Concerts tune in to the ‘new normal’
Concerts have begun in the ‘new normal’ during coronavirus, though these are taking place indoors. Both solo artistes and bands are performing. Band Chirkut will be performing at four concerts this month. And Nemesis performed at another concert.
Artistes are usually busy with concerts from the beginning of the winter. Some hardly get time to breathe due to the hectic winter schedules. This continues for a few months. Ever since the outbreak of coronavirus in the country at the beginning of this, artistes have been confined to their homes. They have been busy again after tackling the first wave of the coronavirus.
However, no open air concerts have been reported as yet. Bands and solo artistes are preparing for indoor concerts. Shafin Ahmed of Miles said on Saturday evening, “We have started practising. Different corporate companies are contacting us. We are also thinking of how to start concerts again.” Everything, including markets, offices, and garment factories are running normal. Indoor concerts can take place maintaining health rules though the time is not ready for open air concerts yet, he added.
Band Chirkut performed its first stage show at Cox’s Bazar last Wednesday. The members are very excited since it’s their first concert after a several months. Many of them became rather emotional, said band member Sharmin Sultana Sumi.
She said, “Stage shows are the real place for an artiste or a band. There is no alternative to it, to communicate with the audience. We are very lucky that we have returned to concerts due to the love of our fans.” Sharing her experience at Cox’s Bazar, Sumi said, “We went to Cox’s Bazar by bus. We stopped on the way to eat. Everyone was emotional because this was happening after a longtime. I can’t tell you how much fun we had altogether.”
Nemesis took the stage after eight months. Elita Karim, vocal of the band Raga, performed on the same day. Nemesis member Zohad Reza said they were a bit apprehensive about returning to concerts after such a long break. The band performed 11 songs on Friday’s concert.
Zohad said, “No stage shows for the last eight months. There was no communication with the audience for so long. It was suffocating. We were a bit nervous about taking to the stage all of a sudden. But it was fine after a few songs. We got together with the audiences and got back our lives.” He added that all members of the bands are practising. They have no programmes schedules for this month, but talks are on for several corporate shows. They are pleased to see the concert-friendly environment coming back again.
The government has no restrictions about indoor concerts, Blues Communications managing director Farhadul Islam said. “Arrangements for concerts are underway on a small scale. It’s not that there are concerts with large audiences. We have also organised several government events. Programmes are being arranged on a small scale and that’s a positive sign.”
Bangladesh Musical Bands Association (BAMBA) president Hamin Ahmed said, “We have not been performing at concerts for long, though everything else is going on in keeping with the rules. We heard that several bands and artistes are performing indoors. If open air concerts can’t take place, indoor ones should be organised following health rules.”