Packing Dhaka, Down Under
When talented Bangladeshi vocalist Samin Al Sabah, better known as Samin Ahmed, went to Sydney to study, he was at the peak of his rise as an indie musician in Dhaka. At the time, he juggled his studies and attempted to continue singing 7,000 kilometers away from his homeland.
Samin is considered amongst a rare breed of musicians, a Bengali boy who was comfortable in composing and writing English songs. It all came to fruition when he formed Packing Dhaka at Macquarie University.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. "Timo and I met on-campus, while Hartley joined us as a drummer after an audition in 2020", said the vocalist, as the band took haphazard last-minute preparations for the release ceremony of "Rush", their latest single. We stood at a backyard in Sydney's Ashfield, while having this impromptu interview.
The band took inspiration from a local act called 'Bowling in Japan' while using Samin's heritage as an inspiration. It is fitting, too, as the incredibly tight group comes together with Samin's outspoken personality and Dhaka-ite soul. As the evening dawned, people from all over Sydney started gathering to see Packing Dhaka and its opener, Apocalypseboyo.
The stage was adorned with various paraphernalia, including Samin's old glittery jackets, the band's banner, and colourful bedsheets. This show, was in essence, a contrast to their recent performance at the "Fusion Botanical Festival 2024", in front of hundreds of people. "Man, back then, we had a mosh pit of children dancing to our songs!", exclaimed a jubilant Hartley, who was partway through greeting the guests at the show.
As Packing Dhaka started their set, performing "Firecracker", "Crumbling Crossroads", "Ami Keno Ami" and finally "Rush", the audience sang every lyric, grooved to every beat, and felt every note that the band played – the musicians had them eating from the palm of their hands (Figuratively and literally, they had biriyani for the guests at the concerts).
It was then that I believed the hype the young lads had created in Sydney was indeed deserved. "We are not alone, the entire underground scene in this town is amazing. Apocolypseboyo, who was kind enough to open for us, Silky Roads, and even our producer, Yossif Kay, are amazing musicians. We have regular open-mic nights at different venues where people regularly surprise us with their crazy talent," said Bryan, still reeling from the effects of their energetic set. "We want to grow and hopefully, sign a record deal. Until then, we will keep hustling and playing music that we love."
The question of who keeps the band together sparked a lively debate, culminating in a three-way tie: Bryan, Hartley, and Samin. "Bryan, our grounded voice of reason, excels at keeping us focused on the present, ensuring we don't get lost in lofty ambitions," said Samin. "Hartley, the quintessential organiser, possesses the drive to translate ideas into action, pushing us to meet deadlines and achieve our goals." Samin is the optimist and frontman, besides being the 'dreamer' of the bunch. However, the members agree on Timo being their 'visionary', who brings all the ideas together. Dan, being the youngest member, keeps the 'boomer' mindset in check.
The band might be called "Packing Dhaka", paying homage to Samin's roots, but it truly has become a project where five neurodivergent creatives have come together, creating music that's unapologetically them. To the all-important question of whether they plan to come and tour Dhaka, they were unanimous in their reply: "Get us tickets and we'll be there!"
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