The resurrection of Black

People are fascinated by conspiracy theories on social media - be it mysteries behind 9/11 or rumours of Michael Jackson faking his death. Such theories can spiral out of control, but when it comes to the music scene, nothing makes fans go as wild as reunion rumours of band members from yesteryears.  

In the first week of April, social media buzzed uncontrollably when Jon Kabir commented with a GIF from Indalo's '1996' music video, on a post from Tahsan Khan's page. In the GIF, Jon was holding a telephone, humorously asking Tahsan to call him back.

It all started from there.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, it was officially announced that the Bangladeshi rock band Black will be reuniting with their past members— Tahsan, Jon and Mahmudul Karim Miraz for a concert on 10 May; and everybody lost their sanity, with the announcement video cracking up more than a million views.

"It's a fan service that's been long overdue," says Jon, when asked about the reunion concert.

Over the years, Jon has been repeatedly asked about a possible reunion and his openness to it. He initially left the band to pursue his own musical direction and desires, but Jon has previously been quoted in various social media posts that a potential reunion with Black, even if just for a one-off show, would primarily be motivated by financial reasons.

"I did say it and I still stand by that, and of course, the financial aspect is a major consideration for this show. However, when the whole band starts playing together, the nostalgia might hit me, or it might not," Jon stated.

The band has not yet reunited for rehearsals as founding member and drummer, Mehmood Afridi Tony, along with Tahsan, are still to arrive in Bangladesh. They aim to start rehearsals in the first week of May, providing them about a week to rekindle their synergy, something the former members haven't done in nearly twenty years.

The concert is special as well for the likes of current vocalist Ishan Hossain and returning bassist Mahmudul Karim Miraz—for very different reasons. Ishan has been performing with Black since 2021 and having grown up listening to and idolising some of the past members, it's a very momentous occasion for him.

Miraz, however, is looking at the show as "just another day." Having been away from professional music for nearly two decades, Miraz is currently devoting most of his time to re-learning his past bass lines.

"I'm having to relearn the songs from scratch, which is quite challenging," Miraz explained. "Occasionally, my muscle memory kicks in, but for the most part, I'm starting fresh."

Miraz, although not a senior statesman yet per se, is certainly feeling his age a bit. "We're on the older side, compared to many musicians active today. We might not be as old as Miles or Souls, but I'm sure most of the fans coming on May 10th will be seeing me perform for the first time. Many of them probably haven't even heard of me!"

The show on 10 May will have more than just fans reliving the classics of Black. Jahan, one of the founding members who is still actively performing with the band, confirmed some pleasant news.
"At the concert, we will premiere a music video for 'Shomantoral,' a song from our latest lineup. Additionally, we'll launch the official website for Black," he mentioned.

Jahan and Ishan detailed the show's structure, noting that it will start with the current lineup performing a few songs. Later, former members will make a guest appearance on the stage. The final segment will feature both current and past members uniting for the encore and other highlights.

"The past members will be making guest appearances with Black after nearly two decades. It's the past members who will be having their 'resurrection,' hence the name of the concert," said Jahan.

Is it a one-off?

In an ideal world, a true reunion would involve a solo concert where all former and current members perform an extensive setlist from their discography. However, reality often dictates otherwise.

"People might expect a solo Black concert at a large venue like the Army Stadium, where we could play through our entire discography, but that's not feasible at the moment," Jon stated.

All members now have their own families and personal commitments, with Tony living overseas and both Jon and Tahsan engaged in their own music and professional endeavours. Gathering everyone in one place for rehearsals and preparing for a full-length solo concert over a month and a half is virtually impossible.

"For now, it's just this one-off show where we perform for 60 to 80 minutes," Jon added.

Could the future hold something bigger, better and more lasting? Only time will tell. For now, if you're a fan of Black, gear up for the show on the 10th because you never know when you will see them again on stage, if at all.