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Photo: Suchin Moses

Samson Madella from Hyderabad writes this ringside first-person account of the night where the state had no name:

Me and Rishi, an ex-TAAQ roadie, were with Bruce in his hotel room, catching up, talking songs, gear and biting his ears with questions while he was ‘leesurely’ penning down the set list.

“Wonder how it’s gonna be… we haven’t played Hyderabad for a long time and are playing our new material mostly,” Bruce expressed with a tiny whim of uncertainty. Moments later, Rajeev and Rzhude walked in, looked at the set list, nodded… that’s all.

The aptly titled show Where the State has no Name was a stunner and a bummer of sorts to the crowd at the Hard Rock Café Hyderabad. As an ardent TAAQ devotee, I noticed 10 things… 10 things you need to know about the night and the crowd (in no particular order):

1. Pockets of musicians in the front row counting odd time signatures.
2. Guitar players gleefully fretting… ‘How-does-he-do-that-man’ over every blue note.
3. “These-guys-have changed-since-I-saw-them-last”
4. “Dude, this band is boring, why did you bring me here… gimme back my entry fee”
5. A cute girl from Dilli Oye singing almost all the songs.
6. Audience decibel levels rising from 100 db – 145db (Origami to Roxanne)
7. “The bass guitar is actually driving the band, man”
8. “Let the band guys know that there are people who appreciate their brand of music in Hyderabad too” – A brilliant local musician, Anand Paul, who left halfway through the gig
9. “Chanineese Items”…”Without Wings”…”Jupiter Café”…”Motorbyckle”… all old songs denied!
10. “Whaaat? they wrote a song for this show … what talent, bah bah bah, kya baat hain”