Sinking in the Indian Ocean!

Another stimuli another post. That’s the trend of my blogs these days.
And this ones not just ‘any’ stimuli, it’s the mother of them all or at least the aunty, to downplay things a little.

Venue: Stamford, Connecticut
Date: 18th August, 06
Time: 8ish in the night.

I enter this dingy looking school complex. No signs of any concert definitely, my 20 bucks have gone down the drain alas! People, going somewhere with purpose. All z not lost after all. Enter this school auditorium and there’s the equipment and the band finally. Indian Ocean. I won’t call myself a hardcore fan at this point, in the sense that I have not heard every single song that they have composed, but I know the famous ones, just enough to appreciate the creativity and come all the way to Connecticut to listen to them. But that is about to change big time.

Start with a sober and serene number, missed the title, and straightaway I am mesmerized. The guitar is amazing and so is the melody. Second one ‘kya maloom’, as Rahul Ram introduces it as the tandaav of a reluctant shiv ji in the midst of the chaotic Kargil War. This one followed by ‘hille le’ and ‘Melancholic ecstasy’. The last one being a pure instrumental and pure gold at it. Reluctantly went for a break, which as Rahul Ram very candidly put as a necessity for the sponsors to make some money and letting them play more. Rushed through the chicken biryani which was surprisingly tasty.
The opener after the break ‘bande’ a haunting number from black Friday followed by ’bhor’ which had one of the best pieces of guitaring I have heard for some time. Time just seemed to fly as we were already down to the last three. ‘Boll weevil’ followed by top 2 songs in that order ‘maa rewa’ and ‘kandisa’ wrapping up the proceedings. The last two were particulary good with amazing improvisations and ingenuity from the band members and couple of jugalbandiis between the base and the drums, the lead and the drums and a unique instrument whose name I don seem to find anywhere and the base was particulary awesome. In all a breathtaking experience so much so that I was standing and clapping all through the second act and ended up, me with mohit and gurudev, to buy the entire collection on sale outside.

I was particularly impressed with the lead guitarist Sushmit Sen, and the bassist and vocalist Rahul Ram, the percussionist Asheem and Amit’s drums. Well what the heck, the entire band. Oozing with talent and still down to earth. I had heard that watching a band live is an altogether different experience and so it is , no doubts about that. Sadly the entire thing was not recorded. I wud have been the first one to buy it.


P.S.: Major kick to my inspiration in mastering the guitar. I already can play Maa Rewa now!!