‘Dhaka Retro’: A worthy getaway to the rebellious ‘90s
In the alarming wake of organised mobs repeatedly breaking into concert venues, even leading to postponed and cancelled shows on several occasions, the "Dhaka Retro" concert that took place yesterday at the capital's Army Central Auditorium inside Senaprangan, was a breath of fresh air for music lovers.
On a show featuring a stellar lineup, which included the epitomes of '90s Bangla rock — Miles, Nagar Baul, Ark, and Dalchhut — alongside Drockstar Shuvo and the prodigious Oni Hasan, with Jon Kabir, Jamshed Chowdhury, and Kazi Zohad Yazdani, perhaps the most delightful scene was seeing a notable number of attendees who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s.
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The opening act, Drockstar Shuvo, set the ball rolling by flexing his amazing vocal prowess, followed by a soothing performance by Dalchhut and Bappa Mazumder, which swayed the crowd. Then, Oni Hasan, alongside the incredible Taawkir Tajammul Nisshobdo, featuring the powerful vocals of Jamshed Chowdhury, Jon Kabir, and Kazi Zohad Yazdani, wreaked a calming havoc with their mostly heavy setlist. It also included a tribute to the legendary Ayub Bacchu and LRB as they performed "Hashte Dekho" and "Ghumonto Shohore".
Soon, Ark took the stage, and Hasan, with his iconic vocals and fun-filled stage presence, set the tone for what was about to come next. When the mighty Miles took to the stage, everyone—from schoolgoers to those who witnessed Miles in their youth during the '80s and '90s—rose to their feet, dancing and singing along to the lines of their timeless Bangla rock classics. Emotions filled the auditorium when they mentioned their legendary late member, Shafin Ahmed, to whom they dedicated their performance.
Later, just in time for the final act, Nagar Baul and James, took the stage and turned the entirely packed venue into a celebratory carnival as everyone danced and sang with joy, eventually leaving the venue with memories of a show to remember.
A concert's crowd and performers are and may very well be its lifeblood, but "Dhaka Retro's" organisers deserve a big applause for sustaining the flow of the concert meritably.
As someone with experience of attending way too many concerts and having worked meticulously in setting up some of the most notable art-related events in Dhaka, that drew massive crowds, I can attest that despite "Dhaka Retro" being only the second concert organised by Blue Brick Communications, demonstrated immaculate maturity and set an example for others—especially in how to actually orchestrate a concert.
Starting from their visual theme and a fabulous promo video on social media to maintaining logistics and security on the concert day, the neat execution reverberated their sincerity.
Sameen Yasar Priyom of Blue Brick Communications, said, "We just want to put on good concerts for everyone! Our entire team and support system is made up of friends and family. Most of us are still university students and are just getting started with our venture. However, we are genuinely passionate and are taking it one step at a time."
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