Anoushka Shankar Live in Mumbai and Delhi

[Thad E Ginathom]

Just 150 odd people.

That's amazing. Must have been very disappointing for the musicians and organisers.

Looking forward to report/pics.

 

[bhagwan]

Pics from the Concert.

BBC was doing the sound - audio i.e.
L Acoustics was used :-
Really Nice 'set up' & micing was very professional - specially for such a small group only 150 guests.
I think the entire concert was recorded by BBC & will be 'aired' some day.
The Pics - are not clear - sorry; HTC One - what can I say - Ultra Pixel etc. etc. [Just being a 'bxxxh']

 

[Santy]

Bhagwanji
I got a mild shock as soon as I saw the pics.
I thought the concert was over and I missed the event due to my memory mess up. eek:

BTW where did it take place?

 

[bhagwan]

Bhagwanji
BTW where did it take place?

Taj - Mumbai - Apollo Bunder
I was blessed with nice seats - row 2 - left of centre.
It was a nice evening - I liked the performance; Good Sound too !:clapping:

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Oh, then this was in a smaller venue to a small audience? That must have been great.

 

[bhagwan]

Oh, then this was in a smaller venue to a small audience? That must have been great.

It was open air - the temperature in Mumbai is good these days.
Small Audience - only 150 attendees.
Great Sound - L Acoustics etc.
Yes, it was a nice experience.
Had nice seats too.

 

[Santy]

It was a nice musical evening. Enjoyed the show thoroughly.
What an instrument Sitar is and what a Sitarist AS is!
The auditorium was fully packed; there must have been more than 2400 music lovers.
The acoustics were good but it was too loud for me sitting close to the stage where all the speakers were lined up.
Volume of mridhangam mic could have been set lesser. It was overpowering everything else.
Sadly, Norah was missing. No Flute and Guitar either.
Ofcourse AS shined. Flight and Jyoti everyone enjoyed (going by claps).
Chasing shadows (extended) was really arousing.
It was a good experience seeing upclose the fingers 'creating music'.

 

[Rupam]

I met her father once. In fact I found myself being "interviewed" by him as to to the how and why of my interest in Indian music!

Just a Thought, you are not Indian ! ? !

 

[bhagwan]

It was a nice musical evening. Enjoyed the show thoroughly.
What an instrument Sitar is and what a Sitarist AS is!
The auditorium was fully packed; there must have been more than 2400 music lovers.
The acoustics were good but it was too loud for me sitting close to the stage where all the speakers were lined up.
Volume of mridhangam mic could have been set lesser. It was overpowering everything else.
Sadly, Norah was missing. No Flute and Guitar either.
Ofcourse AS shined. Flight and Jyoti everyone enjoyed (going by claps).
Chasing shadows (extended) was really arousing.
It was a good experience seeing upclose the fingers 'creating music'.

Lovely Pics - Very Well Taken;
Glad you enjoyed it.

You are so right - most Indian Classical / Fusion Concerts get to be too loud.
It seems like the sound engineer is either deaf or he assumes that all the guests in the auditorium are deaf.
I never understood why they keep the levels so high ?

Luckly @ the concert I attended - the engineers were British & BBC was in charge & the gear used was top class & the levels were @ very legit levels.

L Acoustics is right on top of things right now - so the sound was good.

The performance may have been the same - since the people playing were the same.

Glad you enjoyed the concert; :licklips:

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Just a Thought, you are not Indian ! ? !

AAAAaaaaarrrrrgh! My cover is blown! :sad:

But it never was a secret, really: it is even in my profile

And I did go to mridangam class with the young guy in the above photos hyeah:

Santy, thanks for the pics, glad you enjoyed the concert. I always keep cotton wool in my bag, for reducing levels, even at classical concerts. It is not enough, though, for rock concert levels, which require proper ear plugs. Have long been getting around to trying "musicians' ear plugs."

The auditorium was fully packed; there must have been more than 2400 music lovers.

Nothing like that number at the Chennai performance a couple of years back. Bhagwan got the prize performance, though, with such a small group of people!

Luckly @ the concert I attended - the engineers were British & BBC was in charge

I wish that followed! Maybe "BBC" does, but "British" certainly does not. I have seen Indian music concerts screwed up at prestigious venues like South Bank.


~

 

[Santy]

Luckly @ the concert I attended - the engineers were British & BBC was in charge & the gear used was top class & the levels were @ very legit levels.

L Acoustics is right on top of things right now - so the sound was good.

I believe Shanmukanandha hall is also powered by L'acoustics. They spent over 2cr for the sound system alone.

I always keep cotton wool in my bag, for reducing levels, even at classical concerts. It is not enough, though, for rock concert levels, which require proper ear plugs. Have long been getting around to trying "musicians' ear plugs."

For 1/4th of the time, I did use plugs which I cannot forget to carry. My fingers. Yes, that's not I paid 2500 bucks for. But I have problem with very loud sound.

Bhagwan got the prize performance, though, with such a small group of people!

I am sure unamplified music is closest to ecstasy. Ofcourse Bhagwanji is fortunate to enjoy plenty of them as well.

 

[jls001]

@Santy: very great shots. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jls001]

It seems like the sound engineer is either deaf or he assumes that all the guests in the auditorium are deaf.

I attended a live performance at the Hard Rock Cafe last Wednesday night. I heard only the sound of the drums. The vocals, bass, & guitarist - all were relegated to being background noise. What a bad sound it was! Listening to the same songs on the car stereo is a much better experience. BTW, the same band is unlistenable on my stereo rig.

 

[Santy]

@Santy: very great shots. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Joshua.
I had been using audo mode almost all the time.
This time because the lights were poor, auto mode failed grossly with uncontrolled overexposures.
Which forced me to fiddle with manual settings and I did learn a thing or two of it.
More than aperture control, the shutter speed settings helped me here.
Still to learn to use both at the same time.

Sorry for OT

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

I am sure unamplified music is closest to ecstasy. Ofcourse Bhagwanji is fortunate to enjoy plenty of them as well.

It can be. It should be. But it sometimes isn't --- because of musicians being used to performing with amplifications and unable to adjust, and, of course, room acoustics which may or may not be conducive. Anyway, even when the musicians are not really up to it, it is still a worthwhile experience.

All it takes is for hall managers, engineers (yes, and musicians!) to get it right, do proper sound reinforcement with proper equipment, and the elecronics would disappear, leaving just the music, at just the right volume. That's my dream, anyway!

 

[bhagwan]

@ Santy.
Sir,
I have had the pleasure of listening to all my Western Classical Concerts - Live & without Mic & Speakers.
However, I am 'lusting' to listen to Indian Classical without a Sure SM 58 & Amplifiers & Speakers.
I go to a few 'baithaks' & there too - all the artists & the patrons insist on an amplified set up. It is really sad... I hate it.
How I wish = they artists & the patrons ask a very basic question - Hindustani Classical Music has been there for a few centuries if not more & there was no Power [electricity] or electronics etc. & yet concerts were the order of the day & all patrons could listen. How was that ? The instruments play loud & do not need mics & amplifiers & speakers.
How I wish & pray that they understand this & play without a mic & speakers...
That will be the 'day' !!
I still have hope - it will happen.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

There is one thing you can do: make it happen!

I know Hindustani musicians get paid rather more than Carnatic ones (the fairness of that is another story of course) but one can get together with sabha people and musicians and be a sponsor.

Even though it was not micless, the time that I did just that was one of the very special occasions of my life.

 

[bhagwan]

There is one thing you can do: make it happen!

There is a huge season of concerts on right now in Chennai - Please do report on them;
Details & Pics would be appreciated.
Commentary on the performing artists too would be a 'bonus'

Classical Music Events in Chennai - Buzzintown

Thanks.
:licklips:

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

Here is the most complete on-line listing of Chennai concerts that I know of. I use it a lot in my planning...

Kutcheris.com

They even have an Android app. Apart from that, I check the newspaper every morning.

My entire biological clock is upset from its usual owl hours. Today I went out for a 10.00am concert, somehow spent time and rested in the car, between that and a 4.15pm concert. I'm exhausted.

For those with the appetite, I could, of course, have spent the entire day, without a break, watching live music, and most of it for free.

I spent Rs1,200 on a ticket to see Sumithra Vasudev at the Music Academy. I was in the second row, middle (actually the first row available to the public). It would have covered the concert following, too --- but music, like food, is restrained by appetite, and too much of even the best food easily leads to indigestion.

Some upcoming days I will be at the Music Academy at 9.00am for concerts by senior carnatic artists. This time slot is for veteran artists --- and admission is free.

The MA is, of course, but one of the dozens of organisations presenting music.

Details & Pics would be appreciated.

I try to remember to take a mobile-phone pic, just to diary the concert, but I'm afraid that it is a "feature" of Motorola Defy+ that the camera is pretty dreadful for anything except closeups.

Chennai is an oasis of carnatic music. Outside of mid-summer, there is barley a day when we do not have a choice of concerts to attend, many of them free, few costing more than Rs.100 if anything. In many ways, I prefer watching music out of "season." But still, yes, there is a Buzz, and a great international social thing going on. Last night I went to a flute concert (Shashank), which was wonderful. I met a Sri Lankan Tamil singer/poet, who I knew in London, and who is now living in Germany!

On Sunday, we had a rasikas.org forum meet. Whilst I think I must have been the only one there of not-Indian-at-all origin, it was attended by people from as near as ten minutes walk away, and as far as USA and New Zealand. In the afternoon I went to a concert by my favourite senior artist (Smt. Vedavalli). I left a cushion there (thin backside, sharp bones!) and got it back when attending the same venue this morning for another favourite senior.

That's the way the Chennai Music Season is. And the shocking thing is that many foreign tourists (it's peak season here now, due to kind climate for once) pass through without ever knowing about it!

Those who love live music, and who have even the slightest of liking for the carnatic variety, can truly envy residents of this city .

Those who love good audio, on the other hand, do have to make substantial compromises

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

A Chennai Music Festival Day here.

No pics, but I'll to sort out a selection and post later.