Hard Rock Cafe, Pune Review

Okay Guys, be forewarned... the following article is not an HRC review... rather, I would term it as HRC Sunday Evening Review to avoid any beating from the HRC Hard core fans.

Why do I say that?

Well, just because I had a nightmarish (or evening-marish, if you will) Sunday evening at the HRC yesterday.

Now, I've always been going to Apache (Chandni Chowk) and am very impressed with the kind of music they play, and for a Rock Crazy person like me, the versatility offered is just amazing. Last month, I decided to check out Thousand Oaks and Hell Yeah, was I pleased or what? (I'll cover T-Oaks in another review)

Amazed by the music and the cocktails at T-Oaks, I decided to give all the Pubs and Rock Clubs in Pune a try and explore for myself...the best of 'em!

So, here I head to the HRC on a Sunday evening, hoping for the best night of my life and expecting a Headache after half a dozen Tequila shots and some deafening music...... only if I knew!

Reached HRC by 8 o’ clock and I must admit, the edifice looked awesome.

The words "Hard Rock Cafe" were glowing in red neon lights and a small garden (kinda) just in front of it adds something 'extra' to the charm. Went inside and was delighted to see/feel a mind blowing ambience. HRC is like a small museum and it have so many awesome mementos that it takes a while to stop, admire, and absorb the beauty of every single guitar, photograph or an autographed Gramophone Record.

Eric Clapton's guitar, Steven Tyler's custom made costume and Bob Dylan's concert dress is worth mentioning here. Now, I am not sure whether these are the replicas or the actual artifacts. I didn't ask the people there, but what I feel is- they have the originals tucked in safely in some part of the world, and they display the replicas in every branch of the HRC. Will confirm this and update my blog accordingly.

A quick tip here: Don't forget to click a picture of the chandelier (with saxophones attached as connectors between layers) just above the main bar!

A very cute receptionist escorted me to my table and I was already feeling rhapsodic by the time I took my seat. Now, in HRC, wherever you are seated, if you look around, you'll find many photographs, depicting different bands or individual band members and various kinds of guitars. Now, this gives an amazing Add-On to the ambience and you really feel like listening to some metal.

My friends joined me in 15 mins and we ordered some light drinks (Beer, anyone?) coz the music being played was very soothing kinda, not exactly Rock, but I'd say Rock in a POPish kind of way! The volume was very low and it seemed the music was coming from the neighboring restaurant. I got bored after a while and decided to check out the outdoor Trance Lounge. It is also a nice open air cozy lounge, but it was too hot out there... and anyways, I always pick Rock over Trance or Jazz, so.. decided to return. Asked the receptionist if the music will remain the same way, she said that after half an hour, they'd be playing some metal and the volume will definitely increase. She even quoted an example - "The music will be so loud that we won't be able to have this conversation without yelling at the top of our lungs." I asked her if the patrons can request any songs, and she declined politely, "Sorry Sir! But we don't take any requests!!" (Now that's a huge... I mean.. HUGE Negative!!!)

Somewhat reassured, I went back to my table and called for another round of booze.

Just as I turned around, to my utter dismay, a family walked in. Now, this family consisted of three Women (Aged 50 or above), a Couple (Early 40's) and their children (15 yrs or younger)!

What???!!!

What are the kids doing in a Rock Lounge?

Is it allowed?

Period…

Now, during the past three years, it has become a reality that during the months of Mar-Apr, wherever you go - across India - you can't escape the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the HRC was no exception. All over the place, they had LCD Televisions bumbling with the match and even the big screen (which occupied the podium where the Live performances usually take place) gave no respite!

T-Oaks and Apache also screen these matches, but there you take a peek at the screen only occasionally, to check the score. But in the HRC, due to the poor content and disastrously low volume, everybody was watching the great Master Blaster Sachin smashin' them Rajasthan Royals! To add to the IPL woes, some guys seated at the adjoining table were hooting immensely every time the Mumbai Indians hit a four!! Heck!! They were even hooting whenever the MI's took two runs!!! Grow Up you sissies!!!!...

I think the HRC staff should've stopped them.. anyways...

Time passed..

We were at the HRC for more than 2 hours now, and there was still no sign of the Metal that I'd been promised by the cute Receptionist (girls are deceptive most of the times.. aren't they??) It seemed the underpaid DJ had inserted some Rock-For-The-Apes CD in the system, pushed the Play button, and gone to sleep!

When you can talk to your friends, in a Rock Lounge, without having to raise your voice, then something's wrong.... Something's really REALLY WRONG!! (Anyone remember the doomed MEGADETH concert at Bangalore in 2007? The speakers were so faulty and the sound system, microphones etc so sloppy that fans were consummately disappointed and the next week Economic Times published an article loosely based on the following theme - "How/Why the Indian event management companies still suck!!").

Well, the same thing happened to us. We were talking and Gossiping as if we were in a family restaurant!!

Then, someone at the bar whistled (Yes, he had the Traffic Police kinda whistle) every time he prepared a drink to be delivered at a table. Again, that interrupted the little bit of so called music being played there...

Coming to drinks and food - It is a known fact that HRC is very costly, so it's always better to come there half drunk. Thank God I didn't go there half drunk or it would have been an insult to my Antiquity Blue (you know.. my eternal ranting with the music there)! They have some good Cocktails as well as a varied collection of Mocktails which are good for tryin’ out. Food menu is fairly good too and you can have some American dishes, a specialty in itself. I didn't check the menu thoroughly, and didn't eat much, so it would be unfair to comment on the diversity and the quality of food. But one thing is certain - If you are planning to drink and have a decent meal in the HRC, do expect more than 1000 or even 1500 bucks to be spent per person.

Period…

Even After spending two and a half hours, the music didn't change and we felt it was not right for us to have that over-expensive food with such a treatment thrust upon us. Now, I am the kind of person who worships bands ranging from Beatles, Rolling stones, Jim Morrison, Dire Straights, U2, Metallica,... to Marilyn Mansion, Nirvana, Linkin Park, Rammstein, System of a Down and the contemporary rock- and even then, I was barely able to recognize two or three songs out of 20 or more that they played during those excruciating two and a half hours!!

Hence, we paid the bill and slipped over (I did watch a fashion show and a Belly Dance Performance {Thank God for that!!} by the poolside across the HRC before leaving the territory!) to Carnival (Saada Desi Dhaba!!). I was happy to order all the chicken I wanted to without worrying about the bill, a privilege, which you are denied at the HRC!!

Given the reputation of the HRC and the positive reviews I've read all around the World Wide Web, I'd like to blame the Sunday evening for all the mess, and I'd love if I am forced to change this review the next time I go there...

Yes Hard Rock Cafe, I will give you another chance.. and I'll have another Beer.. and I'll come on a Saturday Night, I promise!!... But please live up to your name... and lemme know what 'HARD' in the Hard Rock Cafe means!! Bring on what you've got.. and bring the best out of you...

Rock Isn’t Dead!!