‘Night of the Vishals’ on last day of NH7 Weekender
Written by Aman Misra | Pune | Published: December 11, 2017 1:09 am It..
Written by Aman Misra | Pune | Published: December 11, 2017 1:09 am It was difficult to discern who was the more popular Vishal, with crowds moving in opposite directions for both acts which were equally well received. (File/Photo)
The stage was set. Day three of the NH7 Weekender was shaping up to be the ‘Night of the Vishals.’ On one hand was Vishal Bhardwaj, the acclaimed Bollywood director and singer-songwriter making his first on-stage live performance in over twenty years. Winner of several National Film Awards in different categories, the Omkara director was well received with his first song Paani Paani Re as the crowds held their breath. A variety of instruments accompanied the singer including a flute and sitar. The crowd sang along to Pehli baar mohabat ki hai.
On the other end were Pentagram and Vishal Dadlani making their comeback on stage after a three-year hiatus. Pioneers in the alternative electronic rock scene in the country, they described their performance as a ‘tester’ to a new album slated for release in early 2018.
It was difficult to discern who was the more popular Vishal, with crowds moving in opposite directions for both acts which were equally well received.
The final day of the three-day music festival was a mix of genres reverberating from all corners of the Mahalakshmi Grounds in Pune.
Mame Khan from Rajasthan, a folk-singer known for Bollywood collaborations that include Luck By Chance, had his audience enthralled with voice modulations and a nine-member band with a plethora of instruments that included a tabla, sarangi, keyboard, dhol, harmonium and electric guitar. Mixing up qawwali and Rajasthani folk, Khan belted out numbers such as Kesariya Balam and Chaudhary. The electric keyboard was out in full swing as the Coke Studio singer orchestrated his energy to the crowds.
Saturday’s fans returned in large numbers to catch some of the biggest acts during the festival that included Ska Vengers. The Delhi-based band, known for their multitude genres and even more instruments on stage, had crowds screaming for more. Begum X, the female lead, sang a beautiful cover version of Nina Simone’s I Put a Spell on You as the band mixed up jazz, rock, and bluesy elements. The male lead Delhi Sultanate, incorporated ‘rap’ elements in his lyrics as they sang together about lost lovers and fallen soldiers.
Switching back to contemporary rock, Parvez from Bengaluru, known for their Sufi-rock, sang Be Parwah among other original numbers. The guitars and one set-of-drums ensemble marked a change to the atmosphere as by now the crowds were knee-deep, making it difficult to move from place-to-place. It was the NH7 experience at its fullest — raw, unadulterated music from all over.
A short while later, Marky Ramone of the Ramones took the stage. The drummer, who has been inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, carries on the legacy of the pioneering punk rock outfit formed in the 1970s. All the way from New York, Marky looked cool and composed behind the drums with hits such as Teenage Lobotomy and Hey! Oh! Let’s GO!! much to the delight of the alternative and hard rock fans who had gathered in numbers for the set.
The one band that everyone was waiting for was dream pop American outfit Cigarettes after Sex. The four member band came out to much cheer from the crowd, to their opening song Sunsetz.
At the end of it all, the festival did much to bring people of all ages together for the love of music. The sum of all parts works together on a weekend in Pune, leaving one wanting more.
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