The Hillsong Convention Centre in Sydney turned into a gathering of rock fans from both Bengals on Saturday evening, as Nagarbaul James and Fossils frontman Rupam Islam shared the stage before more than 2,000 Bangladeshi and Bengali-speaking fans.
A long queue formed outside the venue, pushing the scheduled 6pm start to around 6:30pm. Rupam Islam took the stage shortly before 7pm and performed around 15 songs, including ‘Hasnuhana’, ‘Ekla Ghor’ and ‘Acid’.
His energetic set lasted more than an hour, with the audience singing along and responding with loud cheers and applause.
After a brief break, James appeared on stage at around 8:45pm. The venue erupted as soon as the Nagarbaul star arrived. True to his style, he spoke little and went straight into his songs.
James performed popular numbers including ‘Dushtu Chheler Dol’, ‘Meerabai’, ‘Taray Taray’ and ‘Shundoritoma’, along with the Hindi song ‘Bheegi Bheegi’. More than 2,000 voices joined him, making the stage and audience feel like one giant choir.
The mood changed suddenly when James began ‘Ma’, written and composed by Prince Mahmud. The lively crowd fell silent as listeners focused on the emotional song, with many visibly moved by the performance.
The audience also requested James’s popular song ‘Baba’, but it was not included in his setlist. Despite that, he continued performing one hit after another until around 10:30pm, ending his set amid loud applause and a chorus of voices from the crowd.
The concert also carried a festive atmosphere, with sophisticated sound and lighting adding to the performances. Bangladeshi food stalls outside the venue became popular spots for gatherings among expatriate Bangladeshis.
At one point, the Bengali Cine Club invited its partners and sponsors on stage to express gratitude for their support, with James also welcoming them.
Sydney resident Talat Mahmud praised the event, saying it was one of the most organised concerts he had seen in the city in a long time. He said Rupam’s performance and James’s songs made the night memorable for expatriate Bengalis.
Anita Biswas also praised the audience’s participation. She said the entire hall seemed to become one when James performed ‘Taray Taray’ and ‘Bheegi Bheegi’. Another audience member, Kamrul Hasan, expressed similar excitement about the event.
The enthusiasm was fuelled by a long wait to see the two rock stars share a stage again. James and Rupam had previously performed together at a concert in India in 2024.
Interest in the Sydney concert grew further after a video of James meeting Rupam after arriving in the city spread on social media. Their joint performance on Saturday night finally fulfilled the long-awaited wish of music fans living abroad.
