Arekta Rock Band –
You never really know how you move from one place to another and that’s what happened here. Zihan, Riasat and Rasha were making music together through the band Hash, while Arjo and Ifaz were a part of Ressurect and The Mark Don Project. Arekta Rock Band was created, when Riasat and Ifaz got in touch with each other. What initially started out as a plan to follow the sound of the wave of modern rock music, eventually took a different shape when the band started jamming. As for their favorite album covers, the band listed Ten by Pearl Jam, Songs of the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age and Hail Stan by Periphery. Funny enough, the name of the band was never really planned. When they couldn’t find a name, they had named their group chat “Arekta Rock Band”, which eventually took life. Zihan currently works on his own venture Sketchboard Interactive, while Riasat works as a law faculty at AIUB. Rasha just graduated from Southeast University with Ifaz currently pursuing his undergrad from NSU and Arjo will sit for his HSC next year. This diverse group of entrepreneurs, service-holders and students wish to still be making music together in the next five years.

Arekta Rock Band is Riasat Azmi, Ifaz Abrar Reza, Sakib Manzur Zihan, Arjo Biswas, Mohammad Raihan Mahbub Rasha.

Attic –
When it’s meant to happen, the universe really does work for it. How else can you explain the fact that the members of the band have known each other since childhood as they all came from the same school? The indie band’s journey resulted in them creating their very own sound and their own collective understanding and perception of songwriting and the world itself. Their favorite album covers include Resistance by Muse, Ghost Stories by Coldplay, Dangerous by Michael Jackson, Kid A by Radiohead and Room on Fire by The Strokes. They say that the name had always existed and it was just a matter of time for them to give it an official shape. The logo and the name itself symbolizes supremacy-a perfect foundation or the best structure and the nature of always being on top. Everyone in the band is currently completing their undergraduate degrees and focusing on developing skills in business, economics and media while Sharar is pursuing a corporate career, the band wishes to see itself touring internationally in the next five years.

Attic is Shadab Shams, Sharar Shayor, Tauhid Shamsuddin, Gourav Nandy, Sayem Chowdhury.

Conclusion –
The band came to be as half of the original line up were college friends, which is why making music together was more like a hobby than a decision. As the years passed, the line up changed with new members joining who always seemed to have faith in the band, leading them to continue to make music. The biggest impact on their music has to be attributed to the fact that they took several attempts at covering songs of their favorite artists and had to wait a while to nurture every new song they came across. Their list of favorite album covers includes-Ohom by Watson Brothers, Danob by Cryptic Fate as well as every album by Incubus and the beloved Pink Floyd. If you ask Conclusion why they call themselves that, they’ll tell you it’s a name that was decided last minute when they were booking a practice pad. It means exactly what it says in the dictionary. Currently juggling between their universities and offices, the band hopes to bring out at least two more albums and a few music videos in the next five years.

Conclusion is Atif Imtiaz, Ali Nafi, Ekram Wasi, Zakir Hossain, Maheyan Hassan, Zakir Hossain (2).

Dads in the Park –
It was probably fate that brought Tajwar and Ishmam together, who met at BRAC and decided to pursue music together when they found chemistry while composing a song. The fact that when attempting to make music with others didn’t feel as comfortable as it did when they did it together, was another indication that this was it. When asked to list their favorite album covers of all time, they collectively agreed upon Blackbird by Alter Bridge, Black by Black, Only by the Night by Kings of Leon. The name of the band originated from the concept that dads take their children to parks where they have fun which brings joy and satisfaction to the dads. The duo is metaphorically the dads whose music is their children in the world is the park. Tajwar, known as the laziest between the two who’s currently studying in Brac and Ishmam who works at an IT firm wish to see themselves at The Ellen Show or Royal Albert Hall or Wembley Stadium in five years. Because, why not?

Dads in the Park is Ishmam Salim, Tajwar Ul Islam

Eida –
The band came to life once it was revealed that Samiul would be leaving the country, which made Zihan and Munhamanna feel that they couldn’t let such a talented individual go without people getting a taste of his work. For them to connect was an obvious feat as Zihan, Munhamanna and Samiul went to the same university, while Arjo and Munhamanna were bandmates back in 2017. What helped Eida take shape was the chemistry and their original taste palettes that had built among Zihan, Munhamanna and Rasha who had been making music together for their university events for four years straight. Arjo’s experience of playing with names like Mark Don, Ifaz, ZP and Tajwar Ul Islam along with Samiul’s realization of finding happiness via making music just added to making it a reality. Their favorite album covers include Abar by Black, 64m53s by Arbovirus, Oshamajik by Warfaze, The Color and the Shape by Foo Fighters, In the Court of the Crimson King by King Crimson. While throwing around names, the band asked themselves, “EIDA kemon?”, and they all thought “EIDA bhalo”. It apparently works as a joke for the deshi people and exotic name for foreigners; a combination they aspire to become. The band wishes to be an old timely one-hit-wonder band that achieves minor celebrity status among the Dhaka rock underground listeners and is still remembered five-ten years from now.

Eida is M. Samiul Haque, Raihan Mahbub Rasha, Sakib Manzur Zihan, Hassan Munhamanna.

Headline –
Friends for about 18 years now; a friendship that started from school with a dream of becoming rockstars one day is how the band came to life. Who knew wanting to do something that seemed cool would take such a shape later in life? The level of performers and the way respect is showcased towards artists at Bengal Classic Fest has had quite an impact on the band. However, what has had a bigger impact is the love they received from their listeners. Funnily enough, the idea of the name came back in school when while in class they were being taught about writing articles and how those require ‘headlines’ and that’s how a band of that name was born. Nihal and Dipto are both currently pursuing their undergrad at IUB. Sharar is an RJ at Radio Foorti, while Junaied is an event planner and Kazuki works at Grey Dhaka as a copywriter. In five years, the band sees itself participating in festivals around the world, including the Glastonbury Festival in England. They also plan to release two-three albums which would encapsulate the world as it is. Headline plans to walk a path in which they wish to change the way people in Bangladesh perceive music and artists.

Headline is Nihal Chowdhury, Kazuki Kunimoto, Junaied Rayhan, Farhan Masud, Sharar Shayor.

Martian Love –
Well, they claim to have met on Tinder, one thing led to another and they ended up making music together. Truthfully though, the biggest impact the band had, which shaped them to be what they are today is the break they took after Escapade, which gave them the chance to experiment with their own sound. As for their favorite album covers, the band mentioned ASTROWORLD, Lonerism Flowerboy and Sgt. Pepper’s. While you’d think that the name of the band has an extensive story behind it the truth is, it was picked out from the list of names Sharruk had come up with way back in high school. With no particular meaning to it, the name was decided upon because of how cool it sounded. Besides making some of the most loved underground music in the country, Rafi works as an RJ while Salman spends most of his time playing football, Sharruk is currently pursuing his undergrad degree and Hasib is generally working on different projects. As for where they see themselves in five years? It would most likely be Mars and if it’s not, they won’t tell you in fear of ruining the surprise.

Martian Love is Sharruk Masood, Anan Gazi, Fazle Rafi, Salman Chowdhury, Hasib Mahmud

There is no question that underground music will keep getting bigger and better as time goes by. If these bands are any indication, you know there’s hope and massive talent in this industry. All we need to do is support the people who have given their passion such a shape.

N.B – Band names are listed down alphabetically