What a concert!

I had the feeling we were in for a "treat" and so it was. For one and a half hours Ganesh-Kumaresh, Arun Kumar, Keith Peters, Shyam, Satish Kumar and Ravichandra made Saturday night at Narada Gana Sabha an unforgettable one; the best contemporary Carnatic music or in my words "Fusion Music" concert I have ever been to in my life so far. Everyone present on Saturday night got their money's worth and more. Both carnatic music lovers and rock fans from the cosmopolitan crowd couldn't have got it better. The loud cheers and claps after every composition said it all. Each composition based on a popular raga was embellished with bass, drums and the piano giving it a universal appeal. Though not a single song was played from the "Colours of India" album it was a concert to remember.

Arun was the one I came to watch and with searing hot solo's including a nice duet with Keith on bass he delivered the stuff we came to watch him for.

However meeting Ganesh, ArunKumar and the others personally and talking to them was the icing on the cake. Ganesh with pen in his hand was already signing autographs and he gladly signed the back of our tickets. When my brother asked Ganesh why he hadn't performed "Taj Mahal", Ganesh reassured they would perform the number in their next concert very soon. I did tell both Ganesh and Arun that I had reviewed their "Colours of India" on my music blog as my very first review and Arun seemed very curious about it. If only I had written out in a card for them to remember. When asked about his kit called "Traps" Arun told me that he had purchased it when he had gone to the U.K.

While this was going on here, miles away in Indonesia over 4000 lives are lost to mother nature's fury. My prayers go to those suffering, dead and the bereaved. May their souls rest in peace.

What Luck!

I must be really lucky. Ganesh-Kumaresh along with Arun Kumar on drums, Keith Peters on bass and others are performing in Chennai on Saturday the 28'th. Arun Kumar is the one I want to watch. After getting the mail from Sathi this morning I rushed to Landmark in Nungambakkam to get my tickets. At Odyssey in Adayar they have already sold out the Rs.100 tickets but at Landmark I could them. Can't wait for their concert that at the Narada Gana Sabha and to hear the songs "Taj Mahal", "Utsav" and the rest. Colours of India was my first review of an album on my music blog and I can't believe I am going to see the musicians of the album. Vijay (my brother- in-law)who is going to be back from Dubai on Saturday morning day is in for a pleasant surprise as I haven't told him of the tickets or the concert unless he is reading my blog. I am sure Arun Kumar is going to deliver what we missed at the Mynta concert where we longed so much for a drum solo and returned disappointed. Till then let me listen to "Taj Mahal", "Utsav" and "Ghambira" once more...

A break and a new "link"

Last week was plagued with computer problems and poor health. My dizziness had returned and it doesn't seem to leave me completely. I only found a little time to put a link from my site to my reviews on Amazon.com. I have been reviewing stuff since 2004. Three of my well researched reviews on the horrible movie "The Passion of the Christ" were removed. Yes, you can report reviews and they will be removed by Amazon. I hadn't written anything against Christians or their beliefs. However I was vehemently against the unnecessarily barbaric and exaggerated brutal depiction of Christ's death. Amazon retained the votes I got for them though. It was then that I decided to start a blog on the same but the blog never took off. You can check my reviews by clicking the link in the links section on the sidebar on the right.