Rewinding The Magic: Avinash Gupta’s Cassettes & CDs Nostalgia

There are typical nights of live music, and then there are nights that feel like stepping straight into a time machine. Avinash Gupta’s Cassettes and CDs Nostalgia at The Piano Man, New Delhi Eldeco Centre, was undeniably the latter—an incredible, spellbinding journey through the golden era of the 90s and early 2000s.

From the very first chord to the final fading note, the room was charged with an electric, deeply emotional energy. Gupta breathed fresh life into iconic Bollywood and Indie tracks, reimagining them in a way that felt both intimately familiar and strikingly new.

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A Collective Chorus

The true magic of the evening was the profound connection between the artist and the audience. It was less of a concert and more of a collective chorus; every single person in the room knew every word, singing along with a joy that was absolutely infectious. It is rare to see a crowd so deeply and visibly moved by someone's music, but Gupta held the room in the palm of his hand.

The setlist was a masterfully curated love letter to our youth, featuring:

The Indie Pop Era: Sweeping through the breezy, soul-stirring days of our past with Lucky Ali’s O Sanam and the ultimate coming-of-age anthem, Purani Jeans.

Bollywood Romance: Captivating the room with the timeless romance of Roja Jaaneman and the hauntingly beautiful Zara Zara from Rehnaa Hai Terre Dil Mein.

The Perfect Climax

Just when the audience thought the night couldn't get any more exhilarating, Gupta threw a brilliant curveball. After an exclusively Hindi set, the opening riff of Bryan Adams' Summer of '69 suddenly echoed through the venue. The surprise track caught everyone beautifully off-guard, pushing the room's energy completely through the roof.

Finally, as the crowd begged for more, they were treated to a soulful encore: the title track of Kal Ho Naa Ho. It was a poignant, heartfelt close to an unforgettable evening—a night where music transcended mere performance and became a shared, beautiful memory of the cassettes and CDs we all grew up loving.