Hello darkness, my old friend
Another day ends in Bangalore as the thunder rumbles and the bats come out to do their crazy stutter fly bat stuff – a light blinks on my - mobile a txt alert about a concert at a new venue just round the corner – a Simon and Garfunkul Tribute Band – might as well give it a go
Ive come to talk with you again
Tried to check when the band was actually on but had a typically missing conversation on phone with the ‘promoter’, and the venue website was similarly unhelpful. Nonetheless turned up around the initial indicated time and though a soul-less space with utilitarian decoration, early 80s hall of residence style, it was filling up quickly with Bangaloreans on their way home and eager to party in a mellow way
And in the naked light I saw
Air Guitar, yes Air Guitar to S&G at the table next to use, accompanied by some seriously annoying knife drumming at the table behind us. You would have thought that perhaps the some strange narcotic had been slipped into something yielding a forced bon-homie.
People hearing without listening,
Never once did the Indian audience stop talking during the songs, and the waving of table flags to attract waiters developed a manic semaphore quality as the eclectic service started to fall apart
And no one dared
To admit that India’s answer to S&G were really bad – every song was played at a 33 rather than 45rpm pace, and that they had no stage presence and conveyed not a jot of emotion all evening. I shuddered as they lumbered into Bridge Over Troubled Waters which was like watching a slow motion train wreck with your feet encased in treacle.
Hear my words that I might teach you
The duo on stage had the slightly forced manically cheerful demeanour of childrens presenters
Simon – Do you know what a boxer is boys and girls?
Garfunkul - We do and we also know a song about it - shall we sing it for you?
They also felt the need to protect the kiddies from naughty words so that the boxer occasionally took refuge in the ‘gals’ on 7th avenue (back to TOTP 1964 Rolling Stones!) – though why they had to turn Parsley (in Strawberry Fayre) to Paisley is beyond me.
And the people bowed and prayed
And we left at half time only because it took 20 mins for the bill to come and a further 5 for the staff to add 10,2 and 2
And whispered in the sounds of silence.
As we enjoyed a peaceful read in bed having escaped tribute band hell, Mrs R with her Vampires and me with the Siege of Assaye in 1803. We will keep trying with entertainment here but I am very happy being Terry to Mrs Rs June
Goodnight All
5 comments:
So moral of the story? Indians give more preference to Food then the music? that is true
Not sure there is a moral to this story. I certainly didn't look for one, I just tried to put myself at the venue. But if I had to hazard a guess? I'd say the moral is to celebrate our differences, even under extreme provocation. Like air guitaring Paul Simon's music. Or maybe the lesson is to always look for the funny side, particularly when cultures clash, as humour offers a better perspective than anger. Better haw haw than war war. Kind of. Sorry Winston.
JPB, not sure if that is philosophy or counselling? Personally while I fully appreciate the need to celebrate our differences and maintain a sense of humour, there are times when recognising what I don’t like and getting irritated with it works very well for me!
Do I recall a BR trip to UK in July. Got any dates for being Down South? Need a bed for the night? Let us know.
Presumably JDA has gone and forgotten to keep up with his isp dues and is now in edarkness. Or is meditating with a guru half way up to Ooty hill station and has found a calmer, more silent way of life. Or maybe one too many singha beers?
Sad to miss your re-entry into the home counties social circuit end July but hope to catch up some other time.
Loved reading it. Am so glad gave Kyra a wide berth so far. Perhaps you were intended to ingest strange narcotics too and have a different perspective of the whole evening. They dared sing "Like a Bridge over Troubled Waters"? Wow!
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