
BENGALURU: The atmosphere was electric. Many had braved Bengaluru’s notorious traffic and weekday grind to gather at the southern end of the city for an event unlike any other. It was a special evening – two Grammy Award winners sharing the stage: the legendary Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Bengaluru’s very own Ricky Kej, just ahead of his prestigious Padma Shri announcement.
The concert marked the second anniversary of the Prestige Centre for Performing Arts and what better way to celebrate than with a musical extravaganza. The housefull show at the 1,000+ seat auditorium was nearly full and began a bit later than expected, following the familiar rhythm of Bengaluru Standard Time, but once it kicked off, it was clear the wait had been worth it. As always, Kej’s performances began with a bang, building up to a mesmerising crescendo.
Performing fan favourites like A New Dawn, One Song and Ganga, the crowd was quickly immersed in the familiar tunes, enjoying the electric energy that seemed to pulse through the air. But it was the next set of songs that truly captivated. Cauvery, an ode to the mother river, kicked off the set; followed by Kudrat, an homage to elephants; and Jai Kisan, a stirring tribute to tribal farmers with a melody that would easily become an earworm.
Then came Kahe Sataye, a thumri from Kej’s earlier albums, before the audience was treated to a magical jugalbandi between the maestro, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Karthik Mani, the percussionist from Kej’s crew.
Next was an unprecedented cultural and folk set, something the city hadn’t seen so elaborately explored at a Kej concert before. The set began with the Kannada song Banje Honamma and was followed by the viral Dub Konakkol. The journey then shifted North, with powerful renditions of Kesariya, Jugni Ji, Gud Nal Ishq Mitha and Dama Dam Mast Qalandar. The energy reached a fever pitch – with many fans rushing to the stage to dance along. Singers Sudhir Yaduvanshi and IP Singh left a lasting impression with their stellar performances – each adding their own unique style to the evening’s magic.
The concert concluded with Bam Lahiri, Kej’s latest hit, followed by the anthem Shine Your Light – a crowd favourite that has become synonymous with his concerts. The night wrapped up with a memorable rendition of the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana, with a special twist – Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt’s signature instrumental version on the mohan veena. The entire team – Shraddha Ganesh, Nivedita, Srikar Athreya, Manoj George and the Bangalore String Quartet led by Simon Augustine – ensured this was a night to remember.