We're Here Because We're Here

Am out of blogger-hibernation for a quick word recommending Anathema's new album - We're Here Because We're Here. Anathema has consistently evolved in their song-writing and their musical style has changed over the numerous albums. This melodic/atmospheric album is brilliant, and I keep making comparisons to Pain of Salvation's One Hour by the Concrete Lake. This album's a must-buy. Also keep an eye out for the next album - Falling Deeper, releasing soon.

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Opeth!

It’s not like India features on every metal band’s list of places to visit, in fact we’re hard pressed to find a few that are willing to visit India AND are not getting on in years and trying to salvage failing popularities. We’ve had Maiden come in on a regular basis, but to tell the truth, having been to both the Bangalore and Mumbai concerts, I think the Bangalore one rocked, while the Mumbai one was ho-hum. Yeah, I love Maiden, LOVE them, but I’ve got to admit the last concert wasn’t all that great. Waters did a good show, and I missed Satriani. Tull was decent, but I’m not really one for his kind of music. So when in the midst of agonizing over why good bands didn’t visit India, a friend of mine commented on an earlier post with news that Opeth would be performing in India, I dismissed this as an especially sadistic rumour. But a little reading up online told me that they were indeed planning to perform in Chennai, and I was pretty hyper about it. But what I found most interesting was that while the big entertainment companies were trying to get the fuddy-duddies of metal/rock to India, Opeth was being invited by an educational institution – IIT Madras. (Just for that, you IITians are now way above in my list of esteemed people.)

So Opeth was scheduled to perform on the 25th as part of the pro-nite at IIT, and I frantically tried to get my tickets. A few emails between me and the organizing committee established that tickets were to be available online but there had been a glitch, which caused a delay in the dates tickets became available. Pavan agreed to tag along, which was another surprise, because he is now married and more likely to be catching the opening show of ‘Tara rum pum pum’ than a metal concert. (I’m pretty sure A woke up in the morning to find P had disappeared, with probably a small note on the dresser saying he would be out of town for a couple of days on business.) Relatively cheap flight tickets on Cleartrip and concert tickets on Bookmyshow enabled me to plan without breaking the bank.

The show:
Rules required me to reach IIT in the morning of the 25th to exchange the e-tickets for physical ones, which I did. I caught up with Rohan and Ruchira (you guys are an awesome metal head couple) at the venue as we stood in line to get in. Arrangements seemed systematic; tight security equipped with breath analyzers frisking everyone; sadly, I had to let go of my comb and pen because they were deemed security hazards. The open air theatre seats about 4000-5000 comfortably, and I figure it was totally full by the time Opeth came on stage. Demonic Resurrection was the opening act, with the lead singer ‘Demon Stealer’ taking pot-shots at other organizers for preferring ‘old, classic rock bands’ to open for big bands. After a few decent numbers, DR was off stage, making way for Mother Jane. MJ played some popular originals, and I admit they have talent. The band has brilliant timing, especially the drummer. While the guitarist was good, I felt he got a little repetitive with the solos, sort of bringing an amount of similarity to each song. Originally scheduled for 8 PM, Opeth actually came on stage round 8.40. Quick sound checks and they started, and the crowd went wild. They did play gooood, and the crowd enjoyed every single moment about it.
Set List –
1. Heir Apparent
2. The Grand Conjuration
3. Godhead's Lament
4. Wreath
5. Hope leaves
6. Lotus Eater
7. Bleak
8. Night and the Silent Water
9. Deliverance
10. Demon of the fall
Encore
11. Baying of the Hounds
12. Drapery Falls
[Thanks to KK for the complete set list]

My special favourites – Wreath, Deliverance, Godhead’s Lament, Bleak, and Night and the Silent Water, especially Night and the Silent Water.

There seemed to be some issues with the sound quality, but it could have been because I was in the ‘gallery’ to the left of the stage. Mikael had great stage presence, and a good sense of humour. He did seem to manage the Nokia mess at the end quite beautifully.

Highlights –
1. Opeth!
2. Awesome set
3. Loud crowd
4. Opeth!
5. In India
6. Progressive death metal
7. Chicks at the concert – Yay! [There was an especially cute girl in a purple top to my left]



Lowlights –
1. Very few head bangers
2. Crowd seemed not to be able to handle prog – off timing
3. Seated older people with families in chairs in a special area
4. Shameless Nokia plugs
5. A.R. Rehman in the middle of the concert?
6. “Free hugs” [You’re not going to see me going around hugging metal heads anytime soon]
7. “Touch Opeth, see Opeth, Play Opeth” WTF!
8. Sound quality
9. WTF was the crowd doing the hip-hop finger pointing thing instead of head banging?

All in all, an excellent concert! And a bonus - they played for 2 hours; I assumed they'd stop at 10 PM. A pre-booked call taxi ensured I got back safely early enough to visit a Chettinad restaurant for food before I went off to sleep.

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300

Another movie Friday, this time 300. Very nicely done movie. Although not a very accurate lesson in Greek history, this will definitely evoke your curiosity.

The background score is quite nice (300 guys hacking a few thousands to death with classic heavy metal in the background is quite nice). The actors have hammed well, though it is beyond my comprehension why the actors need heavy accents if the dialogues are in English.

A definite must-see; do take female company along - you can appreciate the stab-n-hack, while she appreciates the 300 six-pack-hunks. And if she complains about your paunch, you can always reveal your own interpretation of the Oracle's prophesies.

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Apocalypto

Saw Apocalypto last Thursday. Decent movie, but definitely does not live up to the hype. I guess this is because this is probably the first time a mainstream commercial movie has gory, gruesome scenes. But then, if I want to watch blood, gore, and human mutilation, I'd rather watch Cannibal Apocalypse - it's much more more entertaining. I got the feeling there was so much more that could be done for the movie, but wasn't. Mel Gibson seems to like scenes where organs are ripped out of live humans, and this is quite evident here.

Decent acting, almost realistic props and locales make it a watchable film, but don't go in with high expectations. And definitely don't take your girlfriend for this movie.

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Roger Waters and Pigs in the Sky

Roger Waters was here!

I see the statement is not self-explanatory for everyone - Roger Waters, 'creative genius' of the psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd, performed in Mumbai on the 18th of February as part of his current Dark Side of the Moon tour.

I've not always been appreciative of Waters' creativity; I've always liked Syd Barrett songs, but Waters blew me away with his amazing performance yesterday. Being skeptical of Waters performing solo, and with the adverts promising that he would perform Dark Side of the Moon, I was at first reluctant to spring for tickets. I did, eventually, and got the cheapest tickets available, and realized the show would have been well-worth the most expensive tickets available.

I reached the venue (MMRDA grounds, Bandra-Kurla complex) at 4.45 PM with my friend Pavan, expecting the gates to open at 5 PM. By a stroke of luck, I also ended up at the beginning of the queue to get in. Having been let in round 5.30, we soon identified the best places to stand, next to the barriers separating us from those who bought the pricier tickets. Most people got in by 6.30, and the large screens were clearly visible sevenish, post sunset. Roger Waters came on stage at 7.20 with an interesting first set comprising Set Your Controls for the Heart of the Sun, Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here, and Fletcher Memorial Home. With intermittent Bush-bashing, the set also featured Leaving Beirut, and my personal favorite - Sheep, complete with a huge, inflatable, helium-pig-balloon being released into the sky. [I'm really curious to see the reaction of the poor sod who woke up today with a humongous pig straddling his TV antenna - 'Honey there's a 40-foot flying pig on the antenna']

The second set was all Dark Side of the Moon, complete with amazing psychedelic imagery, surround sound, and of course an unbeatable live performance by Dave Kilminister on lead guitar. Waters pulled a stunt by walking off stage 9.45, and then came back to screams of 'more. more', and ended the session with the ever-popular Another rick in the Wall, Pt.2, and Comfortably Numb.

All in all, Roger Waters rocked, and how! Respect. Anytime again, don't care how old he is.

Highlights/Weirdlights -
Seemed like every foreigner in India was at the show.
Women in skimpy designer wear? At a Waters/Floyd show?
Lots of young kids - black metal tees and jeans/cutoffs
Weed, grass, lots of it
Alcohol, of course
Flashing flashbulbs during dark moments

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Dejavu?

Do not watch, I repeat, do not watch Dejavu. You have been warned.

[Unless you happen to like tall, dark, thin, reaaaally pretty women, in which case this move is a must watch for Paula Patton.]

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Restaurant review

There's a popular restaurant in Mahim called Goa Portuguesa/Culture Curry. Excellent food, polite service, expensive, and a singer/guitarist who insists on singing Goan songs right next to you while you're eating. Emboldened by the fact that someone from the restaurant actually called me up to wish me a happy birthday, and let me know that I would receive a free drink and a discount if I had dinner there on my b'day, I treated my friends to dinner there. It turned out to be a terrible experience in spite of the good food.
1. In spite of reminding the manager and the waiter that it was my b'day and that I expected a discount, I received an undiscounted bill.
2. My friend was served an unwashed DIRTY, fingerbowl. The trainee waiter took it away, and then brought it back AGAIN.

A few 'polite' words with the manager yielded an apology and a discounted bill, with the amount reduced by an amount less that what was originally stated. And I forgot to mention, the free drink was randomly substituted by a piece of cake and a 'birthday song' by the house musician.

Don't think I'm ever going back there ever again. And for the dirty, unwashed containers, I recommend you not go there ever either.

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