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Music brings together people from different backgrounds

— Photo: C. Venkatachalapathy

ExHILARATING: Bands enthrall the audience at Fete de la musique on Sunday night.

PUDUCHERRY: For the people from different backgrounds and social classes congregating on the beach on a muggy Sunday evening, music was the universal language. The 2009 edition of Fête de la Musique held at Gandhi Thidal reached out to a large number of people, breaking all barriers.

Kalaivani, a brass band from Puducherry, catered for the locals for the most part. Clad in red coats and top hats with zari trimmings, the 15 musicians abandoned the stage and stood in front of the Gandhi statue, belting out popular Tamil film songs. The crowds gathered around them, cheered and whistled, just as they heard the opening riffs of latest hits. After a while, the band took to the street, marching down Beach Road playing the trumpet, clarinet, cymbals and drums, in true wedding style.

Meanwhile, Zinx, a contemporary world music band, was up on stage, holding its own. The young band effectively fused the east and the west, with sounds from the mridangam, keyboards, violin, mandolin, ghatam and drums in perfect harmony. Carnatic music influence in their own compositions — one of which was called ‘Kinda Saraswati,’ for its close resemblance to raagam Saraswati — was heavy. (The names of other compositions such as ‘1234’ and ‘Track 5’ were, however, not so expository.)

Anirudh, the keyboardist, had the audience expectantly waiting, as he announced the band’s version of the Thiruppugazh, called ‘The American Thiruppugazh.’ The piece, played in a range of tempos, with heavy Western influence, received resounding applause. The ‘naatupura’ fusion with earthy beats and the drummer’s solo were also well appreciated. After playing a film song on request, the final number, to which the audience set the tempo by clapping, was a perfect finish to the band’s performance. But they were not to be let off so easily. Upon repeated “One more!” screams, Kishore on the drums and Vivek on the mandolin hogged the spotlight in a rocking fusion jam.

Crowds had thinned out just a bit, by the time the funk quartet Blue Black and the Other Colour got on stage, but their music was enjoyed nevertheless. Even though names like The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix rang few bells among the audience, “spiced up” versions of famous songs were received well. The drummer’s solo on bongo drums and the mellow trumpet set the perfect mood for the summer night.

A few people waited after the main concert to see what surprises the “open mike” segment was going to throw, but those few left Gandhi Thidal a slightly disappointed lot. The rest of the evening, however, had been a rewarding experience.

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