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Four concerts, four genres and a weekend

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Friends often ask how I manage to attend shows every day. Obviously, I don't. What happens is that most events in Mumbai take place between Thursday and Sunday, and that's when a bit of binging happens. Not all the four days but on two or three, either if I have to cover them officially or if they seem exciting on their own. I still have four free evenings a week. Last weekend was filled with activities - so I managed four shows between Friday and Sunday. The good thing is that they spanned four diverse genres. Here are brief notes on all of them. Of course, attending them means I missed out on a few big ones. Friday, July 24: Khazana ghazal festival, day 1, The Trident, ghazals: This is the 25th year of the prestigious event, and as always drew a packed house. The special highlight was that Sonu Nigam would perform, though before the show, one wasn't certain what he would sing. Sonu nailed it, singing many of Pankaj Udhas' famous songs. After all, Pa...
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Naren's indie round-up/ July 2026, Ep 2

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  Deepika Seth/ Ittefaq Language & genre: Hindi, love song  Label: Grapevine Records Rating: **** Deepika Seth's 'Ittefaq' is the first single from forthcoming album Qisse Kal Ke . It's about meeting someone, wanting to settle down and anticipating a strong relationship. It's a simple composition sung with feeling. The lyrics stand out, as Deepika sings, "Kya yeh ittefaq hai jo tum mile, lamhe azaad hai jo tum aa gaye ho". Later, she asks, "Talaash thi jis mohabbat ki, kya ye wohi ho raha hai?" Get the gist? The song has been co-written by Sagar Varma. Production is by Rohan Upadeo, with gentle strings by Protyay Chakraborty and guitars by Sambhav Pratap Singh providing the right ambience. Shraddha Pandit/ Kya Batayen Language & genre: Hindi, ghazal Label: Merchant Records Rating: *** 1/2 After starting off as a playback singer in the late 1990s, Shraddha Pandit has been recently focusing more on writing lyrics. However,...
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Rolling Stones/ Foreign Tongues

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Rolling Stones/ Foreign Tongues  Genre : Rock Label : Promotone/ Universal Rating : **** Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger will turn 83 next weekend. In the studio, his voice sounds like he's 43. On stage, he moves like a 23-year-old. As for guitarist Keith Richards, we stopped counting a few decades ago. The two stalwarts, along with regular guitarist Ronnie Wood, are at the helm of the band's 25th British and 27th American album Foreign Tongues . It's a typical Stones record, maintaining the class of its 2023 predecessor Hackney Diamonds and a string of older records. There's lots of rock n' roll, lots of blues, gallons on guitar licks, a couple of intense power ballads, a few twangy harmonica spells, tonnes of Jagger swagger.  One disclaimer, to begin with. The PR handouts talk of a long line of celebrity guests. Truth is that some make only fleeting appearances. Paul McCartney plays bass on one track, and Bruno Mars guests on cowbell on one...
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Concert reviews/ Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar & Suhas Yyas

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR  Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar/ Ghana Garaje Genre; Hindustani vocal Details:  Experimental Theatre, July 11 Rating : **** -- Suhas Vyas/ Morning Ragas Genre: Hindustani vocal DetaIls : Ravindra Natya Mandir, July 12 Rating : *** 1/2 The weekend provided a double treat for followers of Hindustani classical vocal music. More than anything, they got to hear rare compositions, rather than the fare one often hears at such gatherings. On Saturday, July 11 evening, vocalist Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar excelled at the Ghana Garaje programme of monsoon melodies organised by the National Centre for the Performing Arts at the Experimental Theatre. Then, in a new series initiated by Grace Foundation and curated by Pancham Nishad, Suhas Vyas presented a rare bouquet of morning ragas at the Ravindra Natya Mandir on Sunday, July 12. Ankalikar began with the popular Miyan Ki Malhar. While that didn't seem like an uncommon choice, what was impressive was it it lasted a good 70 mi...
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Deep Purple/ Splat !

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Deep Purple / Splat ! Genre : Hard rock Label : EarMusic Rating : **** Thirty seconds into the first song, and for the nth time, you're amazed by the sheer power of Ian Paice's drumming. 'Arrogant Man' begins with him and guitarist Simon McBride, before vocalist Ian Gillan sings, "Well, Billy couldn't read or write, he never read a book in his life, he looked like shit, face didn't fit, he only ever went out at night". 'Arrogant Man' is the perfect opener to rock legends Deep Purple's 24th studio album ' Splat ! '. Like the rest of the 13-track record, it's loaded with energy, some dazzling solos, tight rhythms and crisp vocals. Keyboardist Don Airey and bassist Roger Glover complete the line-up, and for the sixth time, the renowned Bob Ezrin joins them as producer. To be sure, Splat ! may not contain anthems of the 'Smoke On The Water', 'Highway Star' and 'Black Night' calibre. Gilla...
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Naren's indie round-up/ July 2026, Ep 1

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Faheem Abdullah, Arslan Nizami, Qaiser Nizami/ Hoor Language & genre: Urdu/ Kashmiri, folk-fusion  Label: Universal/ Coke Studio Bharat Rating: *** The latest Coke Studio Bharat release 'Hoor' draws from Afsana Goyi, the Kashmiri art of storytelling. Singers Faheem Abdullah and Arslan Nizami tell the story of Sheikh and Hoor, with Qaiser Nizami joining towards the end. The song begins with a Kashmiri line, before getting into Urdu words penned by Qaiser and Syed Mehdi Razvi. It's a good start, with a strong hook, but somewhere one feels it begins to get mechanical. The thematic changes seem forced, but to compensate, there are some wonderful solos on guitar and sarangi. The Kashmiri lines at the end keep one hunming along. 'Hoor' has its moments, but tries to pack in too many things together. But that's a typical Coke Studio Bharat trait, isn't it? Sharayu Date/ Badra  Language & genre: Hindi, ballad Label: Self-released  Rating...
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Naren's indie round-up/ June 2026, Ep 2

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BY NARENDRA KUSNUR Parikrama/ Inside My Skin  Language & genre: English, hard rock Label: Self-released  Rating: *** 1/2 Delhi rock band Parikrama has completed 35 years on the scene. To mark the occasion, they had a show at Delhi's Piano Man and also released their new single 'Inside My Skin'. The song is very much in the hard rock mould, with vocalist Nitin Malik writing the lyrics. Guitarists Saurabh Chaudhury and Abhishek Mittal, keyboardist Subir Malik, bassist Gaurav Balani and drummer Srijan Mahajan contribute in good measure, with the middle guitar solo standing out. The song has lines like, "Crash into me, and make me blind, make me believe I close my eyes". It has that live gig energy for sure. Sharat Chandra Srivastava/ Bandhutva (album) Language & genre: Instrumental, fusion Label: Krintan Records Rating: *** 1/2 After playing violin with Parikrama, Sharat Chandra Srivastava has been associated with the band Mrigya besides solo projects. He now...
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