Well, I stand up next to a mountain
And I chop it down with the edge of my hand
Well, I pick up all the pieces and make an island
Might even raise a little sand.

‘Cause I’m a voodoo child…

It would definitely be quite the task for anyone else, but this was exactly what Voodoo Child did on Saturday, 26th February; 2010, at Gurgaon.

A classic-rock band from Assam,Voodoo Child are aptly named after the magic churned out by the one and only Jimi Hendrix. This was their first show that I attended and I was eager to find out how good this band really was. I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, they smashed the mountain they claimed to chop. The crowd went ballistic as they covered one song after another. Right from the beginning, this band had the audience hooked on to every note they were playing. Attitude in Gurgaon was choc-a-bloc with hardcore rock’n’roll patrons who knew what they had come for. They were provided exactly that, but with a dash of something new.

It is difficult to cover the same old songs and still hold the audience’s attention. So, Voodoo Child played all the familiar songs with a dash of unfamiliarity. The lead guitarist had his own take on ‘Black Magic Woman‘ and while everyone was waiting for Santana, he surprised us all by rendering his own guitar solos. Doing absolute justice to the band, to his Les Paul Gibson and to himself, the man channeled magic through his fingers!

The bass playing was pure awesomeness. During the introduction he was referred to as ‘The Machine’, which rather perfectly wraps up this guy’s description. He made simple bass lines sound very harmonious and appeared to be the backbone of the band, weaving everything together note by note. Though the drummer looked young and raw, the kind of quality and composure he displayed through his thundering rolls was unbelievable. Kirti from East India Company was the guest percussionist on the bongo. He added a very rich flavor to the already very heady concoction of Voodoo Child. His experience and expertise added much character to their music. Voodoo Child covered all the right songs from Creedence Clearwater Revival to The Doors and Santana among others. It was no surprise that they saved Pink Floyd as the crème-de-la-crème.

On the whole, it was a very satisfying experience. In the midst of all the metal and electronic bands which are multiplying like rabbits, Voodoo Child manages to carve a very special niche of class and nostalgia for themselves, while tapping at the listener’s soul.