Festival: TIMES BANDRA FESTIVAL 1

On Saturday, September 26, 2009, Venkat, Vinitha, Pooja and I attended a light music concert by Hariharan as part of the Times Bandra Festival. Wow, what an experience!

This blog I must surely dedicate to Dorai Thatha and Rajeswari Chitti. I have heard so much about the two of them attending concerts during the Chennai music season over the years. Somewhere deep down in my subconscious, I had made a decision to attend live music concerts too.

So far, I must have attended about half a dozen throughout my life. If I had the time and the inclination, the tickets would not be available or vice versa. But this weekend, it feels as if I have won the lottery.

My daughter, Vinitha, got us passes for four concerts at the Times Bandra Fest - the best time as it is a long weekend with the Monday off for Dassera. Yesterday was the first one with Hariharan – the man with the golden voice – on the stage.

Blessed I feel living in the same era as this music maestro. He was FANTABULOUS, to put it in one word. I am not too knowledgeable about the many nuances of music, but have a good ear for it. This man’s range is awesome. His voice swings from one end to the other, from the upper to the lower and again to the highest levels in a matter of seconds. It’s God’s gift, nothing less.

The show was on for about two hours where Hariharan had the audience hanging on to the edge of their seats, swinging to the music and rhythm of his songs, feet tapping, hands clapping and some of us out of our seats, dancing away. He held us all enthralled as the mice bound to the pied piper.

Hariharan began the concert with Bharat humko jaan se pyaara hai from Roja and from that moment on we were totally hooked. Without a single break, the concert went on for two full hours – a dream come true for me.

Some of the songs that we all enjoyed were – Mohe rang de – how many ways would it be possible to sing a couple of lines – amazing!

Roja jaane mann that flowed into Dheemi dheemi
A song from the Wonder Wars by Hariharan’s younger son Karan – very nice
Then there was Priyasiiiiiiiiiiii…. nahi saamne ye alag bath hai from Taal – I realised that there is no limitation to this musician’s pitch
Chanda re from Sapnay peppered with Hariharan’s own ups and downs – my favourite song
Vennilave – Tamil of above – loved it
Nilaa Kaaikiradhu, neram theikiradhu – another Tamil number, simply superb
O Hansini Meri Hansini – an old Kishore Kumar favourite
Medley from Colonial Cousins – along with his elder son, Akshay – the bestest
I am the one so crazy about you – along with both sons – the audience went crazy along with them
Chappa chappa – a wonderful finale to the evening.

Hah – a wonderfully satisfying evening that we finished off with a lovely dinner at Himalaya, Sion along with Vignesh and Pooja’s son Jeetu.