I Rock 22 - Day 2

The traditionally better day of I Rock – Day 2, began with some real loud music by a band called ‘Dream Out Loud’, that was unknown to many. The music arrangement & the sound quality was better on Day 2, as both the major speakers were loud enough to be heard even at Fun Republic. Dream Out Loud mostly played OCs (Original Compilations) & that’s exactly where they went wrong. Most of their songs were monotonous, but the one that stood out was ‘Two Encounters’.

As Dream Out Loud walked off the stage, now was the time for one of the biggest crowd pullers around, ‘Them Clones’. Them Clones started off with an OC, that got the crowd headbanging. Though, their second song was the one that started the famous moshpit at I Rock. It was none other than the much expected RATM cover, ‘Killing in The Name Of’. No one else covers RATM better than Them Clones in India. They went on to play many OCs that were well appreciated by the crowd.

As Them Clones signed out it was time for all the metal heads & moshpit mongers to come in front and sway all the way. PDV (Pin Drop Violence) were given an exhilarating welcome by the crowd. Pradeep Bhatia, one of the better vocalists for me, had an electric stage presence as usual. PDV started off with the much expected ‘Get’em Off” as they went on to play many of the originals from their new album as well. Some of them were good, some were ‘ok’. The song that had to be performed at I Rock, was none other than ‘In - Dependence’ and PDV performed it with a great flair as always.

PDV signed off with a Pantera cover, welcoming the true ‘Dinosaurs of Rock’ on stage.

Farhad Wadia, the organizer introduced a friend of his as the first vocalist. He sang an OC that was about the city of Mumbai. Dinosaurs further went on to play what is one of the all time best rock songs, ‘Another Brock in The Wall - Part 2’. That remained the most beautifully sung song of the evening. The crowd got to hear some Led Zeppelin as the only female performer of Independence Rock arrived on stage. The range of her voice & her vocals overall were outstanding in every sense of the word, so was her stage presence.

The next vocalist of the band sang two songs, that were largely boring, though he made up for them by selecting something from the Division Bell as his final song. ‘Coming Back to Life’ lingered in the minds of the crowd even after they departed.

Farhad Wadia, the organizer himself , was the 4^th vocalist as he sang the legendry Pink Floyd song ‘Time’ dedicating it to I Rock. With Farhad as the vocalist, Dinosaurs went on to play a hardcore AC/DC number ‘That’s the way I wanna Rock n Roll’, which was very well received by the crowd.

In this entire story of varying the vocalists, Nandu’s lead guitars & Kieth Pinto’s bass were absolutely amazing as they sounded great with some flamboyant drum beats at the background.

The last vocalist of the evening was none other than the man himself, Gary Lawyer. Gary started off, with ‘My Sacrifice’, saying that’s how he feels while performing at I Rock.

He sang some fabulously euphonious music, though the only disappointment was that the show had to stop abruptly since it had already crossed the ’10 o`clock’ limit.

I Rock 22 terminated with some memories that will stay with the rock lovers for a real long time, as all of them hope for more I Rocks, probably even I Rock 50!