_0sagi

sagi · @_0sagi

22nd Sep 2016 from TwitLonger

#RajaConcert Dallas.


First of all let me say that one must be privileged to attend a Raaja concert. It's a privilege to watch one of the world's greatest orchestras perform and to see the man in flesh and blood. That said - all the so-called reviews, 'he could have performed dance/energetic songs', 'I got my money's worth with this song', etc annoy the hell out of me. I mean no matter how much you spent on this - its not going to be enough.

I was in fact super privileged (எனக்கு ஐஜியத்தெரியும்) to get passes to see the folks rehearsing. Which is to watch the band play those God-awesome songs with just about 60 people in a 8,000 people auditorium. Initially Raaja hadn't come but the whole band was there including the singers. They played each instrument individually to check if the sound was coming on all tracks. That itself was amazing. The strings section particularly played a multi-track interlude of a Raaja song which I couldn't place (shame on me). I got up close and personal with his Harmonium, touched its non-existent feet and felt extra special about it. I mean this is where all those songs - which has given me so much to me in life were born.

Suddenly they all got silent and I knew who was coming. The man looked dapper in crew neck tee/pant and a blazer, walked slowly and picked up a chair in the first row. He looked at me for a second I bent down and greeted him and he acknowledged with a nod of his head. My day/month/year/life made.

Mano, Karthik, Chitra and all the singers rushed towards him to touch his feet. And he got to work right away. Called Prabhakar to discuss what songs to rehearse and to later perform and started double checking the notes. Then he got on to the stage to start the rehearsals. They were there for about 3 hours and the only person who worked non-stop was Him.

The first song they picked was வா வா பக்கம் வா. What a fantastic choice. The drums and bass are still ringing in my ears. The chorus singers / keys missed a few notes and Raaja promptly stopped them and taught them by humming the instrument layers and the vocal harmony. They all picked up exceedingly well and the 2nd rehearsal was okayed.

It was Chithra's turn to rehearse next and before she started Raaja trolled her by asking us to give her a round of applause for taking medicines / throat drops / சுக்குக் காப்பி to enable her to sing on that stage. They did ஆலப்போல் with the tabla duo having a ball. So much joy the song is. But somehow didn't make it to the actual concert playlist. They rehearsed a few more songs and left. I was already overwhelmed with what just happened right in front of my eyes. And the main picture was yet to start.

Evening reached around 6:45, after wading through all the traffic - 6000 people in as many cars (of course). Sat right in front of that harmonium (again ஐஜியத்தெரியும்) was observing the orchestra and the singers. Single guy (gult) sitting next to me casually mentioned that this is his 4th concert and he is attending all 7. They showed a video intro of Raaja in which they conveniently slotted Hey Raam and Virumaandi as 800th and 900th films.

Raaja was yet to come. Later I learnt Raaja got stuck in traffic and had to be brought to the auditorium escorted by a ecouple of cop cars. It was 7:40 when the man made an appearance. He put his towel in a chair nearby and started shivashakthyaa.. The crowd, everyone was on their feet went crazy (of course). He didn't seem disturbed. I was in a state of euphoria and couldn't believe what was happening. Eyes welled up almost immediately. That old/cracky yet the most affecting of voices singing just for me (others didn't matter at this point).

Anyway I will stop rambling and just give a one liner about all the songs performed.

1. Janani - Napoleon had a rare miss, Raaja was quick to turn around and stare at him.
2. Om Sivoham - Karthik had the 3rd loudest reception of the evening. Karthik has always been good in live concerts. Star of this song was sundar. Switching between percussion instruments and playing them with adequate finesse.
3. Jagadananda Karaka - Mano had a very very shaky start - went obviously off key. After the song ended Raaja had Mano song the pallavi again Napoleon missed the flute in the repeat - Raaja stopped and asked ஏன்? He - அடுத்த பாட்டுக்கு key மாத்திட்டேன். Mano sang better this time so he let him go with just the pallavi.
4. Ninnukkkori - Chithra got the second biggest reception of the night. She was fighting a cold but did well. Stars were the orchestra (drums / strings / guitars). Raaja had her sing the charanam again just with strings
5. என் இனிய பொன் - Sada. Enough said. Raaja made them play the 1st interlude one more time
6. Jallanta - Nothing stood out. Good none the less.
7. ஓ மானே மானே - One of the best that night. Strings especially.
8. பாட்டுச்சொல்லி - Sundar/Napoleon show. Sadhana wasn't comfortable at all. Raaja had a nice anecdote to share on how he took out a couple of Kannadasan's lines to apply it to the film's situation. Brilliance and well received by the audience
9. Abbani Teeyani - Again, one of the best. Percussions especially. Mano was up to the task too. His voice has a strong presence. Just cuts through the orchestra.
10. வா வா பக்கம் வா - Anitha was superb in this. Bettering Vaani'ma in such songs ain't that hard anyway. The crowd went wild. Karthik missed they lyrics the first time, so Raaja had them repeat the 2nd charanam another time. The more the better for this song. Superb choice.
11. கண்மணியே காதல் என்பது - Perhaps the weakest of this concert. Raaja had them do the prelude again since the strings section missed a few notes. He had an anecdote to share about Panju/Rajini/Kamal and ordered them to better get this song right. Surmukhi couldn't handle the long phrases. It was painful to listen to her.
12. Ekanta Vela - Good, nothing stood out really.
13. நாதம் என் ஜீவனே - Singing was good but the star was Napoloen. Those difficult bits in the flute, he just aced it.
14. Karigipoyanu - Unusual choice, half the people in the crowd didnt know what this song was. Again nothing stood out
15. இது ஒரு நிலாக்காலம் - Drumming/keys delight, but must say wasn't close to the original. Wah-Wah was missing. Nagirthaana bit was good. But even a 80% reproduction of this song is fantastic listening to it live.
16. Keeravaani - Keys/Violin solo delight. Karthik was superb too.
17. Aadhi Ushas - The biggest surprise of the night for me. Wasn't expecting this at all. Heard that they were going to perform something from Kalapani / thumbi vaa. Those chest-thumping beats - wah. Unfortunately little else to say about this. Hope we get a video of it, because I was too overwhelmed to notice.
18. நான் தேடும் - missed it.
19. நான் பொறந்து வந்தது - The harmony between the gang was outstanding. The girls especially. Crowd [most of them had no clue about this song] enjoyed it thoroughly.
20. Priyatama - missed it.
21. பூவே செம்பூவே - Napoloen was good, for the most part of the song, but the interludes didn't come off as rounded as it sounded in the '11 Chennai concert. A disappointment for sure.
22. Kalaya Nizama - Not much to say.
23. ஒரு ஜீவன் - Raaja missed a few lyrics and he acknowledged and sang the pallavi one more time. Now this is humility in front of his art of the highest order
24. சங்கீத ஜாதி முல்லை - Mano going overboard. Enough said.
25. Tha ki ta - Karthik shared an anecdote after this song about his father and was almost in tears. He touched Raaja's feet saying, he never imagined he would be on the same stage with him singing a song that fetched his father a prize in a competition.
Orchestra intro - Raaja trolled the person playing sax saying he doesn't care about the rhythm / cues from the conductor, but keeps on playing. It was quite funny. And I was suprised to hear a good portion of the crowd recognizing Sada and Sasi. Knowledgable Dallas crowd.
26. பருவமே - One of the best reproductions of the night. The string section and the flute killed it.
27. காட்டுக்குயிலு - Nemeth was kind of rehearsing this song before they started, just one beat and one guy shouted தளபதி. Karthik was seriously taken aback and was gesturing a 'hats off' towards him and exclaimed, ஒரு பீட்லயே கண்டுபிடிக்கிறாங்கப்பா.. வுட்டா அவுங்களே பாடிருவாங்க போலிருக்கு. Raaja went அவுங்க பாட மாட்டாங்கன்னு நினைக்குறியா... என் பாட்டை இவ்ளோ வருஷ்மா கேக்குறாங்களே.. கண்டிப்பா பாடுவாங்க..
After this song one of the volunteers riled up Raaja by shouting "Telugu". Raaja called him to come close to the stage and gave him an earful non-stop for 2 minutes. He was visibly pissed.
28. Induvadana - Crowd's favorite.
29. பொதுவாக - Everyone on their feet. Unfortunately Raaja started walking off. End of the concert.

ஒரு மனிதன், தனது 73வது வயதில், நான்கு மணிநேரம் ஓய்வில்லாமல் ஒரே இடத்தில் நின்று கொண்டே மேடையில் உள்ள அனைவரையும் கட்டி மேய்ப்பது என்பது எப்படி சாத்தியம் என்று சத்தியமாகப் புரியவில்லை. அதிலும் பல முறை எங்கள் மேல் ஒளிபாய்ச்சச் சொல்லி எங்களையும் கண்டு ரசித்தார். "நீங்க என்ன பாக்குறத விட நான் உங்களப் பாக்குறது ரொம்ப முக்கியம்". நான் ஒவ்வொரு நிமிடமும் அவர் என்ன செய்கிறார் என்பதையே கவனித்து வந்தேன். இந்த மாதிரி வாய்ப்பு கிடைக்க என்ன தவம் செய்தேனோ தெரியவில்லை.

ஒவ்வொரு முறை ஒரு தவறு நிகழும்போதும் [அது பல முறை நிகழ்ந்தது] அவர் முகத்தில் தெரிந்த ஏமாற்றம் மற்றும் கவலை சில சமயங்களில் ஒரு சிறு சீற்றம், மக்களின் கைதட்டலையும் ஆர்ப்பாட்டத்தையும் ஒரு மெல்லிய வெட்கம் கலந்த புன்னகையுடன் ஏற்றுக்கொண்ட பாங்கு. தனது குழுவினரை அறிமுகப்படுத்தும்போது முகத்தில் தெரிந்த பெருமிதம், பாடல்களின் தாளத்திற்கு ஏற்ப தன் உடலை தன்னிச்சையின்றி ஆடச் செய்த அழகு, சில பாடல்கள் / இடையிசைகளைத் தானே முன் வந்து நடத்திய அந்த அதிகாரத் தோரணை, குழுவினரை நய்யாண்டி செய்த குறும்பு. சரி நிறுத்தி விடுகிறேன்.

முப்பது வருடங்களுக்கு மேலாக ஒவ்வொரு நாளும் என்னுடன் பயணம் செய்யும் என் இறைவனை கண்கள் முழுவதும் அடைத்துக்கொண்டு பிரிய மனமில்லாமல் வீடு திரும்பினேன்.


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