The Threshold of Coolidity

So do one hit professional bands get called back to redo their show? Hell ya, if they are good enuff. And that what takes them from a transitory professional status to the real one.

Well, gloating jokes aside, it’s always fun to play for a crowd, at least it’s really important to me for some reason, but it’s always very flattering to be offered money.

Well, so this is the way the third performance story goes. The Delhi School of Economics were having a National Alumni Meet at the University of Maryland. Ayan, our lead singer was entertaining some people at a party by naked singing (singing without instruments) and some organizer there asked him to be a part of the reunion show. In turn he offered to bring his whole band along. Yup, that what we do , when we are offered to a party, we like to bring our whole posse along.

The only issue at hand was that Sowmya was unavailable for the show. At the same time, we had Supratik’s new Fender Strat to show off, Alap’s new mean Ibanez Bass Guitar, Mainak’s Roland Percussion Instrument, and Antardhwani’s new distortion unit the V-amp, attached to my guitar, born to make Sayonee sound ever so sweet.

So, since Sowmya couldn’t make it for the show, this demanded a huge number of songs to be added to the song lineup. This though cumbersome, was the perfect time for us to add fast songs to the line-up which was our primary concern after Sparsh. Slow, pretty songs, are awesome to mellow out to, not to watch at a high energy concert. The songs added to the line-up were Sayonee, Dekha Na, Tanha dil , Kya Soorat hain, Yeh Dil na hota bechara, and Kabhi Aana tu meri Galee.

Gearing up for the show took our minimal 3-4 practises which without being too proud is a very very short time to put up a 7 member band 1 and half hour show. But, as the practices shaped up, the sad thing was that this was a completely private affair for DSE students to we couldn’t invite our friends. To make up for it I organized the band’s dress rehearsal practice in unison with Beer’s birthday at my crib. The plan was a great success, tons of our friends were there, there was the original performance, tons of alcohol, tons of requests, RAj fell splat on his ass in the kitchen which I cleaned, and Anu showed up with her college friend from India who was totally cool.

Well a show whose preps required five paragraphs of English, will take just one since it was so good. The crowd loved our music, one string on my guitar broke and it took 10 mins of repair job while the band churned out Pehla Nasha perfectly. Also Somya showed up for the party and the show so we gave the audience some her songs. The last song Kabhi Aana Tu Meri Gallee was the best, people danced we rocked the joint, just too much fun. In other news the food was delectable and I downed more food than anyone should and packed more for home.

However, the best part was yet to come, DSE organizers said that they wouldn’t be able to pay the $350 that we normally get payed (or got payed once!) but a week later Utsav (organizer) hands Pauli a check for $350. Now to get payed $350 is something, but to be promised less and then paid more based on performance …. Priceless!