Maher-mania at Nemesis' 25th!
As legendary guitarist Maher Khan made a stunning return to the stage after a 15-year hiatus, Nemesis celebrated their silver jubilee with a marathon 27-song setlist that threw Dhaka’s rock fanbase into an absolute frenzy
Anniversary and reunion concerts always carry an inherent narrative, mostly centered around past members or original founders showing up for a brief act. At Nemesis' 25th anniversary concert at InterContinental's Winter Garden, Dhaka's entire rock fanbase got to enjoy a plethora of songs from the band's extensive discography. Yet, beneath the music, the crowd was waiting in breathless anticipation for a glimpse of a man no one had seen on stage or heard from the studio in over 15 years.
By that point in the night, vocalist Zohad Reza Chowdhury was understandably fatigued after performing for two and a half hours. However, that exhaustion never translated into his performance, which remained nearly pitch-perfect across a daunting 27-song setlist.
As the crowd knew from teaser snippets on social media leading up to the show, a massive moment was coming. Zohad didn't drag out the buildup on stage. Instead, he simply said, "Maher dosto, chole aye."
With that, the man who had left the entire Bangladeshi rock scene reeling when he chose to walk away from music at his absolute peak for "bigger and better things", walked onto the stage; and in true Robert Downey Jr fashion unveiling himself as Doctor Doom at Comic-Con, he stepped up, took off his mask, and spread his arms wide with the aura of a rockstar reborn as the venue, packed to the brim with nearly 2,000 fans, instantly erupted into chants of "Maher! Maher!"
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Though his old hairdo has since been replaced by a long beard, he was flanked by his weapon of choice, his old sunburst-finish Les Paul. As he struck the first chords of Kolporajjo through his age-old setup, a trusted POD 2.0 mic-ed through a Marshall JCM 900, his signature tone rang through the room and the entire hall erupted into an utter frenzy as Maher-mania officially ensued!
"To be honest, it felt like he never left!" Zohad remarked post-show, adding that the rehearsals leading up to the concert felt just like yesterday, a seamless return to their old days of onstage camaraderie.
However, when we successfully tracked down Maher Khan backstage before the show for a brief interview, secretly hoping to be the first mainstream media outlet in 15 years to get a scoop from the guitarist, he admitted that getting back into the groove wasn't easy, and that a return to the stage was originally never on the cards.
"I had absolutely zero plans of any of this happening," Maher revealed. But owing to some convincing, paired with the fact that this night was uniquely special for Nemesis, he finally accepted the invitation, and the fans couldn't have been happier.
For the final five songs of the night, Maher remained on stage to play Nemesis' biggest hits. The entire venue felt a massive injection of adrenaline and awe as for many in the audience, this was their very first time (may also be the last time) witnessing the OG duo of Maher and Zohad sharing a stage. At the same time, everyone present could see the genuine happiness on the performers' faces, the cheeky smiles and silent nods exchanged as Maher ripped through his iconic solos and showboated with his six strings.
There is a beautiful irony to his return.
Maher is a guitarist who has influenced generations of Bangladeshi kids to pick up the instrument—perhaps none more so than the two current guitarists he shared the stage with last night, Sultan Rafsan Khan and Ifaz Abrar Reza, the poised duo currently carrying Maher's legacy forward while carving out their own path.
Yet, despite a silent confidence brewing as he waited in the wings, Maher confessed to feeling deep nervousness and doubts that he might mess up if he looked down at his fretboard while playing.
"One hundred percent, there's a part of me that's nervous tonight," he said. "I'm older now and I've been that much out of touch. I trained my fingers back in the day, and that's what's carrying me through. I'm completely relying on muscle memory tonight."
Whatever shade of doubt existed between those lines, it left no shred of evidence on stage. The moment he wrung out his first notes, it was undeniable that he belonged on that stage.
The ultimate proof lies in the aftermath.
Despite a marathon three-hour show featuring 27 songs, appearances by past members like Dio Haque and Yawar Mehboob, and powerhouse guest performances from the likes of Shakib Chowdhury and Jamshed Chowdhury, you only need to look at social media today to see who stole the show.
Timelines are flooded with images and clips of a single guitarist who played for barely a fifth of the setlist, yet completely overshadowed everything else on offer. Which is also why any of you reading this can't blame me for making the article pretty much all about Maher Khan.
A few sentences must be spared for the monumental work that went on behind the scenes to deliver a concert that will stay with this audience for ages, not just because of who took the stage, but because of who brought those performances to light.
Nemesis has always sounded phenomenal, whether in the studio or live, and for the night of 22 May, immense credit goes to arguably the best sound engineer in the circuit today, Zakir Hossain. He was backed by the assistance and guidance of yet another industry stalwart, Faizan Rashid Ahmad (Buno), who volunteered his expertise to be part of the sound panel.
Last but certainly not least, a massive nod goes to Dhaka Broadcast, spearheaded by Rudan Al Amin Trinan. They continue to bless Dhaka city by organising state-of-the-art, magnificently produced concerts that paradoxically cost less than a fancy solo dinner. Long may these gigs continue!
