Dhaka Summer Con Day 3: Vandalism, cosplay and good music
Dhaka Summer Con 2023 set off on Thursday last week with the aim of 'bringing in all sorts of pop culture enthusiasts' together. Being hosted in two separate halls at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB), Hall 4 held a concert for music lovers, whereas the other hall was graced by the actual pop culture enthusiasts who showed up for the 'Comicon.'
Despite the anticipation of a larger crowd on Days 2 and 3, which fell on the weekend, the turnout at ICCB remained underwhelming. Even on the last day, there was more vacant space on display than pop culture fans were wandering about.
Many expected a huge turnout because big names such as Warfaze, Avoid Rafa and Arbovirus were scheduled to play. The expected surge of attendees didn't materialise, leaving the halls from reaching their full capacity.
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Something interesting also happened. I never witnessed anyone from the audience switch between the two halls with views to experiencing both the music and the Comicon. The ones who showed up for the music had little to no interest in the events taking place in Hall 3. The gamers and comics enthusiasts could also live without the high-gain guitars ringing out from the adjacent hall.
I went in really early as it was a day-long event. The concert didn't start until late afternoon but I happened to find Mechanix in the middle of their sound check. Concerts with extensive lineups often neglect to allocate time for pre-show sound checks, which can impact the quality of the performances. However, on this occasion, I was thrilled to see Mechanix deliver an energetic rendition of Linkin Park's "One Step Closer." The nostalgic track, a beloved classic from my childhood, evoked cherished memories.
As I moved to Hall 3, Kiyan's Collectibles was the coolest stall I came across. I had never seen such a huge assortment of Funko Pop vinyl figures in Bangladesh before! As I wandered around the entire stall, taking in all the figurines of Batman, Harley Quinn, Joker, Jon Snow, Ellie, Spider-Man, and Superman, my inner child was yelling with joy.
"This isn't even 5% of our products! You should check our store out," said the owner of Kiyan's Collectibles.
Well, I sure plan to.
The effort that cosplayers put into their outfits was there for everyone to see at Hall 3. Characters from various pop culture genres, including Chainsawman, Falcon, and Green Goblin, captivated the crowd with their meticulously crafted outfits.
There was a gaming booth where you could challenge a friend to a game of Fifa. I did, and I won two-nil(2-0). It was a good 15 minutes as I discharged from my duties to have a moment of gaming for myself.
If you're wondering why I still haven't mentioned much of the concert yet, it's because I wasn't allowed to get out of Hall 3 for quite a while due to "security reasons."
Yes, there was a moment where all hell broke loose at ICCB when a few groups of people attempted to make an entry to the concert despite not having tickets. Violence ensued as the security stepped in with sticks and 'non-lethal weapons.' This only made matters worse as the bigots retaliated by vandalising the main gates at ICCB with sticks and stones. The situation escalated to the point where police had to be called to restore order. As a result, both Halls 3 and 4 were placed under lockdown, effectively preventing anyone from entering or exiting until the situation was resolved.
When I returned to Hall 4, Shishir Ahmed took to the stage. His entire set list included multiple vocalists but no one got the crowd as charged up as Rafa when he joined Shishir for a couple of songs.
Rafa and Shishir go way back. The duo, best known for their time at Aurthohin, has collaborated on multiple singles in the past.
Shishir started off his set with Rafa on the vocals as they performed their latest release 'Achi Kingba Nei.' The sound level from the crowd was immense but it got a lot wilder when Shishir ended his set with 'Nijeke Harabar Bhoy'- his biggest hit, which also features Rafa on the vocals.
After Rafa dazzled the crowd alongside Shishir, he took to the stage with his band, Avoid Rafa. The crowd was as welcoming. Rafa ended his set with Ami Akash Pathabo. Even though the hall was at half capacity, the reverberating chorus lines on the voices of the crowd felt nice.
Warfaze were the showstoppers and it has to be said that the bulk of the audience showed up just for them. They did not disappoint. Warfaze was brilliant. They sounded brilliant and the crowd enjoyed every bit.
They surprised the crowd with their first-ever live performance of Hariye Tomake. The song is originally from their Moharaj album and has been re-recorded twice, under two different vocalists. Warfaze released their latest version of the romantic number with current vocalist Palash Noor just two weeks ago.
