The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : A pleasant concert

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 03, 2007
ePaper


<SCRIPT language='JavaScript1.1' SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/adj/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> </SCRIPT> <NOSCRIPT> <A HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/jump/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?"> <IMG SRC="http://ad.doubleclick.net/ad/N4322.hinduonline/B2155503.3;abr=!ie4;abr=!ie5;sz=468x60;ord=[timestamp]?" BORDER=0 WIDTH=468 HEIGHT=60 ALT="Click Here"></A> </NOSCRIPT>

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

A pleasant concert

Rakesh Mehar

GOOD SHOW: Kailash Kher performing at IIM-B on Friday. — Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Bangalore: That familiar feeling of foreboding began to creep in when Kailasa and Kailash Kher took stage more than an hour late, and began to play to a somewhat poor turnout.

That the mix sounded harsh and almost intolerable didn't help matters either, and one felt that the concert at IIM Bangalore's Unmaad was headed for failure.

Despite initial fears, however, Kher rallied back rather quickly, particularly when the crowd from the lower denomination stall broke through to the front. With an audience to bounce energies off, Kher finally seemed to come into his own. Ably backed by Paresh and Naresh Kamat of Bombay Black on the guitars and bass and on vocals, Kher had the audience pumped on his unique mix of spiritual ballads and lightweight but not frivolous Indipop numbers.

Particularly when he began singing "Jana Jogi De Naal," for instance, he managed to strike a wonderful chord with the audience.

Ending on the hit that made his career, "Allah Ke Bande,"

Kher made it almost impossible for anyone to follow up his act.

But Lucky Ali did just that. Bringing the audience down to a softer and mellower level, Ali did what he does best; melt hearts with his strikingly simple ballads such as "O Sanam" and "Ghar Se Main Nikla."

Ali and friends proved they were more experienced band of the evening, managing a far fuller and more rounded sound than Kailasa's somewhat spare output.

The icing on the cake, for the students of IIM Bangalore came when Ali called on one of the students to accompany him on "Aa Bhi Jaa."

A pleasant concert on the whole, but one that failed to become a great hit because of poor sound and a lack of punch.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka