Sonu Niigaam & Sunidhi Show Sweeps Spectators

LOS ANGELES, CA - It surely was better late, than never. The event that was postponed for two weeks, in the end proved its worth and ‘Shook the Shrine and Swept the Spectators.’ As the summer evening cooled, with the sun setting over Los Angeles, thousands of fans on Aug.16, were in for a chill musical performance by some of India’s best. Crowds gathered to enter the historic Shrine Auditorium here, for one of the very few, starting exactly-on-time shows, featuring Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan. The fashionably, ever-late Indians had to hurriedly fumble in the dark to get to their seats, trying not to miss any part of this much awaited concert.

It was four hours of pure entertainment! L.A. got is share of everything. From rap to rhythm, from the UK Jatti to Jermaine Jackson, from Thriller to Tamasha - it had it all! It was deafeningly loud, the energy was extraordinary and the atmosphere was absolute glee.

Sunidhi Chauhan, walked the gigantic stage dressed in all black, leather boots and well-fitted pants, she literally had the fans in a crazed mood with the infamous, Crazy Kiya Re. The slender, vivacious singer took the audience by storm as she moved nonchalantly to her famous songs. Beedi Jalaile, Dance Pe Chance, Asa Na Koi Dil Wala…it was a non-stop string of songs. For 45 minutes the “Diva of Indian Music”, had the audience mesmerized and moved. With a few well placed pregnant pauses to get the audience riled, she paved the way for the next performer, setting the stage with a reminder of being a Desi Girl!

Chauhan has been singing since she was four years old and just two days ago, on August 14, turned 26. In her eventful career, she has sung over 2,000 songs. From her first performance at a local temple in Delhi to the screens of Indian cinema and the stage of the Shrine in L.A., it has been a long journey, for this young talent.

It was 7 pm; the main-course was next. The introduction was made by the rather low key emcee, Ravi Rajas the “singer that magically turns all into gold.” Then, came a haunting voice and a video, almost as if echoing from the dorms of the nearby USC! The thunder died and a leather clad figure appeared. It was the main-dish! It was Sonu Nigam!! Gleaming on stage and cheered on by thousands, the slim figure with the innocent boyish-look and floppy hair, made his way right into the hearts of the Los Angelenos.

In Lamhon Ke Daaman Mein…, he said, and the crowd went berserk. Also known as the Mohamad Rafi of today, Nigam is a true entertainer. The energy that exuberates from his music, his songs and his jumping and his mere presence, is remarkable. All that energy transferred to the thousands present, and again and again they rose off their seats to clap, dance, sing along.

Nigam, or Niigaam, as he prefers for numerological reasons, has been singing since the age of three. This child prodigy sang with his father at events till he was 19 and then launched his own career in Mumbai. On this stage, in Los Angeles, this 35-year-old, displayed the energy of a 5-year-old. Nigam constantly mixed old Rafi favorites with his own new hits, attempting to reduce gaps and difference that may exist.

Soon the jacket came off. The heat was increasing, and so was the tempo. The music got louder, the beats faster and the moves rapid as Om Shanti Om hit the cords. The swift pace called for a break and a rap to shake!

Hard Kaur, an Indian rapper, and singer, often called the first female Indian rapper came onto the stage next. Born Taran Kaur Dhillon, she was recently signed by Eminem for his company.

The rap was loud, fast, but a sing-along, karaoke style. After the popular Ek Glassy, Dho Glassy and Singh is King, it was beyond the comprehension of a majority of the audience. This “new-era” of Indian music was not one they were used to, yet.

Dressed in a bright-green juicy velour sweat-suit, Kaur was accompanied by bright-pink dress-alikes; it seemed more like a long Juicy Couture commercial. This was not the audience for rap, so they took this opportunity to feed themselves to the boxed Indian meals offered by India Oven. Rarely has the Shrine had the enticing aromas of channa and biryani wafting through its halls!

The show moved smoothly, uninterrupted in its first half. The second-half stepped things up a notch. A lot was in store, surprises and songs, emotions were to run higher still. The L.A. crowd was still to receive their treat!

Chauhan was back, jazzed-up in her appearance and more comfortable in her demeanor. She started with the Parineeta sensual number, Kaisi Paheli Zindagani. What followed was the true treat of the evening. Amid dim lighting, Chauhan raised the microphone and gave an immaculate performance of Whitney Houston’s, I will always love you. She let her fans know that she was truly talented and it did not matter what language the song was in, she had mastered it all.

With verve and vigor, Chauhan continued to machao much more Dhoom and Jhoom with title songs from Dhoom and Jhoom Bababar Jhoom Sharabi. Dancing her heart out for her fans she moved with poise to the beat of the music.

The last hour belonged to Nigam. Filling the air with the high pitched 1952 Rafi hit from Baiju Bawra, O Duniya Ke Rakhwale, he walked back on stage, with a black attire accessorized with red shoes and belt to jazz it up.

As the resonance of Rafi’s memory vibrated the palatial ceiling of the Shrine Auditorium, Nigam took yet another successful shoot as he sang, Ho Kismat Footi, Aaas Na Tooti. The crowd had barely recovered from the reminiscence of Rafi, when another nostalgic moment followed. It was a thrilling one! Michael Jackson’s most popular number, Billy Jean, was well performed by Nigam, with the moon-walk. It truly witnessed a Rafi-Jackson converging moment. Music ranging seven decades from the 20’s to the 90’s saw a union. Nigam received a standing ovation from the riveted crowd for the ease with which he emulated Mohammad and Michael.

The audience was then introduced to Jermaine Jackson, the brother of the late Michael Jackson. He spoke of his, “love and inspiration from Asian music.” Also on stage was introduced, Christian Audigier, the creator of the popular Ed Hardy brand.

The versatility of these Indian performers was apparent. They had captured a much larger audience than the legendary Rafi ever had to fathom. Their reach had gone way beyond the borders of India and crossed the generation barriers. The youngsters in the audience were a testament to that.

The show was all it was meant to be, entertaining, energy-filled, enthralling and loud! It did lack slow moments, there was not a single moment to calm the soul and being, and gather one’s thoughts. That moment seemed to arrive, as the song Kal Ho Na Ho started, but alas! It too came with a twist and beat, faster than it original soothing tune.

Such moments were possible with the numerous slow hits that both Nigam and Chauhan have bagged. They did together end the show with the Fanaa hit Mere Haath Mein Tera Haath Ho.

Each artist graciously apologized for the postponement of the show. The audience left with the warm fuzzy feeling that they did get more than they expected. All delays were forgiven, many hearts won over.

The organizers Super Entertainment and audience applauded the effort and graciousness of the artists and their crew. As Manoj Kay Tee, Virender Bhalla, Bhalinder Bhalla and Anil Shah walked up on stage, all refunds and perils of a cancelled show seemed to have vanished in thin air and like always Super Entertainment had done another “Super” job!



BY RITU CHUGH
Thu Aug 20, 2009