Dhaka Rock Carnival: A night of music, chaos, and cause

They say music has a way of breathing life into a weary soul, especially when darkness looms large. There is a certain truth in that. After a long, exhausting day, swaying to your favourite tunes — whether it is classical or heavy rock — feels like a breath of fresh air. 

Now imagine hearing it live, performed by the artists you adore; it is an unforgettable experience, no matter how many times you have heard the song before. And right now, after the turmoil this country has faced — the uprising and the tragic flood — there has never been a greater need for that soulful rejuvenation.

It was up to organisers United Communication to bring Dhaka an unforgettable experience with 'Dhaka Rock Carnival: Shadhin Bangla Betar.' Held at Greenville Outdoors on Madani Avenue, the concert featured 12 popular bands, including Meghdol, Karnival, Shironamhin, AvoidRafa, Powersurge, and Ashes. 

Despite the scorching midday heat, fans flocked to the venue long before the 2pm performances began, even as the bands arrived late. The enthusiasm was palpable, though some unfortunate incidents unfolded later, slightly marring the excitement.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the clock neared 5:30 pm, Karnival took the stage. Wherever the venue or occasion, Karnival is the band you can trust to electrify the crowd, and 'Amar Shotto' never fails to hit that sweet spot. Pairing it with 'Sheishob Din Ratri' was a bold move, revitalising the audience. Ending with their most beloved song, 'Bhrom,' had the entire crowd singing in unison, a perfect close to their set.

Everything was going really well up until this point. Everything was tidy and was looking like how it should have been going, until Shonar Bangla Circus took to the stage. As soon as it was announced that the band's time had come to perform, all hell broke loose. 

The venue was split into two sections, separated by nothing more than a few bamboo sticks. Gold ticket holders stayed in the back, while Platinum folks enjoyed the front row. But before Shonar Bangla Circus could even start, the Gold crowd stormed the Platinum section, breaking in wherever they could. 

The organisers? They pretty much threw in the towel. In minutes, the whole thing became an actual circus, thanks to the not-so-polite gatecrashers.

The performance by the band was nothing to write home about either. Perhaps it was even the weakest of the evening. The instrumentals were there, but the song and overall performance felt underwhelming, with the exception of 'Attohottar Gaan.' The band also took the most time to deliver so little, it felt unjust.

But like the saying goes, if the aforementioned was a storm, what came next was the calm and beauty, as Meghdol graced the stage. The same crowd that became rowdy just moments ago, calmed down as the band began their performance with 'Esho Amar Shohore.' 

It was magical, the tune, melody and vocals under the starless evening skies of Dhaka. 'E Hawa' became the golden finishing touch to the chef's kiss of a performance, leaving everyone craving for more.

And they did get more but just not in the same manner. A sudden surge of power coursed through the venue with Powersurge taking the stage. The crowd was unsuspecting and there was no better way to wake the half asleep crowd up, than to open up the performance with 'Oprostut Juddho'. And they were absolutely relentless as they continued injecting electrifying energy with 'Mitther Agrashon.'

One of the headlining bands of the event was Shironamhin. The anticipation around them was very high and any fan of Bangla rock music would have expected them to take the stage early on. But time went on and 'bela' became 'obela' with no sign of the band even in the venue.

But towards the end came the long awaited moment as they began their performance with 'Ei Obelay'. The crowd jumped on their feet and the frontline started shaking with the tune that reverberated throughout the arena.

The crowd was just as energetic with AvoidRafa and Rafa's powerful vocals. More or less everyone knows just how good Rafa is as good with instruments as he is behind the mic with his vocals. Yet again, he reestablished his power as a musician with 'Anmone 2'. 

Though during this specific song he did not have to sing much, just playing the guitar mostly. 'Cholo Arekbar Uri' complemented the same vibe as though the entirety of Greenville Outdoor was flying with him.

The event was held with two purposes in mind. One was to remember and relive the moments that led to a new era of Bangladesh while the other was to raise funds for the flood affected people across the country.

With an astonishing presence, one can rest assured that a decent chunk of funds were raised which would then go to the flood affected areas as donations. The concert had a noble cause and a deep meaning to it. 

Dhaka Rock Carnival is only beginning its journey as the organisers intend to turn it into a franchise. According to them they already have two more seasons of the concert planned.