Rock n’ Rhythm 4: Mired in chaos, overcome with emotion
On a day when the rain gods smiled favorably upon the hopes of about ten thousand people, barricades were broken, a stampede nearly ensued, and some logistical issues nearly ruined the experience for those holding general tickets at "Rock N' Rhythm 4.0" in the capital's International Convention City Bashundhara. However, for five men who have dedicated their entire lives to music, none of this could dampen the emotional reunion of Black's original lineup.
Organized by Adventor Communications, this was a dream concert on paper for music lovers: Black's original lineup performing after two decades, the return of the prodigal Oni Hasan to Bangladesh after a long hiatus, Cryptic Fate's consistently impressive performance, Recall's return, Popeye and Farooque Bhai jamming with a local audience, and Old School enchanting everyone with their unique set.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. As someone accustomed to media passes and backstage entry, it is easy to ignore the hassles faced by those with general passes. However, upon entering, it was immediately obvious that the audience with general passes got the short end of the stick. The protruding sound booth, smack dab in the middle of the Expo Zone, blocked the view for those standing in the middle of the field. While I did not encounter any sound issues in the general section, the lack of a proper monitor meant that people not blessed with height, i.e., myself, would have a difficult time following the action from that far off. Later, during the concert, hooliganism ran rampant as many tackled the barricades to gain entry to the venue without tickets, and it is perhaps a matter of luck that no fatal incidents occurred during the entire show.
These issues are not specific, however, to Adventor Communications, as ICCB is infamous for being targeted by various hooligan groups during large concerts, and what can be larger than the reunion of Bangladesh's most renowned rock bands? Organizers need to be very careful when planning the reunion of a fan-favorite act, since emotions are involved and some would resort to anything to catch a glimpse.
Oni Hasan set the stage for the headliners with his own amazing outing, featuring an all-star vocal crew of Jamshed Chowdhury and Mizan Rahman. Despite both vocalists being powerhouses in their own right, nobody could outshine Oni on this night. The former Vibe and Warfaze guitarist exuded pure joy as he played each note flawlessly, paying tribute to both his former bands. The highlight of his performance was Mizan and him giving a tribute to the late great Ayub Bachchu with a guitar chorus of "Shei Tumi", seamlessly transitioning into Warfaze's epic "Purnota"
Black sent their current lineup to open for the OG, and things went as expected. While the current lineup is insanely talented, this night was not for them, and the audience let it be known with a lukewarm reception. As soon as Tahsan Khan, Jon Kabir, Mahmudul Kabir Meraz, Khademul Jahan, and Mehmood Afridi Tony hit the stage, it was a different ball game.
The crowd devoured every single song they performed, including not only crowd favorites like "Aamra", "Ekhono", "Blues n' Roud", "Obhiman", and "Amar Prithibi", but also underrated ones that are deeply personal to the members.
Iconic moments included Jon and Tahsan hugging in the middle of the stage, Jon approaching the drums to shake hands with Tony, and the five members standing together at a major concert, a sight many thought would not be possible.
The concert comes 19 years after a fateful accident that took the life of their sound engineer Ahmed Chowdhury Mobin and crippled their morale. As a fan, I am admittedly ecstatic and slightly biased towards this reunion, perhaps because of sheer nostalgia. However, the truth is, this amalgamation should have been a solo concert from the very start. The band is planning a full-scale solo concert with this lineup, and I would much rather have my first taste of original Black in that setting.
Should the organizers have taken more time to prepare for this concert with better logistics and security? Could they have done a better job with logistics? With Sunsilk being the main sponsor for the programme, it is safe to assume that funding could not have been an issue. As someone who has attended hundreds of concerts and organized some myself, I can say that regardless of the effort one puts in, on the day of the event itself, lots can go horribly wrong.
Unfortunately, in this case, it did, only to be saved by the fact that Bangladeshi rock royalty played their hearts out in arguably the performance of a lifetime.
The author is the Editor of Arts & Entertainment at The Daily Star.
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