James and Rupam Islam to share stage in Sydney

After wrapping up his nearly two-month European music tour, Bangladeshi rock icon James is now in Australia, where he is set to perform alongside West Bengal singer and Fossils frontman Rupam Islam.

The two musicians will take the stage today at a concert at Norwest Convention in Sydney, bringing together two prominent voices from the Bengali rock scene. The event has already generated significant excitement among expatriate Bengalis, with all tickets reportedly sold out.

Rupam Islam is a longtime admirer of James and has spoken on several occasions about the influence the Bangladeshi rock star has had on his musical journey. While James is affectionately known as “Guru” among his fans, Rupam has described him as “Mahaguru”.

Ahead of the Sydney concert, the two musicians were seen chatting in a video, where Rupam expressed his excitement about performing with James once again.

“Joy Guru, Joy Rock, Amar Bangla” is the slogan for the concert, Rupam said, adding that sharing a stage with an artiste whose music has influenced an entire generation and Bengali-speaking community is always a special experience.

James, smiling throughout the conversation, told Rupam, “It’s been a long time since I saw you.” The two then tried to recall when they had last met.

Rupam remembered performing with James at a Rock Fest in Bangladesh, although there was some confusion over whether the event took place in 2007 or 2011. James eventually joked about how long it had been.

The pair also performed at a concert in Kolkata in 2024, though their interaction at the time was brief.

During their recent conversation, Rupam recalled James once promising to take him around Dhaka in his car when he next visited Bangladesh. “That never happened,” he joked, referring to James’ famously private lifestyle.

The Sydney concert will give the two artistes another opportunity to perform together, much to the delight of their fans. Before taking the stage, Rupam also touched James’ feet to seek his blessings, adding a personal moment to their reunion.