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By Lachman Balani  1977- The Rolling Stones
1980- U2
1984- The Guess Who.........
2006-Indian Electronica!
Remember the El Mo? The launch pad for local talent and the last bastion of live rock shows that the public said had bitten the dust? The neon palm club just off the corner of Spadina Avenue and College Street, that was the venue for such legendary greats as The Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Duran Duran and U2 among several others? Well on July 20, 2006, Qasim Virjee, affectionately known as Abdul Smooth, Anuj (live on the tabla), Sandra on vocals, Monika performing the kathak, and others, revived the sprit of El Mocambo's bygone days by giving the enrapt and appreciative audience a thrilling and brilliant rendition of Indian electronica, blending classical symphonies with modern electronic music.
On the stage, behind a huge low draped tapestry designed with Lord Krishna on the flute surrounded with his Gopis, an extremely young and smooth Abdul started the evening off giving the public a taste of electronic music wonder sending them into a trance. The piece de resistance was a classic Lord Krishna flute (murli) piece accompanied by recorded tabla and enhanced with live tabla by Anuj. What with Lord Krishna and his Gopis in the background and in one's inward eye and the synergizing of ancient melodies with contemporary electronic fare, it was instant transportation to nirvana. Soon after, Sandra joined in, adding excellent vocals to the entrancing fusion. Then on came Monika and enthralled the audience with her kathak performance done to new-age electronic music and a booming bass that pounded right through one's heart. The whole happening was to die for! The ensorcelling music continued as the audience kept on being tuned in and turned on, mesmerized by Abdul's 'crazy' (as he calls it) jam. All in all, it was an extraordinary evening, a bindaas chill-out session, with a very avant-garde electronic music genre and extremely innovative interfusions of the old and new. Their pioneering style and enthusiastic vitality hold promise for them and will take them far and wide. They already are set to perform next month in Birmingham and London in the UK. Yes sir, a truly superb act and all homegrown in the multi-cultural mosaic of amchi Canada. For more information, please visit http://www.indianelectronica.com/
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REVIEWS:
The Weekly Voice - Canada's Leading South Asian Newspaper
Indian Electronica - The Next Big Sound?
DESI NEWS MAGAZINE - January 2007
