GigView: Pentagram
Even to a person that attends most shows put up by a consistent line up of various incredible artists, there comes that occasional gig; the anticipation of which instantly makes the heart race. Pentagram is one such band that does exactly that.
The 4-member iconic act of Vishal Dadlani, Randolph Correia, Shiraz Bhattacharya and Papal Mane performed at The High Spirits in Pune on the 4th of November, as part of the many ongoing NH7 Weekender Pre-parties. Also promoting their newest album, ‘Bloodywood’, Pentagram were one of the gigs the city most looked forward to and they didn’t fail.
The show was a little delayed and the band had to deal with an initially hesitant audience and a bumming technical snag – neither of which were enough to hold them back though. From the moment they took the stage, they lashed out an undeniable energy that is so characteristically theirs. They proved that when they’re on that stage, they own it!
Hitting it hard and right, the night started with ‘Drive’ and ‘Animal’ but the crowd only truly jumped on board with the newly popular ‘Lovedrug Climbdown’. The band next kicked back hard with ‘Identify’ that came with Shiraz Bhattacharya’s insane drumming. Vishal Dadlani’s energy never waned as he rocked through ‘In My Head’ and into ‘Voice’, arguably one of their most recognized tracks. It had the crowd crooning the lyrics right out of their lungs.
Now comes the most outstanding part of the night. Hardcore gut-wrenching energy with distinct Marathi beats – Pentagram know the exact sounds that hit the chord with the crowds. ‘Tomorrow’s Decided’ had everyone mentally breaking out into a Maharashtrian style dance while head-banging. Randolph Correia’s subtle showmanship worked magic along with Papal Mane’s sleek bass.
Next song of the night, ‘Mental Zero’ had the crowd singing back to Vishal in what formed a perfect union and was followed by ‘Nocturne’, that made people want to raise their hands up to heaven right from the first beats. The song has a near powerful soulful energy. The night ended with ‘Electric’ which was unfortunately all they had time for.
Pentagram has evolved with time and is known to incorporate new sounds while retaining their originality. The four members form a unit so cohesive that they are as much a pleasure to watch as they are to hear. Vishal Dadlani’s raw vocals, Randolph Correia’s brilliant presence, Papal Mane’s nerve-chilling bass and Shiraz Bhattacharya’s drumming fit right into a live act that will leave you looking forward to seeing them play again before you’ve even left the venue!
Photographs by Navin Devnani-Torres and Aniket Dasgupta.
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About the Author: Apoorva Gavarraju
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