When the little-known becomes a headliner
If you're a regular concert-goer in Dhaka city, you are most likely aware that such shows draw audiences by headlining the event with popular and senior bands.
However, on 17 February, Studio Baksho pretty much went against the tide. The audio engineering institute based in Dhaka organised a musical event at the Courtyard of the Alliance Française de Dhaka featuring a group of talented but underrated music bands.
Music enthusiasts were treated to an evening of diverse musical performances as the event, titled 'Tobu Gaan Hok,' featured several bands and musicians, including Arif Abdullah, Iffat and Dipta, Gonje Fereshta, Rockaphobic, and Aynus Moholla. Despite being relatively unknown, these bands managed to captivate the audience.
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The evening started with Arif Abdullah, who captured the audience's attention with his skills on the guitar and harmonica. His performance of 'Holde Roud' was followed by a soulful rendition of 'Bhishon Bishonno Mon,' which he had composed with Indalo vocalist Jon Kabir. His last number on the night was 'Bimurto Canvas,' and he concluded his set with a poignant tune on his harmonica that left everyone mesmerised and clapping. It was interesting to note that the crowd responded to the artist's dexterity over the harmonica more so than the songs he sang.
Next up were the indie duo Iffat and Dipta. It is safe to say that the siblings impressed the audience with their soulful melodies. Starting with 'Rupkothar Obhijaan', they followed it up with 'Holud Batir Shohor' and 'Keno Tobe,' but it was their latest and most popular track, 'Ami Jani,' that got the crowd clapping and tapping their feet. As the song is relatively new, the audience have not yet mastered the lyrics inside out, but they made a conscious effort as they hummed along with the duo. The audience moved to the rhythm of the duos' soothing, melodic music.
Dipto later told The Business Standard that they intend to release an album in the future and they think "people should be able to relate to the music, and there should be a positive vibe even in a sad song." They released nine songs between April 2022 and February 2023, all of which are currently available on Spotify and YouTube.
The audience appeared to be expecting more from Gonje Fereshta when they took the platform after them. Even though this new band showed promise, they can still do better at engaging their audience. Making a name for yourself as a new band on the scene is never easy. Their lyrics, which Syed Farhad - the main singer and songwriter - describes as "poetic," were a little bit challenging to understand.
Farhad, shared that though their band was formed in 2018, their first original song was released in 2021 and now they have a few songs on Youtube. He said "we are influenced by blues and jazz and we call our music 'urban rock', which brings out the complexities and crises of urban life." When asked about the band's name, Farhad acknowledged that the band's name was inspired from the book title 'Ganje Fereshte' by Saadat Hossain Manto.
The night continued with Rockaphobic. They rocked the stage with their original songs, including 'Alo' and 'G/A'. The music of Rockaphobic seemed to really resonate with people, as their songs were well received and appreciated by the crowd.
Aynus Moholla performed their well-known songs 'Pakhi,' 'Abar,' and 'Tumi Kemon Acho' before leaving the platform. As the final band to perform, Aynas and his band had the chance to make a lasting impression. That's precisely what they did. Tahmid Hussain, the band's drummer, merits recognition for getting the crowd moving. Aynus Moholla is led by Aynus Tazwar Zeus, who is a songwriter, guitarist and the lead vocalist.
The open-air concert and a relatively small crowd at Aliance Francaise created a homely experience. As it is not that big a ground, the distance between stage and audience was very little. Therefore, the musicians could create a rapport with the audience.
The musical event was a feast for the ears, and the audience was left feeling exhilarated. It was an excellent platform for up-and-coming musicians to showcase their talent and bring their music to the public.
