The
naysayers had almost written them off. They said they had run their course and
that they were not as hard or heavy as that other Kolkata based Bangla Rock
band. The youth of Kolkata apparently wanted darker stuff. Unfortunately the
detractors missed out on something fundamental to performance art, relevance
and relatability. Cactus' new album Blah Blah Blah has both in ample measures.
No this article is not about the album, which has anyways been given a thumbs up
by critics and fans alike. This article is about the new unplugged sounds that
the band has been experimenting with.
It had been a long cherished desire to see Cactus develop some unplugged versions of their cult classics and of course the new songs. Last evening I caught them performing unplugged on TV and it was right up there with any good unplugged show I have ever seen. More than anything the performance reiterated how good each of the members of the band were in their respective trade. It didn't matter that my favourite Baji played with just one hand, it didn't matter that the studio sound could have been better balanced particularly on the song Blah Blah Blah where on the television set one could not hear any instrument over Sidhu's vocals. The rearranged Bodhu re was simply spectacular as was Dibs measured vocals. Rat and Buti were tight like blood brothers, all brought together by BMC and his ice cool demeanor and bass line. I thought it was testimony to Rat's guitar skills as his fingers ran up and down the fret board and juggled the six strings and showed that he is equally proficient with extracting juice out of his processor as he is with his stripped down acoustic guitar. Buti as always was the life of the band with the keys obeying all his command. Though i would have preferred an acoustic piano instead of the synth for such a show :)
The show brought out the craftsmanship in each of the members and Cactus as a whole. What was most satisfying and defining about the whole set was the fact that they did not reduce an unplugged show to just mindlessly replacing the electric guitar with an acoustic guitar like amateurs do, but rediscovered, rearranged and re-sang the songs in a new avatar. The commitment was clearly evident.
All in all a fantastic way to spend a chilling cold evening here in Gurgaon and reminise Kolkata and its sound. Long live Cactus and the spirit of good music.
It had been a long cherished desire to see Cactus develop some unplugged versions of their cult classics and of course the new songs. Last evening I caught them performing unplugged on TV and it was right up there with any good unplugged show I have ever seen. More than anything the performance reiterated how good each of the members of the band were in their respective trade. It didn't matter that my favourite Baji played with just one hand, it didn't matter that the studio sound could have been better balanced particularly on the song Blah Blah Blah where on the television set one could not hear any instrument over Sidhu's vocals. The rearranged Bodhu re was simply spectacular as was Dibs measured vocals. Rat and Buti were tight like blood brothers, all brought together by BMC and his ice cool demeanor and bass line. I thought it was testimony to Rat's guitar skills as his fingers ran up and down the fret board and juggled the six strings and showed that he is equally proficient with extracting juice out of his processor as he is with his stripped down acoustic guitar. Buti as always was the life of the band with the keys obeying all his command. Though i would have preferred an acoustic piano instead of the synth for such a show :)
The show brought out the craftsmanship in each of the members and Cactus as a whole. What was most satisfying and defining about the whole set was the fact that they did not reduce an unplugged show to just mindlessly replacing the electric guitar with an acoustic guitar like amateurs do, but rediscovered, rearranged and re-sang the songs in a new avatar. The commitment was clearly evident.
All in all a fantastic way to spend a chilling cold evening here in Gurgaon and reminise Kolkata and its sound. Long live Cactus and the spirit of good music.
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