Pepsi Battle of the Bands 3 crown Bayaan winners

Having seen Xarb and Bayaan, the top two bands competing for the title of winners this season in the last episode through a bevy of songs, the eighth and finale episode unveiled the winners.

If the last episode presented a somber performance from Aaroh (‘Ik Chah’) as well as one presenting Badnaam, the grand finale episode packed an aggregate of performances that eventually surpassed the winners themselves.

Our story begins with Bayaan and Xarb, both of whom were invited onstage and were wished the best of luck from all the judges. Fawad Khan told them: “I think you’re both amazing musicians,” while Meesha Shafi noted how proud she was of the two acts and Faisal Kapadia explained how easy it was of utmost importance to take the whole band together as their journey continues. Most of all came the offer from Bilal Maqsood, who told both bands to bring their songs to them in the studio and discuss and bounce off ideas and to ready their album.

That kind of encouragement from a band that has stuck around for 30 years was good to see.

In between were the annoying efforts to add wit to the proceedings by the hosts but that section needed serious editing, should the show return next year.

Strings began the performance series with their famous hit, ‘Zinda’ and set the ball rolling. Before performing, they spoke about the song itself and how over time they’ve changed it for stage and this particular performance is something people will probably hear for the first time. Joined by their band, Strings put up a performance that proved why they are still at the top of the game. The fact that ‘Zinda’ has always been a good song added to the energetic, flavorful Strings takeover off the stage. The guitar solos were delicious. The choice of the song was also smart, given the times we live in.

It was a hard act to follow and yet Meesha Shafi did it beautifully. After performing a tongue-in-cheek, desi-punk-rock cover version of Madam Noor Jehan’s ‘Koi Sarda Aye Te Sare‘ in an earlier episode, she came back with an original song.

Speaking about her performance prior to it, she revealed that the track was called ‘Mein’ and was about our individual experience(s), a conversation that one has with oneself when alone and with God.

Her performance was marked by a band who added layers to her idea such as Usman, playing bowls that have been around for thousands of years, the addition of cello and violin, and a female musician called Veeru on percussions. The entire experience, noted Meesha, was about making it more of an audio-visual experience and she kind of stole the show with it.

A complete turn-around from her last performance, this part-melancholic, part-spiritual, atmospheric performance, where she is questioning and speaking about sensing a lost world within adds a different, newer layer to Meesha’s narrative as a musician. It echoes a vulnerable space, one the musician has bravely showcased and rarely seen before. Beautiful and haunting, it’s the song that eclipsed its successor(s) and predecessors.

‘Mein’ leads you to wonder what Meesha can do on an EP featuring a bunch of original songs. At one point, all the players on stage put on a mask, and right at the end, place the mask on Meesha’s face, giving us the audio-video visual experience, she spoke of prior to performing and a provoking thought to go along with an equally powerful song.

Following Meesha Shafi was Vital Signs member and producer of the show, Shahi Hasan, who chose to perform the iconic VS track ‘Maula’ which to me is still one of the better ‘national’ songs and one that Shahi recalled was written as a prayer.

“I wish Junaid was here today,” he said. And you knew it was a different man doing a much different performance with a band that included the likes of Asad Ahmed. Shahi Hasan’s ‘Maula’ did not match up to the magic he pulled last year with ‘Namumkin’ but it was a decent performance nonetheless.

He was just as quickly followed by Fawad Khan, whose musical aspiration remains somewhat of a question mark. Having shed the EP act, which he showcased last year, Fawad returned to the stage with a song called ‘Satrangi’. He is said to have written the lyrics and composed the song and noted that it speaks of unity and togetherness. Why people keep insisting on unity at a time when the nation is deeply polarized, I’ll never know. As for Fawad’s performance, it was unlike anything he has done before. He told us it was written in 2008 when he was in solo effort mode and falls in the world music genre. But a version of it has also featured as an OST for a drama serial.

Joined by a massive orchestra, the largest in Pepsi’s history we’re told, Fawad Khan pulled it off well. The instrumentation was absolutely killer and Fawad showed that beneath that superstar-actor surface who no longer has a musical career to speak of, he actually has one still breathing inside. He just needs to let it out. But then he is a full-time actor and would he do a song without Pepsi Battle of the Bands in the mix? He can afford too.

These star-studded, powerful performances eclipsed the later parts of the episode where Bayaan and later Xarb made a comeback and their personal stories were told through the eyes of their families and themselves.

One of the members of Bayaan has a habit of smacking and it’s his sister who says it lightly before stating she hits him back. What?

Though the segment was endearing in entirety, it made little sense to pack the first half with performances and then stories of the bands and the bands themselves. A balance was needed.

Bayaan took the stage with ‘Nahein Milta’ and it felt like a meandering performance even though the lyrical content was sharp. In between were moments when band members asked judges some questions but it made the episode feel a little sluggish, too long to digest.

When Xarb came on, the musicianship changed as did the overall vibe. Performing a song called ‘Kashmakash’, it began as a retro-sounding melody and grew into something surprising and profound. How they didn’t win this competition and didn’t get enough votes is a tragedy.

Xarb was the deserving band; there is no question about it. But given that the winners were chosen through public votes, this is neither here nor there, ultimately showcasing the public’s love for Bayaan.