Magical Night where Anupam and Arnob got ‘Triple Timed’

Anupam Roy. Photos: Noor-A-Alam.

My journey with both Anupam Roy and Arnob goes way back. In the noughties, i.e. the 2000s, getting your hands on a digital copy of a song was a task. But somehow I managed most of Arnob's songs. 

Anupam I discovered in my radio days. I used to play 'Boba Tunnel' whenever I could and my invisible audience and I listened to the song's hearty tunes many times throughout the day. 

I went to Magical Night on Thursday at International Convention Centre Bashundhara (ICCB), 6 July, with the hope of listening to two of my musical idols to my heart's content but alas… Triple Time Communications drops the ball again. I thought – I really thought – they'd up their game but no. Only last month they gaffed with Anuv Jain and now with Arnob and Anupam.

The evening began well with Meghdol. But rather than getting better as the show went on, it went downhill. Meghdol being a clear fan-favourite these days, I don't need to stress on their performance much. If you've been to one of their concerts, you'd know how their energy is always through the roof. Just one thing though – they can move on from 'E Hawa' as their finisher because Meghdol has a plethora of songs with which they can end their set and still go out with a bang.

Moving on, up next was Taalpatar Shepai. I learned about them recently and had attended their last show only a couple weeks back. They did nice there and they did nice this time as well. But their engaging performance was cut short. The duo Pritam Das (vocalist) and Suman Ghosh (guitarist) were on peak performance; only if they were allowed a little more time. They of course performed 'Moshader Chumu', one of their fan-favourites, among others. 

However, before the duo could get comfortable, settle in and do their work, they left. I was confused as to why they would do so so early on. I thought maybe they were getting off quicker so that Anupam Roy could come on earlier. That was all good but were the duo pestered by the organisers to be quick about their business? I did not know yet. 

Enter The Anupam Roy Band

In truth, I went to Magical Night to catch Anupam Roy and fanboy over him a little. Little fanboying is what I could do because he too was asked to leave the stage early, not once but twice. 

For over a month, the organiser advertised this concert with Anupam Roy as the centrepiece. However, the esteemed guest was not even allowed to perform for an hour. Not only was this misadvertisement and bad publicity stunt, they also charged the crowd Tk2,500 and Tk4,500 for local and VIP seats respectively – oh boy – was that some bad investment!

Anupam, alongside his band, performed seven songs. Now, none of us attended to hear Anupam performing seven songs and to my utter surprise, 'Boba Tunnel' was not a part of his set. I was so disappointed that it hurt. 

He began with 'Ami Ajkal Bhalo Achi'. He did perform a few of his more known songs such as 'Beche Thakar Gaan', 'Bondhu Chol', 'Bariye Dao' and one of his lesser known songs 'Ami Ki Tomay Khub Birokto Korchi'. Between songs Anupam talked to the crowd and expressed how happy he was to be in Dhaka, a place where he feels at home, being able to speak his own language. 

His joy was prematurely marred as he was told to keep it short once and that disturbed him visually. Before performing his last track 'Amake Amar Moto Thakte Dao', he was told a second time to end it. With drooped expressions we watched this great musician finish his set and not with the joy he or any of us expected.

Shayan Chowdhury Arnob.

Then came on stage Arnob & friends. However, it looked more like the Coke Studio Bangla ensemble than Arnob's usual pieces. But Arnob somehow managed to save the show from surefire long boos. 

Arnob opened with his eternally beautiful single 'Hariye Giyechi' and the crowd was gradually able to reel back from letting go of Anupam so early. Then came 'Tomar Jonno' and I was hit by nostalgia like a train. Rabi Thakur's Kirtan 'Majhe Majhe Tobo Dekha Pai' was up next. 

Surprisingly, Arnob's set was kind of an ode to Mohiner Ghoraguli. They performed 'Dhandar Thekeo Jotil Tumi' from the album Abar Bochor Kuri Pore and of course a tribute to Lalon Shai was there as well through 'Mon Tore Parlam Na Bujhaite Re'. This is something I adore about Arnob: he always acknowledges those who took Bangla music to the world.

'Bhalobasha Tarpor' and 'She Je Boshe Ache' were there and he ended with their second tribute to Mohiner Ghoraguli through 'Prithibita Naki'. Mind you, this is not an original Mohiner Ghoraguli song but by another Kolkata band named Krosswindz but we know it as theirs for some weird reason.

If it wasn't for Arnob it certainly would spell disaster for Triple Time Communications as messing up events is turning out to be pretty much a theme these days for them. Learn from your mistakes already!