Its one of those phases in life, where you wish words fail and since I'm still red from pinching myself all night and can't wait anymore to announce proudly that, I attended my first ever AR Rahman concert last night. The Live Life concert.
Along with Sandhya and Aravind's families(thankees guys), we reached 3 hours before the show was about to start. Despite the fussy security procedures, we somehow managed to secure great seats.
The stage was set the way it is always in a ARR concert - Sivamani in his cocoon of percussion instruments on the right, the compact chorus on the left, musicians scattered strategically and the man himself in the center with his keyboards. It looked ethereal to me. I used to imagine this vision in my mind every time I read his concert reviews and now I was looking at it with my own eyes, a few feet in front of me! At that moment, he descended the white steps wearing a black sherwani while Chitra crooned Jaage hain from Guru. It was a magical moment. I had goose flesh all over me.
Hariharan and Chinmayee went on with Kadhal Rojave from Roja. Somehow I felt, Hariji sounded very unlike himself initially. Chinmayee was a shocker absolutely. Neeti Mohan who was mistaken to be Shreya Ghoshal by most of us; came next with her Barso Rey and drenched us all with her smooth voice, great looks and moves too ! (She sang and belly danced for Mayya mayya later!!)
Naresh Iyer came to rock with his Paathshala and Roobaroo ! Benny Dayal has oodles of style. His singing of Marlyn Monroe with Ujjaiyinee was extremely cheesy and flirtatious. The voice chemistry between Chinmayee and Benny in Maduraiku Pogadhadee was almost tangible. I'm still confused if that really was Javed Ali who sang Jashn-e-bahaara ? Rahman's rendition of Khalbali, Athiradeekaaran, Dil se rey, Tere bina and Humma Humma made the crowd scream for more. We just couldn't get enough of his music, his voice and his versatility.
That's when he surprised everyone by combining Azeemushah Shahenshah, Rukmani rukmani and Veerapandi Kottaiyile into one song. Through the length of this song, the percussion beats were retained of that of Azeemushah's. Its brilliant how he uses his old songs in such new ways. I was bowled over completely.
Blaaze joined Naresh Iyer, Benny Dayal and Aslam for a thrilling rendition of Vaada vaada theme from Sivaji. Chinmayee and Hariji came back for Vaaji vaaji galore with his lilting improvisations and Sivamani(??) singing the dhidukita dhidukata part. Chitra returned a long while later with her Kannalane.
There was an unplugged slot in the show where Rahman sat with his keyboard and Chitra, Chinmayee and Hariharan sat opposite him for a one-to-one singing. After some technical adjustments, during which we were entertained by Hariji with a beautiful swar-alaap that metamorphosed into Tamizha tamizha followed by Uyire uyire with Chitra. Chitra came out with her solo version of Anjali anjali from Duet. And Chinmayee finished the one-to-one session with Sahana Saaral thoovudho. ( I wished she had sung something else, there was just too much of Sivaji - but no regrets !!)
I must mention, the chorus(Raihanah, Ishrathi, Tanvi Sayonara, Dr.Narayan) who did a commendable job with all the songs, the dancers who thematically moved to every song, the lights that danced according to the rhythm in most songs (esp kannalane) and the fireworks too.
The final showdown, the anticlimax, call it what you want,but this song would always prove to be the perfect close to a Rahman Concert - Vande Mataram, it is. All the singers came together on the stage and sung it with the man himself leading the song to a crescendo. I wished time to freeze, I wished to be lost in that moment forever, I was content :-)
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