"That perhaps is the single biggest contribution of Rahman: With his growth, he also elevated our own musical appreciation. " - SO TRUE !
On Sun, Apr 20, 2008 at 10:55 AM, Gopal Srinivasan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Growing with Rahman (Revisiting the Sharjah Concert) > AR Rahman's concert in Sharjah on April 18, 2008 - > his third in the UAE - had all the flavour and flourish one expects > from the Indian music composer. > > Leading a team of talented > singers includng Hariharan, KS Chitra, Sadhana Sargam, Karthik, Blaaze > and Naresh Iyer, among others, the concert - for a change - started on > time. Well, given the stretchable time standards of Indian stage-shows > in the UAE, call it absolute relief. > > The true pulse of the > concert, obviously, was in the Gallery and the Prime Standing area. > Considering that the chunk of VIP and VVIP tickets are 'freebies,' > there are sharper expectations from that cross-section of the > spectators which pays for their tryst with Rahman. These are the true > music-lovers. Imagine, shelling out Dhs100 from the lean-mean monthly > pay of Dhs1000 and then some. That is the sort of adulation Rahman > earns: Pay, if you must, but do not miss the man on his return to the > UAE after four years. > > At the risk of digressing, must say, the > Prime Standing Area was one happy picnic. Picture this: People > reclining on the grass, on a bed of newspapers (nothing less than The > National, UAE's newest paper); families munching into hot samosas; tots > treading out of their prams... and the red-uniformed Security with > their machismo and 'beware-we-are-here' attitude. The festive mood was > nothing short of what awaits a temple fair in India, where families and > youngsters congregate for unabashed fun. > > The stage looked much > smaller than Rahman's previous concert at the Al Ahli Football Stadium > in Dubai. The lay-out looked impressive, though. > > What would Rahman start off with? My contention was: "Oruvan oruvan > Muthalali' from Muthu, though I knew it was a far shot. I just thought it > was well, sooooo egalitarian. I was happy to be wrong. > > Rahman kicked off with Jaage Hain (Guru); > it was vintage Rahman - a man in control. The close-ups on screen > showed a man, eyes closed, engrossed in the music. Jumping ahead, must > say, one of the most delectable experiences of the concert was watching > Rahman watch his singers sing - he listens intently, smiles and just > gives them the space to be...! > > Well, it is futile going into the > repertoire for the evening - I didn't take notes, and all I did was > dance, and sing along with Rahman. I sang through his heavenly humming > for the song Kabhi Neem Neem (Yuva) and irritated Varmaji (my > partner for the night - add his son Vishnu to the team; thanks to him, > the average age of the trio was diminished by a few decades.) > > But some eight songs into the concert, despite Rubaroo (Rang De Basanti) > too being sung, we felt deprived. The energy simply was lacking. We > know: Without SPB or Shankar Mahadevan to anchor the show, it is hard > to charge the air. Hariharan tried but there is only so much he can go. > > I think that also answered a part of the question, which I had posed to > Rahman a week before during an interview. > I had asked Rahman who was more important to a song - the singer or > composer. He ascribed some of the song's success to fate. But I (and > Varmaji agreed with me on that) feel there is an added dimension that > singers like Yesudas and SPB give to songs. Call it energy, if you may. > > And > then the Rahman magic erupted. He belted out a few of his foot-tapping > numbers in quick succession (don't ask which ones - I am amneisic in > the sheer delirium of being there), and the Concert was back on track. > The momentum was taken forward by Shivamani, who discovers rhythm in > everything he knocks on... and he passed on those infectious beats to > us. Hats off, Shivamani. You are one of a kind! > > The visuals that played on the screens to highlight the songs were good. > The choreography (particularly Maiyya Maiyya) was excellent, and Hariharan > knows what it takes to endear himself to the audience with his indefatigable > energy (singing Chanda Re to the moon). > > With > Blaaze encouraging the spectators to lift up their mobile phones > creating several thousand star-like brilliance on ground, the stage was > set for Rahman to sing to us, Pray for me Brother - an absolute stunner. > > There > were several Rahmanesque moments: What more can a composer ask for when > with the first note of his song, a whole stadium of people erupt to > cheers and even get to start singing! > > But undisputedly the song of the night was Khwaja Mere Khwaja. > Rahman had the spectators in a trance - the trance that perhaps he > personally was in, while singing. The song was defining for another > reason. It showed the growth of Rahman - as a person, a singer and > composer. That stamp of maturity was the take-home quotient of the > Concert. > > In another five years, you might not go to a Rahman concert for a > Mukkkabla or Chaiyya Chaiyya. > Sure enough, these songs would be there - but Rahman will give you an > extra-high that truly marks his evolution as a musical genius. > > That > perhaps is the single biggest contribution of Rahman: With his growth, > he also elevated our own musical appreciation. He lifted us and we grow > with Rahman. > > Rahman thanked us. No Sir, we thank you. > > > http://rajeevsnair.blogspot.com/2008/04/growing-with-rahman-revisiting-sharjah.html > > > -- Cheers, Pradeepan. "All you need to do is decide what to do with the time that is given to you !"
