Most of the Indians go to see live concerts because:
- They are the people with approach and can manage to get free VIP passes and all.
- They are from rich section of the society and can manage to buy tickets (if any).
- Attending live concerts is a feel good thing and a bit of fun.
The real fans of artists are generally sitting in last rows, or even worse; standing. The folks sitting in VVIP and VIP sections are the the output of above 3 points. Anyways yesterday night there was a live concert of Ghulam Ali and me and 2 of my friends were ready to enjoy and had high hopes. So we got the tickets well in advance to avoid any “not available” etc etc situation. The time printed on the ticket was of 7 PM and 2 other singers were supposed to perform before Ghulam Ali. So we reached the venue around 6:15 to find that they had just started to setup the stage and other stuff. Nothing much strange as India runs like that only. Finally after 8 PM they started entering people and we got good seats. Weather was being tricky and a rainfall was a sure thing to happen. Finally things started moving a bit and it started drizzling as well. They introduced some local signer on stage and he left after singing 1 song. Then came the two expected ones; a man and a lady and till then it was no more drizzling; it was raining. Things continued but people were waiting for Ghulam Ali only.
Then after 9:30 Ghulam Ali came (rain had stopped by then) and was seated in the first row with some chief guests and that guy and the lady were still singing. Now those guys were not supposed to waste any time but he still continued. Many people had even left till this moment. Ghulam Ali took the control of stage around 9:45. It has been just half an hour or little more that police came to get it closed due to 10:30 PM limit. Somehow somebody talked to them and the matter was sorted out but probably for some time only. After sometime a policeman came in front of the stage, raised his hands and asked them to stop ! Man just imagine, an artist of the stature of Ghulam Ali singing on stage and a policeman, in this way, telling him to stop; what a crying shame !!! What the heck the organizers were doing at that time ? Anyways Ghulam Ali did acknowledge him and said “shayad woh keh rahe hain k hum yeh band kar dein…bas 2 min mein kar dete hain….” Ghulam Ali said the final words and started to leave.
Then the stage was taken over by the host. He got pretty emotional and said that some xyz of Delhi is sitting here (some counselor or something was sitting there in guests). The night clubs can run up to 4 AM. There is not an issue with that but a ghazal mehfil cant continue after 10:30 PM. Then some action was taken and permission was given for another half an hour or so. Then Ghulam Ali started again but the taste has been lost till then. So things were just not that good.
And about the ambiance and other things there i just don’t understand what the heck is the need for people to bring their 0-14 yrs kids along. And then eating chips, sipping soft drinks…ghazal mehfils are for that ? On stage on guy is going up, another coming down etc etc. One sick idiot was standing in front of the stage and shooting with his video camera, Ghulam Ali requested him twice to stop but everything fell on deaf ears. Then two security guards came and literally pushed him away. Still he was not ready to move. Enough of crap…
Lets talk about the whatever little Ghulam Ali saab sang…well he started with Ghalib’s har ek baat pe kehte ho with an opening sher from ishq mujhko nahi vahashat hi sahi……then came Faraz saab’s hui hai shaam to aankhon mein bas gaya hai fir tu followed by dil mein ik lehar si uthi hai abhi; amazingly done. Every time the word leher being presented with different sur taal and style. Pure magic ! After that pehli wari aj uhna akhian ne takkia. And then in hurry few others like awargi and hum tere shahar mein aaye hain.
At the end it was a magical show spoiled by few idiots ! We came back so sad and disappointed. An oppurtunity to watch such a great artist lost 🙁
And for the friends who would like to know what what according to me a ghazal mehfil should be like, please watch these videos. This is what magic a ghazal mehfil can create.
May 2, 2010 at 11:10 am
man nice long post.. good that u added videos to play while reading 😛
May 2, 2010 at 12:40 pm
😀
May 2, 2010 at 11:18 am
you know what u say is right and that is the main reason (ambiance and preference to rich customers) that is killing the ‘real experience’ for so many of the good industries like view Cricket from the stadium, stage shows, performances, nature reserves.
that is the whole reason people stick to their TVs as it makes them feel like they are sitting in the first row and the legs of the people behind are not on their head and the kids to the right and not screaming and crying and the couple on the left are not having their own xxx show and the people in from are not tooooooo tall.. 🙁
May 2, 2010 at 12:40 pm
🙁
May 2, 2010 at 2:56 pm
True and innocent words came from deep heart. Now what i can say is “We as Indians don’t deserve things”. Except very few true lovers of art, we as a group like “Himesh Reshmia night” or “DJ xyz”.
No solution. Community should be educated and of same taste. Such things should not be there if Ghulam Ali concert would be among top notch army ppl.
May 9, 2010 at 2:43 am
if something like this was to happene here in canada, I’m sure the promoter of the show was gonna face lots of consequences…. 1) starting by returning the money that everyone paid for the tix…. 2) the poor promoter would have never even thought of putting on another show.
I don’t know what i up with apney people. its everywhere, If we go to watch a punjabi movie in a theatre once in a while, people have the whole bloody theatre that seats 500 people reserved for there family or the neighbors. Then they all come to watch movie in group of 10 to 15 and yeah bring there 0-10 year olds, that prolly don’t even undrestand a word.
So now we have to look at this problem both ways, first its the people that pull this kind of crap on us by making us wait, and spoiling it… and its also some of us that let them do this to us because they know that we are use to this type of treatment…
I agree education is necessary and my frustration is, movie night is for your family not for your neighbors or you masi’s chacha’s daughter’s in-laws family…..
May 9, 2010 at 8:22 am
Movie is still understandable a bit. No doubt, this way, they spoil the enjoyment for others. But for a Ghulam Ali concert what is the need to drag your kids or dying for Coke & Chips ! Why the heck you have come there then ? Sit at home and enjoy the Coke n Chips…
May 9, 2010 at 8:20 am
Not sure how many ages we are going to take for such education !
June 10, 2010 at 2:12 pm
Sidhu,
Oracle DBA and Ghulam Ali fan is what describe the real fun in the life. Thanks for posting such a fine blog post. Keep it up.
regards
June 17, 2010 at 9:27 pm
Hey Fahd,
Nice to see you here man. Thanks for the kind words.
You may find this also interesting 😉
http://amardeepsidhu.com/poetry
Regards,
Sidhu