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Future doctors sing along to Strings
Strings truly won the audience over at a Dow University gig

Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi

Music is a stimulating force which can pump up anyone despite their profession or personality. This was proven at the Strings gig at the Dow University of Health Sciences, Ojha Campus where doctors, usually considered book-worms, gave everything from head-banging and singing to going wild their best. At a time when life is rendered stagnant owing to a troubled law and order situation and load shedding, the entertainment initiative by DUHS was highly welcomed.

Things went crazy when Strings’ entry was announced. The band tested the crowd’s patience as they randomly checked their instruments in the dark for almost two minutes. The moment Faisal launched into ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’ with a delayed guitar intro, the crowd went out of control! The live rendition of the track is mind-blowing. I’d hate to hear it on CD after listening to it live.

Faisal as always was a master at handling his audience. When he inquired of the fans, “kya yehan koi anay wala hai? and they shouted in the negative, he said, “then why are you guys standing so far off, come in front!” Needless to say, the crowd complied. One could hear everyone singing. It was an optimistic scene.

‘Najane Kyun’ was another solid performance. As much as Faisal is a captivating singer, no one plays the guitar better than Bilal. On ‘Zinda’, the fans were again honoured as Faisal said, “the energy you guys have in this heat is tremendous,” and the crowd jubilantly sang along. On ‘Sir Kiye Ye Pahar’, Bilal flexed his vocal chords while Faisal took a break.

Talking to Instep Today right off the stage during the song, a cheerful Faisal movingly said, “it is so amazing, we have been singing this song to [the people] of the 90’s …  2000… and now 2011. The crowd is always at its best on this song.”

‘Durr’ is of course remembered for Faisal hypnotic vocals. Adeel played a marvelous guitar solo on this one. The track once again is way better live. Throughout the track, the crowd joined in the band and made it a memorable performance.

‘Chaaye Chaaye’ opened up with a sky-scraping guitar solo and proved to be one of the high points of the gig. The audience didn’t calm down for a moment, singing along to each verse and clapping away. It was great to witness such energy.

Strings also played ‘Dhaani’ and ‘Hai Koi Hum Jaisa’ which were enjoyed thoroughly by the attendees. However, the ultimate crowd pleaser appeared at the tail-end of the gig in the form of ‘Main Tau Dekhoonga’. The track has really struck a chord with people, especially the youth and according to the band has become the most demanded song at their gigs. And it was divine to witness it live. Strings must be commended for playing live with perfection what they produce in the studios.

While singing, the verse, “Jab rang barange jhande/ ek parcham me ghul jayenge,” Faisal shared an  anecdote with the audience. He said, “when Bilal wrote this song, many people said that this is only a khayali pulao and this dream will never be fulfilled. But just recently many political parties have decided to discontinue their party flags,” and there was a huge roar from the crowd. It was an exhilarating moment witnessing the band singing one line and the crowd singing the other in unison. The band really brought the house down with this performance.

Strings said, “we love to perform for colleges. It’s important that we keep ourselves connected with the youth. We think it’s the connection with youth because of which we feel like making songs like ‘Mein Tou Dekhoonga’ and ‘Ab Khud Kuch Karana Paray Ga’.  It’s important that our youth feels the patriotism that we are somehow beginning to lose in our country.”

Pop music is an art form essential  to that awakening.

Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi

It is indeed the time for pop musicians to stand up and be counted and it seems that Imran Khan is the perfect magnet for them. He always has been for stars. He has been acknowledged as the man  who introduced Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan to Peter Gabriel and come on, he got Aamir Khan to fly down and raise funds for Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. Aamir remains the most prolific Bollywood star to have visited this country to date. 

Earlier this week we had mentioned how the PTI dharna, spearheaded by Imran Khan, was well-received by throngs of patriotic people and celebrities such as musician Ali Azmat. All these individuals had showed up for the cause of Pakistan. And, on the last day, more Pakistani celebrities joined the public. They were Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood of Strings. The band has always been an ambassador of Pakistan worldwide and keen to address critical social and political issues through their music. One was struck with amazement to witness them show up at the dharna unannounced. Instep Today inquired after their reason of showing up.

“Imran Khan wanted us to sing ‘Mein Tou Dekhoonga’. We did not take part in the dharna, we were there just to sing to the crowd. But if our being there meant that we support the cause? Then yes, we do. We have worked with Imran Khan previously -  fundraisers for his cancer hospital. He seems to be one of the few genuine politicians left in our country,” Bilal Maqsood told Instep Today. So, are they politically inclined? Bilal is quick to respond in a witty tone, “You have to be deaf, dumb and blind not to be politically inclined these days. We try hard not to be.”

The dharna was in response to the intrusions the US makes into Pakistani territory through drones. The limit reached its zenith through the recent Abbottabad operation. So what’s Strings’ take on that? “It was a slap on our face. Whether Osama was there or not there, dead or still alive, doesn’t make any difference. The point is that someone could come right up to Islamabad, carry out the operation without our knowledge and go back. And to add insult to injury, our Prime Minister termed the US operation a “great victory”. It just leaves us feeling extremely vulnerable,” replies Bilal in a disappointed tone.

So what’s their take on the drone attacks? “We all know that it’s a double game that we are playing. This breach of our sovereignty is with our consent. The kill ratio of these drones is 20 militants to 750 civilians. This is intolerable. They should be stopped immediately,” says the band. But our government is acting as silent spectator. What, in their opinion, should the government’s response be? “We should realize the power of our strategic positioning. We have China on our side, once we mend our ties with India, we’ll be in a commanding position. But of course, the West doesn’t want this to happen. Our government should take a stand and protect our lives or resign and let someone take charge who has the courage to do this,” Faisal joins in the conversation.

According to the band, some measures for the betterment of the situation include, “Resolve the Kashmir issue (both sides). Make it an industrial state and a tax-free zone for the next 25 years for both Pakistan and India. It will not only make Kashmiris happy, but it will also make this region economically very strong. Once Kashmir is out of the way it will be easier to resolve all the other issues with India, which includes signing a No-Nuke deal with Delhi. China, we are cool with. So no big issues there. Then, we should concentrate only on coal mining. I don’t know why we are just sitting on one of the world’s biggest coal reserves? Now when there is no threat from India we can easily cut down on our defense budget and put it on education. We should try and increase it from 2 per cent to 20 per cent. Once this is done we can ask ex-pats to invest in their country. That’s another reservoir of funds and goodwill which we haven’t tapped. The list can go on but at least this is what we have to do first if we want to say no to foreign aid, because only then we can take a stand against drone attacks.”

Strings performed their recent socio-politically themed tune ‘Main Tou Dekhoonga’ which fits the present scenario, in front of enthusiastic attendees. The response to ‘Main Tou Dekhoon Ga’ has been pretty overwhelming with many terming it as the new ‘unofficial’ national anthem for Pakistan.

Strings excitedly describe the experience of performing it in the following words, “It was great. We could feel the connection. After every verse there was thunderous applause as if they were agreeing to what we were saying. It’s everyone’s song and it was obvious that they owned it that night.”

When asked whether dharnas like these would cause any kind of change or not, Bilal replied, “I don’t know. I guess it is just about awareness.”

Finally, I asked the band what they think a musician’s responsibility towards his country is. The reply was rather blunt. The band said, “Zero. What is the responsibility of a chartered accountant? Or a mountaineer? We all are just supposed to do our work with utmost dedication, passion, honesty and making sure that the sanctity of our profession is maintained. There is no such heavy responsibility on our shoulders. But as patriotic Pakistanis we can steer our work in a direction which may help Pakistan in some way or the other. That’s our personal choice. You can’t blame a musician who is making great music but not doing anything for Pakistan. But we as patriotic Pakistanis make sure that we make that conscious effort. We realize the importance of the platform this land has given us and we want to use it in the right direction.”

The sea of faces present at the Aman ki Asha Concert — a joint initiative of The Times Of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan were in a mood to celebrate the voices of peace, harmony and most importantly a feeling of togetherness.

There was eagerness in the air as people were waiting to have a slice of the magical performance by best bands from India and Pakistan — Indian Ocean and Strings.

The evening started with Indian Ocean singing “Kya Maloom” and winning many hearts instantly. Rahul Ram, the bass guitarist and vocalist of the band said, “We always enjoy performing in Ahmedabad. Aur aaj humein bahut khushi ho rahi hai Ahmedabad mein aa kar as we’re performing for a beautiful initiative called Aman Ki Asha. And we are really happy to perform with Strings from Pakistan.” And they left the audience spellbound when they sang songs like “Bandeh” from the film “Black Friday” (which got maximum applause and one could hear cries of ‘once more’), “Hille Le”, “Maa Rewa” and last but not the least “Kandeesa”. A jugalbandi by Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam, the drummer of band was soul-stirring.

And when it was time for Strings to come on the stage, there was applause and more applause. As they sang “Yahaan Koi Aanewaala Hai”, you could feel that the magic has just begun. The connection was instant. Overwhelmed by the audiences’ response, vocalist Faisal Kapadia of Strings said, “We are very happy to be here. We’re here for one reason —Aman Ki Asha. Aur hum logon ko hi isey aagey le jaana hai. We should forget the past and it’s time to look forward.”

Then lights went out on the singers’ request and everybody in the audience held up their mobile phones in the dark, showing white lights of cell-phones to symbolise hope and peace. Time stood still at that beautiful moment. Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia added more warmth to the evening by making the audience sing to the tilting lyrics of “Mein Tera Tu Meri Jaane Saara Hindustan” making it ‘Pakistan’ and “Yeh Dosti Hum Nahin Chodenge”. Followed by their famous numbers like “Zinda Hoon”, Sar Kiye Ye Pahar”, “Titliyaan”, “Duur” and “Anjaane”, there was a song dedicated to World Cup, 2011 considering cricket is a religion in both India and Pakistan. And finally, Strings asked Indian Ocean to join them on stage and then it was time for “Mast Kalandar” and “Des Mera Rangrez Yeh Babu”. As they sang together, a sense of joy, happiness and love ruled the air. And didn’t they say right that music knows no boundary.

Read more: Indian Ocean, Strings perform in Ahmedabad – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/music/music-events/Indian-Ocean-Strings-perform-in-Ahmedabad/articleshow/7540621.cms#ixzz1EgH6zA6f

“We’ve been ambassadors of Pakistan, we’re among those who represent Pakistani music in India, and through our concerts we meet the youth, the common man on the streets in India… We’ve had a consistent interaction with the people of this country,” he says.

Strings is performing with Indian Ocean in Ahmedabad on February 20, and Faisal also points out that the connection through music that Aman Ki Asha, a joint initiative by the Times of India and the Jang group of Pakistan, attempts to establish between the people of the two countries should be extended to other fields as well. “There is a lack of connection in everything else — trade, entertainment, student exchange,” he says. “And that’s unfortunate, considering that the people of India and Pakistan have so much in common— their culture, their language.”

As a pop singer, though, Faisal has the satisfaction of connecting to the youth of both the countries. “The older generations carried with them the baggage of a turbulent past. But the youth— those born in the 90s or after that – aren’t familiar with that past, they do not relate to the divisive ideology. And I think as musicians, we have an important role to play in bringing them together and communicating the message of peace,” he asserts. “When we are on the stage, music takes over. You don’t realise then where you are performing – in India or Pakistan. The love of the audience, the way it responds to you, is what matters then. And if you ask an Indian singer who goes to Pakistan to perform, he’ll have the same thing to say,” adds Faisal, who rues that post 26/11, things between India and Pakistan went off track and a lot of plans that Strings had for Bollywood couldn’t reach their proper conclusion.

But Bollywood, avers Faisal, has also played a vital role in bridging gaps. “When a Bollywood movie releases on Friday, there’s as much anticipation for it in Pakistan as there is in India: people queue up outside theatres or rush to grab a DVD. And through films and Indian TV channels, there’s a great deal of exposure that people in my country get to India,” he says. However, there’s no such medium for Indians to get to know of their Pakistani counterparts. As Faisal puts it, “As of now, the only Pakistani import to Indian entertainment is music, and though it may not be as wide a canvas as films or television, we hope it changes the perception people here have of those across the border. When someone goes back from our concert, we hope he thinks of Pakistan in a different way.”

Read more: Strings-Indian Ocean to perform together – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/music/news-and-interviews/Strings-Indian-Ocean-to-perform-together/articleshow/7515823.cms#ixzz1EgEwtQaz

This time round the opening venue was the Asian School of Business with a crowd of over 5,000 fans cheering for the band as Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood belted out Zinda, Najane Kyun, Anjaane, Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar, Koi Aanay Wala Hai, Aakhri Alvida, Chaaye Chaaye, Dhaani and Mera Bicchra Yaar.

The second show was for a bank. The young corporate Indian crowd grew up listening to Strings as students, and they are now spreading a positive word about Pakistan throughout the country.

Strings then took to stage on the rooftop of the Jolly Rogers Rock Club in New Delhi. The last time the band performed in the city was at the Saarc Festival in January 2010 in which Strings represented Pakistan. After 26/11, there had been a halt in the cultural exchanges between Pakistan and India and many a music deal and gigs were called off.

Faisal recalls, “After the release of Dhaani, we used to perform in India at least twice a month. But, after 26/11, things were political ly very changed. Every month, we used to turn down two to three concert offers because the visa process takes so much time that it’s actually impractical to perform that often.” So how different was it this time round? “After performing, we realised that things are moving in the right direction and the reaction of the audience and the Indian people towards Pakistan has changed quite a lot. And here, I am talking of a common Indian citizen, because people who come to our concerts are our fans and always want peace. But, one gets to know the real reaction from a common man who doesn’t follow our music. And, I must say, it has been a very positive change,” said Bilal.

How does music bridge the gap between the two countries? “Music is so powerful that when it is played nobody cares which country the artiste belongs to. People are mesmerised by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali, Abida Parveen and Ghulam Ali in India. Similarly, Rahat Fateh Ali’s and Atif Aslam’s songs in Indian films prove that Pakistani musicians are playing a very important role in winning the hearts of the Indian audience. Also, Ali Zafar featured in an Indian film just recently. Music is all about positivity,” said Faisal.

Strings’ songs have been a part of Sanjay Gupta’s film’s soundtracks such as Zinda (Yeh Meri Kahani) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (Aakhri Alvida). “Our fans will surely be listening to some Bollywood projects by us this year,” disclosed the band. And on why doesn’t Strings feature more often in film music? Bilal said, “It’s because we don’t do playback singing. We only do it when the theme of the movie goes with our music.” FInally, Strings also visited Mumbai and hung out with friends John Abraham, Javed Akhtar and Diya Mirza. — Shahzeb Shaikh ¦for Dawn Images.