Zarif Kabir's music video, "Ekti Golpo". The event also featured performances from numerous artistes, such as Sreyoshi Sehereen Sattar, Venessa Kaiser, Oishe Ahmed, Sadman Saad and the band DOOB.

"It was difficult to get the public's attention at first, but it eventually worked out. We promoted the event mainly through social media," shares Zarif Kabir. "The experience was amazing, we didn't expect such a big crowd and it was overwhelming."

The premises of the cafe was cleaned out and sanitised thoroughly before the show. "Masks were mandatory for the performers and the audience," adds Zarif. "At this stage of the pandemic, we must adapt and take as many precautions as possible."

"The crowd was amazing. It was evident that people needed an outing after all these months of isolation," shares Mumtahina Mehzabin, another performer at the event.

"The audience loved being there, it brought back some sort of normalcy in a way," adds singer Anika Rashid Khan.

The bookstore Bookworm Bangladesh started their new project, Dhaka Sessions in November. It features musicians stream live performances along with interviews of artists and authors. So far, the bands Nemesis, Leemonade, and singers Pragata Naoha and Sagar Baul were featured at the sessions.

To facilitate the initiative, Bookworm Bangladesh even shut down a section of their store. "This new version of the store is open and airy with a great ventilation system, so that the air doesn't stultify," says Amina Rahman of Bookworm Bangladesh. This comes as medical experts encourage people to avoid enclosed spaces as a precaution to the spread of Covid-19.

Over in Banani's Jatra Biroti, indoor concerts have given way to rooftop gigs. "We decided to go for rooftop concerts rather than events in enclosed spaces. We try our best to ensure proper social distancing protocols and urge people to wear masks at all times," shares Arthy Ahmed, General Manager of Jatra Biroti.

"We host open mic shows every Thursday, where anyone is allowed to perform songs, dance and poetry," adds Arthy. "Musicians are keen to introduce their original songs nowadays and they want us to host and arrange more shows in the coming days."

Jatra Biroti will be celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. They plan to host various programmes starting from next month.