When the eager journalist lady with the mic asked "what do you think about the Interactive window concept?"; "It is good and we have come to see Swarathma play" seemed a polite reply - but then I guess she expected me to say "awesome, brilliant, rocking, am so excited" & spring up and yell, which I didn't, and that was all she asked. The show was still 10 min away.
It was a super Saturday of sorts. Kung Fu Panda 2 & Swarathma. Back to back. Though"interactive window" reminded me of a summer evening at Amsterdam; we would not go there now - family channel and all, you see. Ok no distractions. Back to music. Jayanagar fourth block. Nokia store. Hearing a band play facing the street, standing where mannequins would be on a cloth store, for the crowd to watch from the walkway. N's third Swarathma show in 8 months and this time at the front row on a railing.
A few worthy notes:
- Brilliant concept and as always a great show (The lady with the mic had left by then): Music that set a little girl sitting by the railing humming & 3 young adults from a poorer neighbourhood who had paused on their way back home from a rag picking session dancing. It had passengers at the buses with their mouths open as the drivers deliberately slowed down & a supercilious high heel who nosed past came back sensing the energy of the place. The chords & beats cut through.
- It was time for the second song - Tibet- and a couple of new instruments were picked up. Two of three young adults had found stuff fascinating by then. "Dei, peeppi paaredaaa", the one with the ruddier betel tongue pointed to the other. Vasu had started playing a wooden whistle or was it a micro flute? Doesn't matter. It was peeppee alright. That window showed different things to different people.
- Around the same time, N pulled my ear closer to her. "I have a secret to tell you. That maama is wearing blue socks along with red and green shoes. Why?" She giggled. The lead singer continued his rendition unaware.
- Yesu, Allah aur Krishna had started. There was a request made ahead to put the hands up in the air as in a bhajan recital. Everybody did. After 2 minutes, there was only 1 pair of arms up in the air - the third young adult. The society chose to be propah and tighten its muscles while the under belly hardly had any inhibitions. It danced - without concerns of the need to look good. Such joy
- For Topiwale, the Nehru caps came out. Orange, pink, green and a distinct colour that sat inclined on Nayak's head. One topi stood out. On the head of a tabla guru who teaches the instrument over skype to beginners - A red polka dotted one, a la Monroe - an Amsterdam distraction once again.
It was time to leave.
