Catching up with Haroon

After a gap of almost three years, Haroon Rashid is back with a new video, ‘Jeeya Jaaye’. The video is bright, colourful and touches themes ranging from brotherhood to tolerance. Musically, it’s an interesting melody. Haroon is also one of the key members of AMPP (Association of Music Professionals of Pakistan). As he gets ready to release his third solo album, Haroon Ka Nasha, Instep catches up with this popstar and has a chat about the new album, media boom and the importance of AMPP…
Instep: You recently released ‘Jeeya Jaaye’ – the first single from your upcoming album. When is your album, Haroon Ka Nasha, slated for release? Haroon Rashid: It should release in a few weeks. Instep: How different will this album be from your previous offerings? HR: I’d say it would be quite different. Musically, it will have more depth. The production quality will be slicker. I have matured as a songwriter so that will reflect in the album. Instep: Have you composed all the tunes yourself? HR: Yes, I have composed all the melodies while the lyrics will be a mixture. I have written a few songs myself and others have penned some tracks down.
Instep: You’ve been away from the music scene for quite some time. What is your view on the media boom taking place in Pakistan? HR: It’s been very positive. The media has given a lot of exposure to new artists. When I came on to the scene, it was very difficult to get airplay. There was only state television. But now that has changed. The media is really behind artists through shows, programming as well as giving airplay to videos. Instep: Do you plan to release Haroon Ka Nasha in India? HR: I think I would. The main thing is to reach fans through music, so releasing the album in India is also something I’m looking into. Instep: Does it mean you will also venture into Bollywood that is the rage in the local music scene? HR: I might but not necessarily. It is the main market for musicians but a lot depends on the project. If a good project comes along, I may go for it. Instep: You, alongside Ali Azmat, Tina Sani and Irfan Kiani were spearheading AMPP (Association of Music Professional of Pakistan). What is happening on that front? HR: It is not just the four of us; it is a step taken by the entire music industry though we are the most active. Currently, AMPP seems to be in a bit of a hold. We required 50 NIC (National Identity Card) copies to take off but we received only 15-18. Some musicians didn’t respond out of sheer laziness, some committed but put us on hold. Our lawyer told us that we should form it as a society instead because for that we only need 15 NICs. So that is how it will be taken forward. Instep: A letter was sent to the President. What is new on that? HR: Honestly, I don’t know. A letter was sent to him. We want him to be the Patron of the society. But I’m not aware of any new development. Instep: How important is AMPP for the music industry? HR: AMPP is an extremely positive thing. We need AMPP to come through so that a platform is setup for musicians. It is for the protection of the rights of artists. AMPP will help musicians sustain themselves. An artist like Ali Azmat or myself can still do a free show because we do many, many concerts but those who can’t do as many shows will benefit via AMPP. A certain amount of revenue should go back into the industry. It’s the only way it will flourish. But the idea is not to pick fights with anyone. It is about working side-by-side with the channels. All the channels that we have approached have been helpful and have shown consideration to what we have to say. They have been open to ideas. AMPP will take proper and more concrete shape eventually. Instep: When can one expect more videos from you? HR: I am releasing one video in the coming days and soon after that, the album will be out. The upcoming video has been done by Savio Rodriguez in Bombay. Instep: Is he the same director who did Ali Zafar’s ‘Sajania’? HR: Yes, that’s right. Instep: On a final note, what do you think about new artists who have taken over the local music scene by storm? HR: I think it’s fantastic. I believe that healthy competition is essential in the growth of the industry so it’s good. More musicians mean competition, fans will have variety and there is no harm in competing as long as it’s healthy! – Haroon Rashid was talking to Maheen Sabeeh

A reality check on superheroes

Why are we so fascinated by men who fly, who change colour or who appear out of dark alleys in black capes? Instep analyzes our love for fairy tales and how ancient knights in shining armour have simply changed form to modern day superheroes!

By Maheen Sabeeh.

The phenomenon Last year Hrithik made a comeback into Bollywood with Krrish and what a comeback that was! Krrish worked like magic at the box office. In leaped the black masked hero and up went the box office ratings. Krrish won Hrithik many awards and accolades and now the film has even won him a Filmfare nomination for Best Actor, beating Ajay Devgan for Omkara and Aamir Khan for Fanaa in an unbelievable round of muscles over brains. Was Hrithik really that brilliant compared to Ajay and Aamir? Not at all. But he was the original Indian superhero, sent with powers to slay all evil. As always, the public fell for good over evil. Omkara and Rehaan Khan (Fanaa) were, after all, too human and too flawed. Compared to them, Krrish was a flawless SUPERHERO who stood tall dark and handsome in the path of wrongdoers! He protected the innocent, punished the guilty and hey, his dance moves may have been inspired by The Incredibles but at least he danced. The dark Omkara and double-faced Rehaan didn’t stand a chance!

2006 truly was the year of everything fantastical from superheroes, mutants, dragons, bespectacled wizards and more. They went from strength to strength and 2007 will be no different. This year will mark the release of some of the most high-profile superhero films. Spiderman 3, Fantastic Four 2, The Incredible Hulk, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ghost Rider (starring Nicolas Cage) among many others. Krrish will return in 2008 but we are sure Bollywood will find a way to stay in sync with the world of all things unreal. Our local princes in shining armour may not have been as savvy as Spiderman or Superman, but it’s not that Pakistan hasn’t been touched by the magic of fantasy at all. Ainak Wala Jin was our very own very humble superhero. At a time when there was no cable for choice, kids relied upon state TV and waited day after day for the Ainak Wala Jin. He was a man dressed in long maroon jacket with his buddy Zakoota and kid character Imran, both fighting Bilbatori, a wicked witch of some sort.Now with technology a bit more advanced, Captain Safeguard is a hit amongst children in Pakistan. The twenty-minute commercial that is repeated on all channels has the kids glued to TV sets. The characters are those our kids can own up to and except for the germ busting hero himself, they have all been localized exceptionally well. Now you may ask why, in this era of advanced technology and cut throat logic, are we the people of the world, smitten with muscle bulging freaks who wear lycra and fly over skyscrapers? Why do these films continue to remain a winning formula world over?

The big question: why? Why do they fascinate us? They fascinate us because we live in a world that is under constant threat. Terrorism, wars, religious battles, global warming, identity crises and much more, all make for headline news on a daily basis. We live in fear all the time, every day and indifference is just no longer possible. World leaders are leading us into wars, politicians are turning systems upside downs and all institutions one would look up to in normal circumstances are failing us. This collapse of reality calls for unreal solutions and hence the superheroes. For a moment we are led to believe that solutions are possible, though they are as far fetched as the protagonists themselves. They touch our lives with hope, as distant as it may be.

The NBC television show Heroes one example of how the media is making fantasy more convincing. It has taken the television world by storm and competes with shows like Lost and Grey’s Anatomy though the latter too appeals to fantasy by making the doctors modern day superheroes who are capable of saving lives in the direst of situations. Can Heroes really save the world? Unlikely, but as long as it suggests that human beings may evolve, it keeps the optimism up.Another important reason is that many of these superheroes are underdogs of the society. They personify the unpopular kid, the geek who has been rejected by society. Clark Kent and Peter Parker are two key examples. The Daredevil is another, as even being blind doesn’t stop him from achieving the impossible.

Guru ****1/2

*ing: Mithun Chakraborty, Abhishek Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai, R. Madhavan and Vidya Balan

Directed by Mani Ratnam.

Is Guru Abhishek Bachchan’s finest film? Yes. After a plethora of flops with no ounce of chemistry, does Guru establish Aishwarya and Abhishek as an electrifying onscreen couple? Yes. Is this one of Mani Ratnam’s finest films to date? Yes. Does Abhishek deserve an award? Yes. Because Guru is a film that will go down in the history of Indian cinema as one of the most emotional, gritty and morally challenging films ever!Set in the ’50s, our introduction to Guru (Abhishek Bachchan) begins in a small village in India. A young man with a strained relationship with his father, Guru goes to Turkey to make it big. After seven years and a lot of hard work, he succeeds. But he decides to go back to India. Upon his return, he comes across Sujata (Aishwarya Rai), an innocent young girl who meets Guru in the most extraordinary circumstances. Soon, the two get married. But this isn’t that love at first sight nonsense. It’s much more complex.
With one wife, one brother-in-law (also Guru’s business partner) and two shirts, Guru goes to the dream city, where every Indian hopes to go, the city of business, that is, Bombay. Thus begins the journey of Guru Kant Desai…
Guru is a learning experience. It sharply questions the viewer’s ethics. Morally, bribery is a no-no for most. Human beings aren’t for sale. But this film asks you: is it just an idealist’s dream or is it applicable in the real world? Guru strikes a debate between ethics and money. Can the two ever go together? One would like to think that they do. However, this film changes the idealist’s dream. How can a man be ethical when everyone from the government to merchants and traders are unwilling to give him a chance when he’s being honest? How can a man achieve his dreams when he has no godfather, no sources and capitalists sitting at powerful positions don’t want a villager to make it big in the urban center of business? Money talks, corruption is at the core of the government, where does one go?Guru answers that. But it doesn’t propagate corruption nor does it send the message that it’s acceptable. It only questions and makes one think. At the end, are you for Guru or against him?
One sees Guru battle the nexus of media and politics. There is one man who has always stood for the truth and that’s a journalist, Manik Das Gupta (Mithun) He supports Guru in his starting days but when he sees Guru following an unethical path, he stands up to him. One sees power of media to the max at play here. It is the one thing, the only thing that stands in Guru’s otherwise perfect position and reputation. You realize through this film that media, be it in any part of the world, can take down the sharpest and often, the most powerful men.Another very interesting aspect of the film is that it is based on the life of the Ambanis – one of the biggest business families in India. Guru’s character is a take on Dhirubhai Ambani and most details in the film are, in fact, on the Ambanis. Dhirubhai, just like, Gurubhai started off in Turkey. He, too, had 30 lakh shareholders, and was just as confident and determined as Guru. Moreover, other characters such as Sujata, his wife, Manik Das Gupta, the journalist, among other characters are based on real human beings.Guru’s brilliance lies not only in its subject matter and the moral versus unethical debate but also in its actors, its cinematography, its music and its dialogues. If Lallan from Yuva was hard-hitting, it is Guru Kant Desai, through his courage, willpower and grit who brings down the house. Abhishek Bachchan put a lot in this film and you can see it. He has gained quite a few kilos to portray a villager who turns into a sharp businessman. Many of his decisions may be wrong but it doesn’t stop one from admiring his courage. You cry with him, smile with him and at the end, you feel proud of the accomplishments of Guru Kant Desai. Bravo! Aishwarya Rai is his perfect counterpart. From a young wife to the believer, she provides the subtle, beautiful moments in the film. The scenes between Ash and Abhi are top-notch. One can’t help but think why didn’t they ever work onscreen before? Mani Ratnam truly creates magic. Mithun Da as the honest journalist is convincing and gripping, sweet at times and angry at others. He is just a delight to watch. The film is shot superbly, clear, concise and simply beautiful. A.R. Rahman provides some excellent melodies and once again, shines as a music maestro. Perhaps the only drawback of the film is Vidya Balan’s character. Even though, she delivers an adequate performance, her character was unnecessary. In fact, more importance should’ve been given to Shyam Saxena (R. Madhavan) – the other journalist with Mithun Da. But these loopholes can be overlooked because Guru is a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. The master print is out now so do check it out. Here’s to Mani Ratnam for finally being acknowledged by the masses of India and here’s to Abhishek Bachchan for bagging his first csolo hit – you have arrived, indeed! –Maheen Sabeeh *YUCK**WHATEVER***GOOD ****SUPER *****AWESOME

The inevitable breakdown!

Rumours about Fuzon breaking up have been doing rounds of the music industry for some months. Its now confirmed news: Fuzon has separated ways with Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan and Shallum Xavier and Imran Momina aka Emu have introduced a new vocalist, Rameez Mukhtar.

By Maheen Sabeeh

And so it is…

It’s official! Fuzon is over…well, the original line-up anyway. In a recent press statement sent to Instep (along with the entire media brigade) by guitarist Shallum Xavier, it was revealed that Fuzon is coming back with a new album and a new vocalist, Rameez Mukhtar. Yes, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan has been replaced. Furthermore, there was no mention of Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan in the press release (one of the founding members of the band), no reason given for his departure and even now, one still doesn’t know (after 5 years of release of Saagar) when the next NEW Fuzon album will be out.

Shallum and Imran aka Emu were unavailable for comment but Instep tracked down Shafqat Amanat Ali and here’s what he had to say…

“I was unaware of this email but if they (Shallum and Emu) are coming back with a new line-up, they cannot use the ‘Fuzon’ name. Even though, there was no legal contract between us, it was always understood that if we ever called it off as a band, we would not cash in on the name as individuals. I will take away my compositions and they can form new melodies.” When asked how he felt about this press statement that did not even acknowledge him, Shafqat said, “Shallum can sometimes be childish. He gets up and suddenly decides, ‘today, I want to do this’ but it doesn’t work that way in the real world. Fuzon was a unit. That’s how I saw it but it seems that’s not the case anymore. All I can say is they cannot use the name. Otherwise, it’ll be messy and I need sometime to sort these things out.”

Wrong tactic

Bands break up all over the world. But how many have been able to make a comeback once the vocalist is out? After Jim Morrison’s demise, The Doors did release an album but it failed even though the music was still the sound of The Doors.

If one looks at local bands, the biggest example is Atif. After he left Jal, the band was never the same. This does not mean that they aren’t good but when it comes to commercial standing and popularity, Jal are simply not a patch on Atif’s success. The reason is crystal clear: a vocalist is not someone who just sings, he is also the face of the band.

Another great example is Junoon. After Ali Azmat and Salman Ahmed went separate ways, Ali Azmat has managed to make a strong position for himself in the music circuit. On the other hand, even as Salman is performing all across US of A as well as other places, he has no real standing in our music market.

The way Fuzon has come to a stop is not a pretty picture. A while back when Emu was interviewed by Instep, he openly confessed that Fuzon’s idea was founded by him and Shafqat first. In the press statement, its Shallum and Emu. The fact that Shafqat has not even been acknowledged only goes to show how wrongly the other members have handled this breakdown.

The big question: will the new Fuzon still work? Probably. In Pakistan, even as the scene has grown tremendously in the past few years, it is still relatively small. With more and more channels coming out, there isn’t enough good music out there. And one will give credit to Shallum and Emu, both of whom are tremendously talented musicians. But will Fuzon work to the same degree as it did when Shafqat was a part of it? It’s highly unlikely and that’s because Shafqat Amanat Ali appealed to the masses of this country. He comes from a prominent gharana and brings with him generations of music knowledge that really very few vocalists possess.

One can say Rameez Mukhtar, who is the new frontman of Fuzon also has classical ethos. No one doubts his ability. But can he match Shafqat? That is the real question. And if he is as good as Shafqat then chances are that he too will be lured by Bollywood biggies like Shafqat was.

Fuzon reached unprecedented level of success with one album. But it wasn’t just the album that made them one of the biggest musical sensations of the decade, it was the tight live sets they put up on stage, it was the soft sweet melodies that Shafqat brought with him, and the mighty Shallum who shook it up with his guitars and Emu, who added subtle notes with his keyboards. It takes time for a band to accomplish that.

As talented as the new vocalist maybe and as well known as Emu and Shallum maybe, can they repeat the same success as Fuzon, once again? And finally, will people accept Rameez in place of Shafqat and not draw comparisons? These are the questions that remain to be answered.

Right now, we don’t know where any of the band members go from here but what we can definitely say is that it is truly a very sad day for music.

The shocking press release

The biggest musical sensation is ready to hit the scenes for 2007!

Background

The biggest musical sensation to revolutionize Pakistan’s music scene in the past five years; Fuzon has broken boundaries & records at home & abroad. Their first album ‘Saagar’ has been winning awards at every level & has been a blockbuster appealing to audiences of every age. The brainchild of lead guitarist Shallum Xavier & producer Imran Momina aka Emu, the band based its roots on experimentation & collaboration between different sound scapes & musical disciplines, hence the name ‘Fuzon’.

2007

The year 2007 is going to be big for the band. Fuzon will hit the studio again to finalize their much-awaited second album. The new lineup will include vocalist Rameez Mukhtar, a seasoned artist surrounded by much hype at home. The Band has always been in pursuit of fresh & innovative experimentation in their sound & Rameez’s involvement has brought a reinvention of the Fuzon sound that will be exciting & new to their fans all over the world.

Meet the members

Imran, Shallum & Rameez

Imran Momina

Emu is a multi-dimensional pianist, who has been playing since the age of 13. His flair for arranging his own music & experimenting with melodies made him set up his own recording & mixing studio – and this is where the jam sessions take place. Technically proficient, self-tutored Fuzoneer, Emu has a universe of possibilities at his disposal.

Imran aka ‘Emu’ is a charismatic keyboard exponent & is a fine studio tactician whose feeling-based work has been making sweeping statements for over a decade. Emu has an uncanny knack for orchestrating memorable music, which is dominant in Fuzon’s gilt-edged tracks.

Shallum Xavier

Shallum, the guitar guru harbors the kind of passion that sets him apart from guitar god’s pack. His work encompasses tones in the direction of blues, rock, jazz, classical & everything in between. All his influences are focused towards creation of exhilarating, infectious but most of all moving slipstream music. Shallum is undoubtedly a studio artist of first water. His art on the debut album dazzles in sonic inventiveness. Shallum has been producing new talent & upcoming bands/artists in his studio. He has also been collaborating with a Norwegian band Fryd & has been performing at several music festivals all over the globe.

Rameez Mukhtar

Rameez, the new face, has been working with Emu & Shallum for the past 10 years & is well known in Pakistan for providing vocals to background tracks covering TV & Radio. Furthermore, he has been working with a famous music channel & is currently Head of Marketing & Sales for that channel. The range of his vocals cover a vast spectrum & he is fully trained in eastern classical singing that will be clearly visible in the new Fuzon album. Shallum & Emu have always been in pursuit of fresh & innovative experimentation in their sound & involvement of the new addition has brought a reinvention of the Fuzon sound that will be exciting & new to their fans all over the world.

The Queen*****

*ing: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Sylvia Slyms and Alex Jennings.
Directed by Stephen Frears
Tagline: Tradition prepared her. Change will define her.

Brilliant. This is the verdict for The Queen. All hail Helen Mirren and all hail writer Peter Morgan. The Queen is a grippingly dramatic tale that goes deep inside the House of Windsor; a film that makes one love and hate Queen Elizabeth II at the same time. Hating her has never been a problem but it’s the love that one finds implausible. How can anyone possibly love the woman who was indifferent to the death of the people’s princess, Lady Diana? You watch the film with this thought lingering in your head. Brace yourself, that attitude changes with the provocatively realistic flick, The Queen. It goes backstage at the Buckingham Palace and traces the aftermath of the death of the world’s most popular, most lovable Princess there ever was and how it changed the British Monarchy, literally! The film opens a day before Lady Diana’s death when Tony Blair is sworn in as the Prime Minister. The next day, Lady Diana tragically dies in a car accident with Fayed Al Dodi while being chased by Paparazzo. The Queen follows what happened next in the British government and the Royal family and how Lady Di’s death turned into a media spectacle, changing everything Queen Elizabeth II stood for.
Writer Peter Morgan along with director Stephen Frears brings this story forward but doesn’t bash the Queen with it. Going into the plot will take away the fun but here’s why this is a must-see film… The Queen changes some perceptions, if not all. To say that Lady Diana’s death was devastating would be an understatement. It brought people out on the streets, in front of the Buckingham Palace and most importantly, it questioned the Monarchy and threatened its so-called power. Queen Elizabeth’s behaviour was inexplicable for millions. Why didn’t she acknowledge Diana’s death? Why didn’t she open up to her people at the very least and offer condolences? Why wasn’t she at the Buckingham Palace? Why was she so indifferent and ignorant? After watching this film, you realize that she wasn’t ignorant or indifferent; she just didn’t want to display emotions and make the tragedy a public drama. Is that a harsh way to be? No. It’s dealing with death as a private matter and it’s a personal attitude that varies from human to human. Period.
As a film, The Queen answers these questions. For the first time, one understands the Queen. It’s not simple to understand her but through this film, one gets a glimpse of what it must be like to be in her royal shoes. Without being dull or preachy, this film makes you see the reasons why it took the Queen so long to address her nation and the world . This is a monumental film for many reasons. The most important, however, is that it holds a mirror to the British people and asks them, what do you want from your Queen? Do you want her to rule or do you want the Monarchy abolished? Sadly, to this day, the British can’t answer that. But that’s a different argument altogether.
Another important premise of the film is that it makes the Queen question her understanding of her people. It’s fascinating, really. This film tells you the power of media, even though it can be brutal. When the top newspapers of the country come together with the same headlines, it has an effect. The point of a newspaper is to generate debate and Lady Diana’s death did just that. It tells you about the little executive power the monarchy really holds. It tells you that when people from two schools of thought clash – conservative (The Queen) and liberal (Lady Diana) – there is only one winner and the one who lives isn’t necessarily it. It tells you that sacrifices have to be made even by the most powerful of people, such as Queen Elizabeth II, who is, at least in theory, the most powerful Head of State. Ultimately, The Queen says that times are changing and even a dead person can play an important role in bringing it about. The commendable thing that writer Peter Morgan and director Stephen Frears did is keeping the film as real as possible. As a result, most of what we see in the lifestyle of The Queen is real. The characters of Princes William and Harry are never shown. They remain in the sidelight, with their back facing the camera. There is no sensationalism, just a whole lot of true drama. All cast members are exceptional in portraying their characters. Michael Sheen as Tony Blair does a fine job, dealing with the world, compassionately taking control and fighting for The Queen. But the film belongs to Helen Mirren, from start to ending. Her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II is fantastic. The reticent woman ends up doing the very thing she doesn’t believe in and how magnificently she does it. Helen Mirren gives the exact same speech as Queen Elizabeth II did after Diana’s demise and it breaks your heart. The way Helen as Queen realizes the shift in culture that hits her with Diana’s death is subtle yet effective. Helen Mirren picked up a Golden Globe this year for her performance. She should get the Oscar too. Bravo! In the end, nothing takes away the grief that came with Diana’s death. But through this film, one learns how adapting is an integral part of life and no man on this earth can do without, not even The Queen. –Maheen Sabeeh *YUCK **WHATEVER ***GOOD ****SUPER *****AWESOME

 

The sound of the underground

Co-Ven enthralled a party of musicians, models and high profile fans – all gathered at the Basement Cafe for a vital dose of rock.

By Maheen Sabeeh.

Basement Cafe rocks. Quite literally, as every other week the underground cafe pulsates with groundbreaking sounds, rumbling out to the streets overhead. Sometimes, it’s in the form of a DJ night and at others, gigs that feature relatively new bands coming into the music scene.Recently, Rola (the venture of Uns Mufti) organized a gig of the Lahore-based band Co-Ven at the Basement Cafe and gave Karachiites their first formal introduction to this incredibly talented band. But this wasn’t an ordinary concert by any means. It was a night that musicians, models and celebrities came to show their support to this young band. And it was a night when music was served, shaken not stirred, with the chatter of old friends and the hum of Co-Ven’s music…
Ali Azmat, Zeeshan Parwez, Fasi Zaka, Fariha and Shariq Chapra, Mohammed Ali Jafri VJs Natasha, Dino and Anoushey, Munib Nawaz, Ayesha Toor, models Rubya Chaudry, Nadir Feroze Khan and Taimur Khan and Joey (Yousuf Paracha)…the list of music’s who’s who streaming in that night was endless. Uns Mufti was acting as the perfect host for the evening, pushing others to go forward to catch the band as soon as they came on, greeting guests and taking care of the sound. After all, the Basement isn’t an ideal concert venue and fitting drums in that compact lounge-like area was not an easy task. But they pulled it off superbly.Soon, Co-Ven comprising of Hamza Ali Jafri (vocals, lead guitars), Sikander Mufti (drums), Sameer Ahmed (of Mekaal Hasan Band fame on bass) and Omran Shafiq (of Mauj on guitars) began their jam session. Laughter and appreciation seeped through the air, as people moved around from one end to the other, humming, shaking their heads or simply lounging out and watching the guys play.
As a band, Co-Ven is indeed impressive. They began with a series of instrumentals that were not only a lot of fun but gelled well with the ambience of the night. Sameer Ahmed was subtle with bass; Sikander Mufti held the fort for drums superbly, Omran provided full support to both of them and vocalist Hamza Jafri seriously impressed with his husky vocals. It was a welcome sight to see Co-Ven on acoustic guitars as opposed to electric ones that are all the rage. Co-Ven’s music is eclectic, it’s moody yet fun and mostly it’s melodic. When Co-Ven launched into ‘Sailing Fast’, most people there were singing along. This is a band that was facing some of the most talented musicians around – Zeeshan Parwez, Rola man Uns Mufti, old veteran Ali Azmat among others – but they did not lose their temperament. They played track after track, showing versatility on instruments, emotions in vocals, synergy as a band and the result was people stayed on, watching and mingling all the way.These events are very important for the growth of the scene. Big concerts cater to masses but they don’t make for the best place for musicians to hang out and experience the scene in a new city, such as was the case of Co-Ven. All in all, Co-Ven proved to the selected invitees that even though they maybe an English language band, they know their music well. The fact that the right people showed up was a leap of faith, one that will encourage this band to go forward. And that is not a bad way to start off in the industry at all. Kudos to Shahbaz Sumar and Uns Mufti for putting together this event. One hopes to see more of these gigs in the future!