Tom Morello's India debut a night of raw energy and rebellion

Armed with his "Arm The Homeless" blue Stratocaster, a red scarf around his neck and a raised-fist cap, Grammy-winning guitarist Tom Morello turned his long-awaited India debut into a night of raw energy and rebellion.

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Whammy-ing, scratching and grinding out searing riffs, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee held the audience spellbound as he unleashed his unmistakable sound at his debut concert on Wednesday.

Generational Rock and Tributes

Backed by The Freedom Fighters Orchestra in Gurugram--featuring Carl Restivo on guitar and vocals, Dave Gibbs on bass and Eric Gardner on drums--Morello charged onto the stage alongside his son Roman, opening the set with the powerful anthem 'Soldier In The Army of Love', setting the tone for an electrifying evening. The father-son duo sharing the stage carried a deeper message--that music, much like resistance, is timeless and passed down across generations.

A self-professed admirer of late heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne--renowned for his solo career and his defining years with Black Sabbath--Morello tore into a blistering rendition of 'Mr. Crowley', as he acknowledged Osbourne as a towering influence on his own generation and the one that follows, gesturing toward Roman as the crowd erupted. "That generation brought so much joy and so much music to this generation," Morello said, gesturing towards himself. "The amazing thing that happened on the way to Birmingham is that Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne brought the love of music also to this generation," he added, gesturing to Roman.

Much like his performances across the world, Morello blurred the lines between artist and audience as the night unfolded with a sense of purpose and intimacy. Riff-heavy anthems like 'One Last Dance' also followed through as fists punched the air and voices rose in unison as the setlist tore through the breadth of Morello's storied career.

Rage, Rebellion and Solo Anthems

Morello, celebrated for his iconic riffs with Rage Against the Machine, delivered the band's classics with the same raw urgency that once defined a generation of the movement, making them feel freshly relevant to an audience experiencing them live in India for the first time. "One more time for Justice. One more time for Freedom. And one more time for Rock and Roll," Morello said.

Tracks like 'Killing in the Name', 'Bulls on Parade', 'Bombtrack' and 'Know Your Enemy' didn't just fill the stage--they ignited it, with Morello commanding the space with explosive energy and undeniable stage presence. Interwoven were powerful moments from his solo project, The Nightwatchman, including 'Hold The Line' and 'The Road I Must Travel', alongside a stirring rendition of Bruce Springsteen's 'The Ghost of Tom Joad', each song deepening the bond between stage and crowd.

A Poignant Tribute to Chris Cornell

One of the most poignant moments of the night came when Morello stepped away from the microphone for two songs, dedicating the space to his late friend and Audioslave bandmate Chris Cornell. He spoke quietly of wanting Cornell's spirit to fill the room, to linger in the air and echo through the audience. "His music is forever with us and will never be outshined," Morello said, as the crowd listened in reverent silence, singing in unison once again as he performed 'Like a Stone'.

As the final notes of 'Rock And Roll All Nite' rang out and the venue erupted into thunderous applause, it was clear that the city had witnessed something rare. Tom Morello's long-awaited India debut was more than a display of technical brilliance--it was a reminder of rock music's enduring power to provoke, unite and inspire, leaving an imprint that will resonate long after the amplifiers fall silent.

Tom Morello's India Tour is produced and promoted by BookMyShow Live, the live entertainment experiential division of BookMyShow. (ANI)