The appeal of small-scale acoustic concerts

With every passing day, Bangladesh's concert scene is evidently growing at an exponential pace, with large venues like International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) and Army Stadium being packed regularly to accommodate concerts.

As a result, for just a small amount of money every month, fans can catch their favourite artists on stage and share an incomparable experience with hundreds, if not thousands, of like-minded listeners. The range of emotions felt from that is quite difficult to explain, and even more so to emulate in any other setting.

However, as mainstream electric shows continue to dominate the music scene, small-scale unplugged shows remain almost disregarded for the most part. But having attended a handful of shows like these myself, I can speak volumes in favour of their charm.

Ever since crowds started pouring into the likes of the Russian Cultural Centre (RCC), 3rd Space, and Jatra Biroti every weekend a handful of years ago, Dhaka's acoustic scene has been vibrant in a load of different shades and colours. And although the aforementioned places aren't as prominent as they were before, newer locations have sprouted up throughout the city to make way for regular unplugged shows.

The biggest selling point behind these shows lies in their interactive nature. When artists get up on stage, the audience gets the chance to speak to them about their music, their lives, and the stories behind their craft. They get to know the colloquial man behind the music, share laughs, and gain an experience that is comforting, engaging, and compelling in a way that feels therapeutic to some extent.

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Furthermore, the setting behind these shows is crucial in creating an ambience that welcomes the crowd and draws them in. In many cases, a blend of rustic and artistic elements such as paintings, hanging photographs, and a wide array of lights are used to bring the whole experience together.

From the artists' perspective, intimate shows such as these are a gateway to connecting with their existing fans on a holistic level, while promoting themselves in front of a large crowd. After all, being able to sit down and connect with fans through their art is what music is all about.

On the other hand, these gigs give artists a ton of creative freedom that isn't always present in their electric counterparts. Since larger shows are aimed towards keeping the audience on their feet and hyped, bands are forced to play popular songs that can get everyone riled up. But acoustic shows allow them to dive into niche, swingy, and alternative music with the audience behind them, which they couldn't do otherwise.

Moreover, a larger time slot is allocated since only a handful of artists headline each acoustic show. As such, musicians can afford to experiment with their music and play extended solos to entertain the audience without worrying about their time slot running out.

Now, all of this isn't to say that larger, more mainstream concerts aren't worth the time and money. Quite the contrary, actually. As an avid fan, you can't ask for more than to be able to enjoy live music from a lot of your favourite bands together under the open sky. However, smaller live shows aren't anything to scoff at either. Instead, it should be understood that shows of both magnitudes have their own sets of merits and objectives, and should be experienced as such.

Ayaan immerses himself in dinosaur comics and poorly-written manga. Recommend your least favourite reads at ayaan.shams@gmail.com