MUMBAI: On 26/11 in terror-struck Mumbai, more than 30 people died from loss of blood through bullet wounds on limbs which could have been easily treated if the injured were rushed to the hospitals on time. The 30 people died on the way to hospitals while being taken on hastily summoned hand carts
A fundraising concert was organised by E-18 and Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) on 21 March 2009 at the Shanmukhananda auditorium in Mumbai with a hope that the initiative would help tug the government into preparing itself with basic services like ambulances. The money raised by the concert will be used to buy ambulances which will be stationed on strategic railway
junctions.
“A busy station like CST, which has daily traffic of 17,00,000 commuters didn’t have enough ambulances,” exclaims an agitated E-18 CEO Farhad Wadia, host for the evening.
Compared to other concerts hosted by E-18 in the past, this concert was relatively less publicised. “Since, this is a charity event, they
are cutting down on costs, hence the limited publicity,” revealed a source. All the three bands, Mumbai based duo Dale and Arco, Farhan Akhtar-Ehsaan-Loy, Los Angeles based M.A.S.S (Music Architecture Sight and Sound) Ensemble and Lez Zep performed for free to suport this cause. The venue too was available gratis to the organisers for the evening. The event was attended by actor Rahul Bose, Teesta Setalvad of the CPJ and lyricist Javed Akhtar.
To start with the key performances of the evening, Farhan-Ehsaan and Loy took the stage and did their ‘Rock-on’ bit which helped in warming up the listeners. M.A.S.S Ensemble, on the other hand were mesmerizing for many reasons. One, they converted the entire hall in to an instrument- a huge earth harp, something which the Mumbai audience would have witnessed for the first time – the band sounded as if a philharmonic was at work. The multi talented musicians from M.A.S.S shifted from one intrument to another with ease and elegance. They sang, danced and even displayed some jaw dropping aerobics. The closing act for the day, the much awaited all girl band Lez Zep concluded the evening with evergreen hits from the band in their own inimitable style. They played songs which hardcore Led Zep fan will relate to the concert ‘The song remains the same’ – they played classics like Since I have been loving you, No quarter, Kashmir to name a few. The band also played an unrealeased track which Led Zepplin composed during their India tour way back in 1972.
And though the listeners kept on shouting for the led zep anthem ‘Stairway to heaven’, Lez zep were in no mood- maybe some songs are best unplayed!