One Evening And An Other!

It was the Spring of 2013 when we lived in Folsom. The Maestro was touring the U.S but was performing only in the Bay area and at NJ. Living so close to the bay, how could I miss this opportunity to listen to his orchestra and all of my favourite singers? I pestered my husband to take me. The basic tickets were sold out and only the pricey ones left. He called his friend who was one of the main sponsors to see the availability. His friend said he had given more than 20 tickets to his staff and others the previous day. Had he called one day before... However, he asked us to come and we would get seated somehow. We didn't mind driving more than 120 miles. We went along with a couple of other music lovers. We reached right before the show started. Unlike all Indian programs, it started on time. We got seated on the main floor of the HP Pavilion that held more than 10000 people. We were only a few rows from the stage.

The husband as usual vanishes into the crowd when he is in the Bay Area and I totally didn't mind his absence as I was lost in the magic of Maestro. He turned up after some time that his friend had one pass which is in the 2nd row right opposite to the stage. He had taken me to sit there and that is such an amazing experience which my words fail to describe. The singers I listened growing up, the singers I craved to see and hear them sing live at least once in my lifetime were there, right in front of me. Just a few feet away. It was one of its kind. It didn't seem fair to me to enjoy the spot alone. We all exchanged that spot as if playing musical chairs each for one hour. All of them equally thrilled. The hangover from that evening lingered on me for quite a long time. Each song that Balu, Chitra, and Mano sang pierced through our hearts. Thanks to my husband and his friend for a once in a lifetime experience. I wanted to write a post on this five years back, but it never happened.

A few months later, the big move to Dallas happened. Fortunately, here I got the opportunity to view them more than once and the thirst only increased. I never missed seeing Balu or Chitra sing. However, when the Maestro toured two years back, I was not so interested as I already had my special experience and skipped the show. Last year, when Balu was doing a Grand World Tour celebrating 50 years in singing, it was a chance to not miss. But fate is it, the day before their show in Dallas, the most controversial copyright dispute arose between the Maestro and SPB. Many people had withdrawn from attending the show as the crowds couldn't imagine SPB not singing Raja sir's tunes. We did miss his tunes for sure but Balu sang some beautiful numbers that were forgotten. That's the day I felt, "There's more to music than Ilayaraja". 

The Maestro was touring this year again and there was a show in Dallas. I was quite reluctant to attend as Balu wouldn't be singing and no one sounds the nuances as well as he does. We didn't even bother getting the tickets. But you see, somethings happen for a reason. This time another friend of the husband happens to be the President of a popular Telugu Association and he happens to travel to this concert. The sponsors are a close associate of his friend. After breakfast, they suddenly asked me if I wanted a photograph with Raja sir. Why not? Who would deny? I changed and rushed to greet him at the hotel and then even got a chance to take his autograph me being the only lady present there. 

With influential friends do come some perks... :-) We couldn't refuse the VVIP seats given to us right in the middle, in the front row, opposite the stage. Deep inside, though I was not ready to listen to any other male singer other than Balu sir, I couldn't afford to miss one chance to see my dearest Chitramma sing. I normally am not attracted to taking photographs with any celebrities. But, I never minded taking a picture along with an author or a singer or a painter. I always wanted one picture with Chitra mam but never got a chance. As Paulo Coelho said, "When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it". Yes, the Universe did conspire this time. Want to know how? The emcee being my friend called me backstage to help her mom being seated. The security didn't let me as I didn't have the badge. Our important friend came to my rescue again and offered his badge. Voila! There I go and ask mam if I can take a picture and she smiled :) Like a new student going on to the stage to sing, the ever-humble Chitramma was practising within her. How lucky am I to have only her in the backstage while all the other singers were already seated on stage?

The evening went on with an outstanding Orchestra from Budapest and India in a meticulous manner. I don't mean to be rude to the other singers by saying this; Balu sir, you were thoroughly missed. We missed you in each and every single song that was sung by other singers. The nuances and subtleties cannot be expressed by anyone else. There is ONE and ONLY SPB. Your show without Raja sir's music was okay, but Raja sir's music without you is Not Okay!