Bangalore's Rock 'n India with Richard Marx & Backstreet Boys

By Nishal Lama Published: February 22 2010

He was here, played some of his best numbers and left people gasping for more. And when that wasn’t enough – the boys did the trick.

What was the buzz over the weekend? India's international music festival – Romanov Red Rock ‘n India. Two years of the musical fiesta, and organizers had promised to make it bigger as the years go by. The 2008 episode saw two of the biggest and loudest bands that the world knows till date: Machine Head and Megadeth. 2009 proved to be even better, leaving none to complain – it was Iron Maiden, the U.K.-based-band performing to an enthralling audience of close to 20,000 people.

All said and done. But, the biggest surprise possibly was yet to unfold to the music aficionados from the country – and that was, the third edition of the musical extravaganza. Drifting away from the mainstream metal and rock genre, the bands performing at Palace Ground yesterday were the American vocal group, Backstreet Boys, and the American singer and songwriter, Richard Marx. One, however, could hear some loud music by four other bands sharing the same stage. Strumming away the evening, was two of the best Indian bands that the country has seen: Swarathma and Five Little Indians. And then, it was Prime Circle (band from South Africa) and Jayce Lewis who made the decibels go high in the amplifiers.

But the anticipation was clearly more for the latter part of the concert, and that was when two of the most awaited acts were to happen. Dressed in blue denim and a black-striped waist coat, Richard Marx left Bangaloreans fazed with his powerful vocals. Juggling between a few guitars (acoustic and electric), Marx belted some of his best numbers, which included some the hits like Satisfied, Hazard, Endless Summer Nights, Now and Forever, and of course, the one that looked more like the crowd’s favorite – Right Here Waiting. Needless to say, the music was in sync, so were the vocals.

The gig featured a line up of two guitarists, one in the lead and Marx doing the rhythms, and a bassist. Drums couldn’t be missed for it synchronized so well with the rest of the music, and there was surely a clear demarcation between the acoustics and electric. While for a musician it is the audience that decides the success of a live in concert, there clearly was a strong connection between the audience and Marx yesterday, when the artist was seen addressing the crowd, often, during his performance. He even tried showing his love for the country by saying a few lines in Hindi. Marx, perhaps one of the most promising singers and song writers from the world of music, received a thunderous reception from the audience, far louder than most of the other solo artist who has shared the same stage.

Audience – the combination of people from different age groups – seated amongst the audience, were barely had a moment reeling from what they had just witnessed, when the next big thing happened. Dressed in black and white clothes, the group, Backstreet Boys, started their performance with their hit song ‘Everybody’ accompanying it well with synchronizing dance moves. The band wooed the audience with numbers like As Long As You Love Me, Quit Playing Games, and Straight Through My Heart leaving audience screaming and shouting with joy, gasping for more. The well choreographed moves, punctuated well with their songs got them a lot of accolades from the onlookers. With a promise to be back next year for their own tour, the four-member band not only sang their all time hits, they danced and acted too, all to the delight of their crazed fans.

However, many old fans of the 'Rock 'n India' are disappointed as the last two chapters featured heavy metal bands as the headlining acts, but organizers seem to be happy with what has gone behind this time as well. Being committed to live music in the country, we at DNA networks have kept up to our promises, due to long standing requests from fans all over the country for mainstream music and classic rock, we have adapted the line-up for the music festival Romanov Red Rock 2010 in India edition 3,” said T. Venkat Vardhan, MD, DNA Networks. He added, “Bangalore has also been added as a venue due to craving music fans in the city.”

Red Romanov is the official sponsor of the mega music festival in association with Force India, Pepsi, VH1, Hindustan Times and Daily News and Analysis.

Tags: rock n india, rock india, richard marx, backstreet boys, international music festival

Email Favorite Print

17 comments

Depurr May 31st, 2010 04:34 PM

I wuz der at the festival ''Rock in India'' I dont think so dna. I left after dee performance of Jaycee dat was de only reason i was der and what was dat Nickelback rip off band called? Prime Circles SHIT So i wuz not der for BSB and very happy about it

Channels:

Subscribe Newsletter

Get it delivered on your mobile or email.

Tell a friend

Contact Poster

Bangalore's Rock 'n India with Richard Marx & Backstreet Boys

17 comments

Add your comment...

Stories

Business directory

Shopping

Food & Drinks

Entertainment & Arts

RealEstate

Home & Garden

Automotives

Accommodation

Health Care