Shillong, Feb 15: The third edition of the Bloomverse Festival brought a night of nostalgia, electrifying guitar riffs, and timeless rock ballads as legendary American rock band Mr. Big took the stage for one of their final performances.
Headlining the festival’s Shillong leg at Lum’er Pyngngad on Friday as part of their farewell BIG Finish Tour, the band delivered a performance that will be etched in the memories of those who attended.
With a career spanning over three decades, Mr. Big is known for their blend of melodic rock and technical prowess. As they took their farewell bow, lead singer Eric Martin made sure to leave a lasting impression, engaging warmly with the audience and fellow musicians.
Their set ran for a straight two hours and featured classic anthems like To Be With You, Wild World, and Just Take My Heart, sending waves of nostalgia through the crowd. A predominantly older audience, many of whom had grown up with these songs, sang along with every word, swaying and dancing in a sea of reminiscence.
The night began with performances from a diverse lineup of bands. Kolkata-based Akasavani opened the evening with a set of originals, followed by Shillong’s own Alive, led by keyboardist and singer Jerry Berg, who played local hits including Bah Paul’s Ri Lum. Bottle Rockets India from Guwahati serenaded the audience with love songs in Assamese, English, and Nepali, Andrea Tariang brought a touch of jazz before making way for the main act.
The festival had a clear Valentine’s Day theme, with each band dedicating a few songs to couples in the audience. Though the footfall was around 4,000—a relatively smaller crowd for a festival of this scale—it only added to the magic of the night. Unlike overly packed concerts where distractions run high, this was a crowd that had come purely for the music, creating an intimate, immersive experience.
And then came Mr. Big. Guitarist Paul Gilbert was in stellar form, his fingers flying across the fretboard with the kind of precision that has made him one of rock’s most respected musicians.
Interestingly, the band appreciated the city’s musicians and interacted with them, telling them how good they were.
For fans who had waited years to see Mr. Big live, it turned out to be the final chapter of a legendary band’s legacy. And as the night came to an end, the realization kicked in that rock and roll never truly fades, instead it just simply finds new ways to live on.
