When a thoroughly indulging drug like Katatonia is playing somewhere around, there should be no place for second thoughts. Wielding your soul with immensely enriching and mature music, Katatonia was a rightful pick by organizers at IIT Bombay to headline one of the biggest college events in India. This also shows that the understanding of IIT-ians and the rest of us does match at some level. And when Indus Creed, who regrouped this year after having called it quits in the late-nineties, were to open for Katatonia I did not want a delay for the proceedings to get underway as the evening looked all set.
But like always it was the initial fuckups that the organizers at IIT-ians are known for. They lure you, call you closer and kick you where you don’t want to be kicked. If there is anyone who has never attended a moodi event then you would have atleast heard as to how difficult it is to enter the venue. I, along with a group of friends made sure we were the first ones to enter anyhow. And still we managed to miss the first band Abraxas‘s performance. Well done, nerds. Entered and saw Abraxas packing up and Guillotine getting ready. They were followed by Purple Asparagus and Goddess Gagged. It had to be a tough call for the judges as it seemed a good day for all four of them.
The band that eventually stood higher up on the podium for winners was Abraxas (Pune) followed by Purple Asparagus (Kolkata) and Guillotine (Delhi). With the competition out of the way it was time for the Indian headliner Indus Creed. They are back with a lineup that includes a mix of old and new talent. Indus Creed as of today has Uday Benegal (vocals, guitars and programming), Mahesh Tinaikar (guitars, vocals), Zubin Balaporia (keyboards, vocals), Rushad Mistry (bass, vocals) and Jai Row Kavi (drums, vocals). They came and made quite a mark.
With most part of the crowd (including me) watching this band for the first time the season of rock they brought helped take our minds off Katatonia for a while. Sure they had quite a name during their initial phase in the late-nineties but a comeback is not always easy. Indus Creed has had a safe landing now too and only a very small crowd was seen going out during their set. They played for almost an hour with their list also including crowd favorites Pretty Child and Top of the Rock. And then the lights were turned off.
A little about what Katatonia means to me and my existence. This band makes music like anyone else out there but very few have an emotional connect. Katatonia‘s music is all about mind, body and soul and they always introduce this human factor into their music. If they talk about ghosts they take you through it and if they are depressed you cannot be smiling. So how eagerly they were awaited can be figured out easily with all of that.
At this gig the term ‘moshpit’ (which I had overheard but thankfully did not happen) was used in the wrong sense and that too for Katatonia. Not adequate. Clearly showed that the crowd at IIT did not know what they are listening to and even why. But with the first few rows filled with the just described jumping crowd that can be found everywhere, the rest of us could take our positions at the right places. Five white figures dressed mostly in black took the stage at around eight thirty with their first song Day and Then the Shade ready to blast. I had somehow bagged a backstage entry and was hopping between the stage and sound console. A video from the gig I found on the video whoring site.
The tracklist shows this was the best they could do in the one and a half hours they graced the stage. They had played the same set at Stockholm, Sweden on fourth of December, and given the duration I had a feeling they would play the same here. I couldn’t get a grip over myself when I saw the same list unfold.
Day and Then the Shade
Liberation
My Twin
Onward Into Battle
The Longest Year
Soil’s Song
Omerta
Teargas
Saw You Down
Idle Blood
Ghost of the Sun
Evidence
Criminals
July
Encore :
For My Demons
Forsaker
Leaders
The gig sure came to an end but what was derived out of it has not. It won’t either. Sounding as if the voices were coming from someplace else, the performance was more of a complete experience and the pleasure derived was paramount. And with the sound also in place Katatonia lovers did not compromise on any aspect. Twenty first December, 2010 would be when I attended the best concert of my life. I had a heavier chest by the end of it and I salute Katatonia for existing in the first place. Jonas and troupe, we miss you. It’s fucking hard to get over the fact that you guys have left. Come back soon!
[ mortal being behind the camera was Manasi Kale ]
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December 23rd, 2010 at 5:50 pm
nicely written
I regret not being there 😦
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:55 pm
thank you Akshaya.
do not regret. we shall go watch them sometime, somewhere else.
December 23rd, 2010 at 6:05 pm
killer review itihas! saala iit organisers need to learn organising skills man! even after organising it every year at the end they fuck it up! i stood for like 6 hours when ensiferum had cum and at d end dey dint let me in 😐
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:59 pm
thanks Paresh.
like you said the bands they get is the only reason we fans are ready to go through all the shit. 🙂
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Awesome write up and vids on youtube!!!
December 23rd, 2010 at 8:02 pm
thanks man.
the write-up is mine, the video isn’t.
December 23rd, 2010 at 7:05 pm
I know wat the band and it’s music means to u..being a fan myself I couldn’t ask for more.it was a magical evening..hope to see them again someday..
December 23rd, 2010 at 9:49 pm
Yes Jits, this concert would go down as one of the happy highlights of my life. Goes without saying that I too want to watch them again. Soon.
December 24th, 2010 at 8:24 am
Heavenly experience. 🙂 I had tears in my eyes and I was stuck to the ground, unable to move. Per Eriksson, Niklas and Anders blew my mind off, and not to mention Jonas. 😛
They didn’t play two of the songs on the setlist.
Wanted them to play, ‘In the White’ and ‘Tonights music.’
December 24th, 2010 at 9:13 am
there you go, you also had tears. wow! welcome to the club. we are two members now.
December 24th, 2010 at 8:50 am
kickass review…i’m glad i was a part too.. yay.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:13 am
thanks Dency.
December 24th, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Great Review..I would even say one of your best one’s !! This is what happens when something touches your MIND, BODY & the freaking SOUL !! 😀 Hell, that gig was pure magic, now two days later even i feel like i am missing something !
December 24th, 2010 at 2:34 pm
thanks Gaurav.
Such an impact can be expected from any of ‘my favorite’ bands. 😀
January 2nd, 2011 at 2:52 am
The guy wayy at the front , holding a Swedish Flag. Thaats me!
January 2nd, 2011 at 1:43 pm
oh, nice man. I guess I did see you once from the stage, but then I was too involved. 🙂
January 19th, 2011 at 4:29 pm
lolol dude…u furgt who bot it 😛 😀
January 20th, 2011 at 6:15 am
looking at your comment in all likelihood I can say that it was you. 😛
January 4th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
well, being an organizer I knw wht we have to go thru to have such a gig at IIT. Every yr it happens. same story.! the thing is, its IIT, and jst when u think y so much security, remember, the gig is happening at one of the top ten terrorist targets in mumbai. ! so it wld be a good idea to jst think of one reason why so many security hassles…..
January 5th, 2011 at 5:34 am
hey Swapnil, if you remember we had spoken about the issues in my transactions. so, how are things man?
you are right about mentioning the terrorist attacks as the gathering is huge. but one simple solution could be having multiple entry gates. this is an event that happens every year and you guys at IIT know how it is. with the event being attended by people in large numbers, it would be only right to keep the same security measures but with an increase in the number of entry points.
how much ever we outsiders crib about the security we know that we cannot miss the kind of bands you guys manage to rope in. the event was bloody good – the way it is every year – and IIT’s OAT is one of the best concert venues that Mumbai has.
January 5th, 2011 at 6:06 am
multiple entry points. you have no idea how much time and effort we spend each and every year to make it as convenient as we can! there’s practically nothing we havnt already thought of. you’ve seen the OAT yourself man!! otherwise why would we even give you guys a chance to crib about such issues after getting fucked right and left for a whole 9 months with an aim of organizing a successful MI!!
January 5th, 2011 at 7:22 am
agreed mate, but as someone who attends the livewire event at IIT almost every year let me tell you that it is the same thing the audience cribs about. entry and that is it. and they aren’t wrong when they miss out on some band’s performance because they could not get in on time, even though they came to the venue in the morning. yes there is lot of planning, yes there are a lot of hassles, yes there is a lot of hardwork. so without taking away all of that, practically things boil down to the same issue man. starting next year if that is also taken care of then livewire would be a complete win.
October 23rd, 2011 at 12:07 am
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December 16th, 2011 at 9:34 am
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