MUMBAI: It must have been around 10:30 pm when I reached one of Mumbai’s most vibrant live music venues, the Hard Rock Caf?©, to watch hip-hop band Outlandish.
Though I have never been attracted to hip-hop music in particular, Outlandish was one band that I was always keen to explore. There is a reason for this too. I was introduced to Outlandish’s music after my sister picked up their album Bread & Barrels Of Water (way back in 2002) – she brought it after hearing one of the album tracks Aicha being played in the music store and on an impulse picked up the album. I was shocked because she’s never an impulsive shopper! And it was kind of a wake-up call (to good music) because I was a serious rock music lover then, but I quite liked what I heard. Since then, if it was hip-hop, for me, it was first Outlandish. Well, lets get back to the venue now.
I could see the place jam-packed – much like the trains I daily travel in. Though the analogy may not make much sense, I felt proud because, I could maneuver through the crowd with ease (compared to others) because of my exposure to similar conditions. The show was about to start – and it did (need I talk about our Indian standard time fixation?) and with the same interactivity and zeal that singer/rapper Waqas spoke in his pre tour interview – without doubt, their performance was one of the most interactive I have seen. Otherwise, on how many occasions do you see the audience feel like stars themselves? And on how many occasions do we see the musicians up on stage so approachable that someone from an audience, five feet below the stage, asks if he can get on the stage and rap?! Well, there was one lucky fan that got to do just that – and the next thing he knew was that he’s sharing stage with â€?The Outlandish’.
Related Post
For the night, the five member team belted out tracks that were a mix of their new and old material. It also seemed the Danish band had prepared a special set for the Mumbai audience – yes, their bambaiya zing raps infused over ganpati dhol loops. Not to forget popular tracks which they performed, like Walou and Peelo (Well, I can say it sounds really weird when thousand odd people say â€?Peelo, gutter ka paani peelo’ in unison) After the song, Waqas told how he got fascinated by the sullied line after a childhood incident ( in Multan, Pakistan) where two girls standing near a nullah said these words to tease him – and since then it stuck. Bollywood connection was also not far behind. Being a huge big b’town fan, Waqas called on singer Kshitij of Tose Naina Lagey (Anwar) fame who was present in the audience to sing few lines.
It was time to say good bye after the hour long gig, but not before the audience got to sing to Aicha’ – which happened after some fan-ly negotiations. As the audience chorus got louder, Outlandish member Waqas could be seen capturing the fan frenzy on his personal camera – truly making the audience feel special. A thought crossed my mind – this is the same band was about to break up before this tour? I think, besides the performance, what I watched was the power of music, which always escalates and survives.
Click here for the event slideshow
