CACTUS W h o a r e w e? ! A band, if you like things simple. A Bangla rock band. Surprised?? Bengal prides itself on it’s past… (1861-1941) > Rabindranath Tagore (1921-1992)> Satyajit Ray (1910-1997) > Mother Teresa So what’s modern Bangla really like? Now that’s a tale we’d like to tell. Plug into our music and you’ll find the mix ‘n’ match of cultures that define Banglaa today. The cosmo-banglaa sound. That’s who we are….

MEMBERS:

Siddhartha: If medicine taught him the human anatomy, music taught him the ways of the mind. For Dr. Siddhartha Sankar Ray every song is a personal journey. A journey where he shares his love, hate, laughter and anger with every face in the crowd.

Sibaji: The backbone of the band. He does a double role for the band… gets us started and holds us together when the rest of us fly…the drummer boy!

Sandip: The Creator was going through one of his mood swings… and Sandip was born… he provides the groove with his flamboyant bass playing… a rock head…

Sayak: The singing machine who loves to ride the highs…

Allan: Quiet and unassuming, Allan loves being part of a rock n' roll band and believes that is the only way to get high!

Sudipto: He is a bagful of surprise… believes in rock till u drop… Ready to set the keys on fire…

ACHIEVEMENTS:

Been There…

• Allaince Francaise, Chandigarh • Fete de la Musique, World Music Day 2001 concert, Delhi • ETV Anandadhara Sharadotsav • Indo-UK workshop on Cultural festivals and tourism, Kolkata • Doordarshan New Year’s Eve programme-2000-2001; 1999-2000;

1996-97 • Concert for Kargil • ABP Barshabaran 2000, 1999

• Hero Honda/ Thums Up Bangla New Year • Indo-Bangladesh rock concert • Freedom 50 Concert • Anandalok-Ujala Awards night • Millenium Vishwa Banga Sammelan • ATN World launch show • Rockbaaji-----Patshala2.com & Britannia • Bengal Film Journalists Association ( BFJA) Awards Nite • Anando Award ‘ for music 2002

• Shalimar ABP ‘ Additiya Tour ’ 2003 . • Kalyani Black Label/ Pantaloons/ Pepsi - Cheer India World Cup series

of seven concerts 2003. • Kalyani Black Label’s… Bangla Rock 2002 along with

MIlLES(Bangladesh) • ABP Aditiya 2003 • Haldia Utsav 2003 • Kalyani Black Label’s… Bangla Rock 2003 • Mcdowel Tour, Black Label Tour, Concert for Peace, Rock Jugalbandi

on2004 • Bajaj Hot Tour, Swabhumi Festival, Epar Oper Concert on 2005 • Yamaha Gladiator Launch Tour,Smirnoff Rock on Tour, Aikotan

Mumbai,Concern for Kolkata 06, Tollygunge Club – Poila Baishakh on 2006.

…Done that

• Organised a 12 hour show Plug ‘n Play, World AIDS Day Concert 2001 • Voted the best musical act of the year and won the Chancellor

Anandalok Award for music 2001 . • The only band to hold a stall at the Bangla Sangeet Mela . • The first Banglaa rock band to be featured on MTV in 1995 • Went live on Zee Music’s COMPACT DISC • featured on STAR TV’s “Good Morning India” • Channel V shot us for their “Campus” show • Cut our debut album with HMV in May 1999 • The First Banglaa Band to feature and make music for the movie Nil

Nirjone in 2002/03. • AGAIN organized Plug ‘n Play, World AIDS Day Concert 2003 • Third album Rajar Raja fro Asha Audio in 2005 • Produced, directed, composed and performed India’s first ever video for

gay rights “Pokhhiraj” (The Pegasus) in 2005 which was featured in the LGBT Film Festival, Frameline 30, at SFO in May 2006

• Participated along with India’s leading singers, actors and celebrities in the performance of the video “Tsunami,” part of the album “We Believe in Now” (Saregama) released by the Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh in July 2006; directed by Usha Uthup

• Composition and performance of the superhit title track “Dil” of Hindi serial “Love Story” (Sony TV/SAB TV) directed by Anurag Basu

• India Tour 2007: Series of shows all over India in October 2007; 8 shows in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai, including at the prestigious Lokhandwala Pujo of Bollywood singer Abhijit

• Judged & mentored many upcoming Bangla bands of West Bengal during multiple reality shows on TV channels 2005 onwards; Band-E-Mataram, KBL Rock, Airtel Bandwagon etc.

Mumbai, October 2007…Cactus with singer Abhijit and director Anurag Basu

On the sets of Airtel Bandwagon..April 2008…Cactus with living legend music director A.R. Rehman

INTERNATIONAL CONCERTS: • Rock Jugalbandhi by mcdowels • Epar Opar concert by Amar FM and Z Bangla • USA Tour 2006: Series of shows in North America in September-

October 2006; 8 shows in Washington D.C., Boston, Pittsburgh, Seattle, St. Louis, New Jersey, Houston & Chicago

Cactus in the United States of America; NYC and Washington D.C., October 2006

VIDEOS OF SONGS: Pokkhiraaj (The Pegasus): Speaking out in support of the LGBT community... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk_u3rnEReE Halud Pakhi (flashback by Cactus): The all-time favorite and arguably the most well-known Cactus song; a song about the fantasies of a lost childhood... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92DMRkQKQLU Dil (Hindi version of "Mon"): Their first Hindi song..directed by Anurag Basu..from the TV show "Love Story".. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtc44Uu8jvo Mon: The original Bengali version of the above; from the film Nil Nirjone...arguably one of the best love ballads of recent times... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTSoi0ybQbg&feature=related Buddho henshechhe (The Buddha Has Smiled): Anti-War cry from Cactus.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDVTPe4aQ58 Noah'r Nouka (Noah's Ark): Lyrically one of the best songs of Cactus..from the movie Nil Nirjone... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cx87f5PIyko&feature=related Rajar Raja: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZkH-OQMJ-I Aamra Harina...for Band-E-Mataram...with Fossils and Lakhhichhara: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QC1K8kmvELI