Live at Vikalp

Our tryst with New Delhi got a lot more intimate upon our last visit there for The YP Foundation’s Vikalp. Ishita and The YP Foundation are a bunch of young passionate chaps who are doing some brilliant work in the social sector and have gained recognition for it not just in Delhi where they are based but in the whole wide world!

It was only natural for us to give them any support that we can and so when they called us to play for Vikalp, it did not take much to convince us

We landed in Delhi after a bunch of flight re-shuffling and were taken straight to Zafar’s (the co-ordinator for the Music Project that they run) house which to say the least, is an “experience” – A nice home cooked meal and a quick nap followed immediately, after which we headed to the India Habitat Center (IHC), a venue that has now grown very close to our hearts.

A quick sound check followed and while the Film Festival started in the amphi theatre, we dashed to the green room to get changed but nothing had prepared us for what would follow. We got back to the amphitheatre on the dot at 8.30 PM and they were all set for us to start the show! We saw a crowd of about 300 people ambling around the amphitheatre, but it was a great sign for us because when we would start, they would come and more with them and pack the place! and they did!

We decided this time round to reverse our setlist, and to play our new songs that we never end up playing because the show always goes beyond the time limit, so we did, started with “Har Saans Mein”, followed that up with “Lokada Kalaji” and our version of “Kodagana Koli Nugittha?”. That was followed by a dedication to the first lady of the YP, Ishita Chaudhry (who turned every shade of pink possible through the dedication) before we played “Sajna”.

By this time, the crowd had been sufficiently warmed up, and had even exercised their vocal chords, had jumped about, clapped continuously and were all set to take a break when we took it one notch higher with “Khidki” and the regular set in reverse, finally ending the night with “Hey Bhagwan” and “Mysore Se Aaayi” which saw about 500 people in that amphitheatre jumping along with us like little kids!!

A quick encore followed and miraculously we had managed to squeeze all of that, encore included in the hour and a half and at 10PM on the dot, we stopped, much to the delight of the organizers and the disappointment of the cops there! :p

A true testament to the fact that the gig had gone splendidly well was the fact that we sold ALL the CDs we could possibly carry with us to Delhi and people were asking for more! who says people are not buying music? they just need a great show before they buy it

Much thanks to The YP Foundation and best of luck for all the work you guys do, thanks to Shiv Ahuja for these brilliant photographs, and to everyone who made this possible.

Check out all photos of the gig at – http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=122091&id=502057721