By LISA TSERING India-West Staff Reporter
OAKLAND, Calif. - With a bombastic blast of sound and Sufi rhythms, composer-singer Himesh Reshammiya rocked the Oakland Arena in concert Aug. 5, showing that his self-made Rock Star career shift is here to stay.
Guest artists were top-notch as well, with Indian Idol Abhijeet Sawant turning in a confident, musically competent performance of pop and film songs. Young vocalists Hemani and Vineet also made a good impression, though Alisha Chinoi's grasp of sur was slack on her performances of older ("Made in India," "Sexy sexy") and new ("Kajra re," "No entry") pop confections.
The show was emceed by TV stars Sangita Ghosh and Sonia Kapoor, and got a break halfway through with a comical interlude from gifted young mimic Raviraj, whose spot-on imitations of film stars from Dev Anand to the Big B and Shah Rukh Khan had the crowd howling.
Udita Goswami turned in a thrilling dance medley, and Abhijeet Sawant strode onstage in tight jeans and a caramel leather jacket, basking in the appreciation he's now used to after his victory in India's top-rated music talent show, and wowed with versions of "Mohabbatein lautunga" from his solo album "Aap Ka Abhijeet" and "Mar jawan mit jawan" from Aashiq Banaaya Aapne.
Reshammiya ruled the evening, though, kicking off his first set with a fiery rendition of "Aashiq banaaya apne" and reaching out in a series of emotional speeches to the audience between songs, accompanied by a troupe of topnotch Bollywood dancers and a 10-piece band with four percussionists.
Dressed, as always, in a baseball hat that nearly obscured his features over tight jeans and a dramatic, knee-length black silk jacket, Reshammiya took the audience on a tour through his musical oeuvre that largely bypassed his huge body of work as a composer alone, and centered on his latest hits as a singer.
In addition to the memorable "Tera surroor," Reshammiya performed several songs from his megahit album "Aap Ka Surroor," including "I love you O Sayoni," "Samjho na kuchh toh samjho na," "Naam hai tera" and the qawaali-inspired "Tera surrooor."
Reshammiya has been composing for films since 1998, when he burst onto the scene with "Odh Li Chunariya Tere Naam Ki," his contribution to Jatin-Lalit's soundtrack to Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya. Since then, his reputation as a soundtrack composer keeps on growing, with at least six films this year alone (including Chup Chup Ke, Phir Hera Pheri and Tom, Dick and Harry).
Two tracks from Humko Deewana Kar Gaye made a strong impression - the title track and "Fanah" - and Reshammiya invited children up from the audience more than once for a rousing version of "All day, all night" from Phir Hera Pheri.
Other film hits included "Aap ki kashish," "Ashiqui main teri" and "Zara jhoom jhoom."
Abhijeet Sawant, Hemani and Vineet later joined Reshammiya onstage for an exciting version of "Junoon" from the new film Rocky.
What Reshammiya lacks in dynamic subtlety as a singer - his vocal performance ran the limited range from forte to fortissimo - he more than made up in star wattage and great material. The audience was up on its feet, happily dancing and singing along over the span of the three-and-a-half hour show.
Reshammiya clearly relished the adulation he was receiving. "I was given some beautiful lines to say to you, but now seeing you, I've forgotten them all," he said in Hindi, adding that he felt the concert would be an "emotional journey."
Organizers Deepak Mehta and Mehta Entertainment presented a novel staging this time around, filling the floor of the arena with banquet tables and a buffet Indian dinner catered by Bombay Garden for a few hundred VIPs, while the terraces around the arena were packed with fans.
Himesh Reshammiya will perform Sunday, Sept. 10 at the Universal Amphitheater in Universal City, Calif. (not on Aug. 10, as erroneously reported in this paper previously).
For more information on the Southern California show, call (310) 829-2985 or visit www.superentertainmentinc.com. |