JOIN USSwinging to some rocky beats
For Mr Big fans in the City, it was truly a night to remember. The venue at Palace Grounds was filled (but not overcrowded) with rock fans from all generations, eagerly anticipating a reunion concert with all the original band members in place.
Starting well on time and efficiently organised, the evening saw three opening acts before the four-member group of world class performers, comprising bassist Billy Sheehan, soulful Eric Martin on vocals, versatile Pat Torpey on drums and guitar virtuoso Paul Gilbert, burst on stage. Praveen David, with his world fusion band River, Slain and Galeej Gurus kept the crowd going till the energetic foursome took the evening to the next level. It didn’t matter that some of the crowd were familiar with only a few of the group’s songs and others knew every line and every word by heart. Some sang along wrapped up in the music and the rivetting performance on stage while others held hands and swayed to the beat. Saggy, the RJ, kept everyone amused with his patter and banter while at one point the barricade between two broke and two categories of ticket holders merged in a happy amalgam of sorts.
Starting off with The Electric Drill song (Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy), Take cover and Green Tinted sixties mind which were some of the old favourites that had the crowd singing along and swaying to the mesmerising beat with their hands up in the air.
“It’s amazing to see the kind of energy these guys generated on stage. It’s also sad that bands which are much younger don't have a fraction of their charisma and vibe. They simply reached out to the audience and drew the kind of response that only true world class rockers can generate,” said fans of Mr Big, Ajay and Manisha Vinod, who also felt that Billy Sheehan’s bass playing was mind blowing.
Of course the group did not disappoint those who had come to hear Wild World giving the crowd an extra treat with a slick interchange of roles during their rocking rendition of Smoke on the water. The show came to resounding climax with Teenage wasteland and a couple of final encores.