report on XL rock night at Ensemble 2004

From: Gautam Ghosh

http://xlcampus.blogspot.com/2004/11/amperage-sound-of-ensemble-2004-jis
hnu.html

XLRI was treated to some good old fashioned rock and roll by the grand
rock n roll daddies (and one mama) of the east - Skinny Alley.
'Amperage' the show that marked the close of XL's inter-business school
festival 'Ensemble 2004'. The JLT doesn't have a roof, or it would have
been brought down by the sheer brilliance of the veteran musicians on
stage, who belied their 40+ ages.

With a setlist as varied as mixed pickle, there was something for
everyone, from Pat Mecheny to Audioslave, from Steely Dan to RHCP, from
The Doors to ... well, let's stop there. Amyt Datta on guitar was in
blazing form with a fluid tone that draped over all present like warm
honey at times and sharp blades at others. Jeff Rikh behind the skins
was in a thunderous rage as he destroyed the Tama kit while getting out
a rock solid rhythm section that bassist Gyan clung on to and never let
go. They mixed it up nicely with their originals, notably 'Swunk' that
struck a such a chord with the ladies in the crowd that they played it a
second time, the odd-time signatures on the jazz-rock tune ending with
an explosion of coordinated pyrotechnics.

XLers got into the act as well with Skinny Alley inviting members of
BodhiSapling on stage for a jam. A total of 7 musicians on stage played
the BodhiSapling original dedicated to the mess - 'Too Many Potatoes'
with guitarists Bharat and Amyt trading groovy blues solos as Narain
took the crowd through the chorus, a song that appeals to everyone who
lines up at the mess foyer at lunch! Special mention must be made of
Poornima on drums - she was like a rock, it isn't often you see a
budding lady HR manager playing drums on a rock band, do you? But that's
what XL is about, in the end...