Indian hard rock and heavy metal enthusiasts were in for a treat as Sikkim-origin group Girish and the Chronicles opened the act for legendary American rock band Guns N’ Roses at Mumbai’s Mahalaxmi Race Course on May 17.
The 30-minute set warmed up the crowd for the main act. Their opening act, which included a live performance of their 2024 track Kaal, brimmed with an infectious energy, with fans calling lead vocalist Girish Pradhan “India’s Axl Rose”.
Rose has been the lead vocalist and lyricist of Guns N’ Roses since the band’s inception in 1985.
Formed in October 2009, the band from Sikkim’s Gangtok has been spearheading the Indian hard rock and heavy metal scene for the last decade. Led by Girish Pradhan on the vocals, the band consists of Yogesh Pradhan on bass, Suraz Karki on lead guitar and Nagen Mongrati on drums.
Currently based out of Bengaluru, GATC is heavily influenced by classic rock and metal bands of the 1970s and 1980s, calling Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Guns N' Roses their inspirations.
Sharing a clip featuring a live performance of their song Kaal moments before Guns N’ Roses took the stage, frontman Girish Pradhan wrote, “This is not a sound check. GATC - ‘Kaal’ - Live in Mumbai, 2025. Support Act for Guns N’ Roses.”
“Still can’t get over the amazing evening in Mumbai with @gunsnroses ! Had a great time being the supporting act,” Girish captioned a series of pictures of his on-stage moments on Instagram.
Previously, the band supported Guns N' Roses at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi during their performance on June 1, 2023. In the same year, they opened for bands like Bullet for My Valentine, Billy Talent and Alter Bridge at the Summerside Festival held in Grenchen, Switzerland.
With three studio albums to their name, GATC have opened for and shared stages with bands like Hoobastank, Poets of the Fall, Destruction, TesseracT during their India performances.
During their ventures abroad, the four-member band has shared the stage with Nazareth, Skid Row, Kamelot, Bonfire and Danish singer-songwriter Mike Tramp. Back in 2019, they also backed Chris Adler during his India tour.
Twelve years after their last performance in India, Guns N’ Roses made a thunderous comeback last weekend, enthralling a packed crowd with a high-octane performance.
The iconic group — comprising vocalist Axl Rose, lead guitarist Slash, bassist Duff McKagan, guitarist Richard Fortus, rhythm guitarist Izzy Stradlin, drummer Isaac Carpenter, and keyboardists Dizzy Reed and Melissa Reese — took the stage around 7pm, igniting the venue with their signature sound and charisma.
The band performed for over three hours, treating fans to more than 25 songs, including timeless classics such as Welcome to the Jungle, It’s So Easy, Pretty Tied Up, Yesterday, November Rain, and Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.
