The five -year-old Grammy-nominated outfit, comprising Axel Christofer Hedfors, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso, is among the top bands in the international party circuit today. Their India stopover was a part of a swansong world tour; the group will disband after a performance in Miami next year. Titled “One Last Tour”, SHM was to perform in Mumbai on Saturday but could not due to Shiv Sena supremo Balasaheb Thackeray’ death. “We are working with promoters to replace the Mumbai show,” said the band’s official statement, adding that they will visit the Maximum City in January.
The SHM experience started five kilometres before the venue, with three black dots — the symbol of the outfit’s last tour — appearing on road signs directing fans to the performance space. The DJs’ first appearance was as silhouettes bobbing on a bright stage. The crowd greeted them with a roar. Over the next two hours, they spun hits such as Nothing but love, the sensuous number In my mind, and the energetic Save the world. SHM read the Noida audience perfectly, varying the tempo of their songs with the mood. All through, fireworks, lasers, smoke, confetti and loud “India, how are you doing?” by Hedfors punctuated the music.
Every fan knows the SHM anthem and “official song of the tour”, Don’t you worry child, and the crowd carried the tune and lyrics with the band. This was followed by British alternative rock band Coldplay’s Every teardrop is a waterfall getting a new twist. A memorable visual moment was the Indian flag flashing across the giant screen on stage during the lyrics: “So you can hurt me back, but I’ll still raise the flag”. SHM ended the gig with an encore of Don’t you worry.
The gig ended around 10.15 pm but the crowd seemed in a party mood. When the line of cars in the parking lot made no movement, a few adrenaline-charged youngsters switched on SHM classics on their car stereos, and soon, the parking area was booming with music, with nobody in a mood to go home.