Danish pop-rock band 'Michael Learns to Rock' brought back nostalgia in waves by belting out hits of the 90s as it kicked off the first concert of a five city India tour here.
On a cold Friday evening, the audience, at the open air stage at the Showshaw theatre at the Kingdom of Dreams kept warm by opening act of Traffic Jam, roared in appreciation as guitarist Mikkel Lentz, vocalist and keyboard player Jascha Richter and drummer Kare Wanscher appeared on stage.
With an energetic display by Kare on his drum kit, the dapper looking trio began the concert with their 2014 single "Silent Times" whose chorus "These are silent times/ The words wither away. Just like a flower that dies/There's nothing left to say," flattered to deceive as the band had indeed a lot to say.
Clad in a dark coloured suit and donning a pair of round coloured glasses that he announced was "given to him by his daughter" took the microphone and let music do the talking for the band's '25 Live' concert that celebrates its silver jubilee.
"We begin our India tour. It has officially started. We are so happy to see you for the first time at our live concert in Delhi," Richter told fans who kept jumping up and down in delight. The vocalist also introduced a new bass player "who looks like a Viking," for the show.
After 'Sleeping Child' and 'Complicated heart' it was time for the single "Ill Wait for You."
"Maybe some of you think we have stopped recording in 1997, but to tell you a fact we still record and released a new single on November 6. We are playing it of the second time ever," Richter said before proceeding to sing it aloud.
A video of the single lit up the the illuminated stage background.
Quite a performer, the lead vocalist entertained the crowd with his antics, scrunching up his face, gesturing and doing a little walk around on the stage.
Incidentally, the band calls itself MLTR in tribute to the King of Pop Michael Jackson, who is renowned for his onstage histrionics.
Blue-eyed guitarist Lentz wore a wide smile and a classic back combed swoon worthy hairstyle managed to get a lot of applause for his guitar playing.
The audience, kept beat by swaying their hands clapping
and dancing to the music of the 90s represented in the songs "You Take My Heart Away," and "Take Me To Your Heart."
As strains of "The Actor," one of the band's most recognizable songs, which Richter told the crowd "was a very old song, even older than the Bib Bang," there was hearty applause.
"We are very touched that you all still remember our songs. It has been so many years," he said.
After "Someday" the band lined up took a bow with Lentz blowing a kiss and exited the stage only to return and play a couple more songs including 'Paint My Love'.
One super enthusiastic fan who had sung himself hoarse was thrilled to bits when the band finally belted out '25 Minutes', which he had been requesting from the beginning of the show.
The one-and-half hour concert concluded with the hit song "That's Why" which went like this, "I don't wanna say goodbye to you."
"Thank you Delhi. Hope you see you again soon," Richter singed off before bowing out finally.
The band, is now set the road and play at Guwahati, Dimapur, Kolkata and finally in Goa. The event was organised by Delhi-based 7 Sisters Entertainment.
