Fashion surrenders to Sufism

January 31, 2010

By Madeeha Syed

The venue has played host to some of the greatest music projects in the history of Pakistani pop. Image-maker extraordinaire Nabila had hosted a show that was an eclectic mix of art, fashion, folk and rock ‘n’ roll and had the audience seated in a circular seating arrangement with the band right in the center of the performance area. Making a formidable team with Ather Hafeez designing the costumes, Zain Mustafa for art direction, some of the best musicians in the country contributing to the music – Emu (keyboards), Shallum (lead guitars), Khalid (bass guitar) and Gumby (drums) – along with vocal talent in the form of Positive (Nazar and Yousuf), Saieen Tufail and Shehryar Tariq, Nabila made sure that the event was an experience that appeased and excited both the visual and the sound sensibilities of those present.

The evening opened with the duo behind Positive, Nazar and Yousuf, lending their vocals to a recorded track that was played while the band performed live to it. Their vocals belted out a Sindhi ‘Vai’ derived from Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s poetry. It started the evening off on a somewhat broody, dark, yet intense note. The house band – which has played together on more than just several occasions – infused the energy into the performance. Their comfortable chemistry came out from not only having played together for years but also as good friends added to the high-energy yet free-flowing music that they created. “Normally, it’s the other way around,” said a visibly-happy Emu after the performance, “you have a performance where the vocalist is the only one performing live and the rest of the music is played to the audience via a CD. For this track, we did the opposite. And it wasn’t easy.”

Saieen Tufail, a prominent musician in his own right was the next to take to the stage. Tufail is blessed with a haunting vocal tone that is instantly recognisable. A seasoned musician who became a household name after appearing in Coke Studio (CS) season one, Tufail was at home performing one of Bulleh Shah’s kalaam, Alam, for the audience. The show in itself was also a testimony to how CS has managed to change perceptions and bring about an experimentation in music where fusing the folk and the rock/pop element are concerned. In his performance, Tufail showed off his vocal virtuosity while the band followed his lead. It must be mentioned here that Tufail (who had been given a full wardrobe) and the band members had been styled by the designer, Ather Hafeez, as well. Also sitting in the gallery area during Tufail’s performance the designer mentioned that he took inspiration from the Sufi culture for this collection. For the next performance however, he preferred a more ‘grounded’ view and pretty soon, one saw him sneaking into and settling in the main audience area.

The surprise of the evening and one who left a lasting impression on the audience was definitely Shehryar Tariq. Equipped with a masterful voice, he took Tufail’s cue and led the audience into a powerful, rocked-up rendition of Bulleh Shah’s Teray Ishq Nachaya. It was a popular number often associated with the Sufi queen, Abida Parveen, as it is a signautre track in her performances. His recital was a show of vocal strength as he belted verse after verse, often louder than the band, with the audience encouraging him with their applause. His performance closed the evening on a high note. And the event seemed to end a little too soon, leaving the audience wanting for more. Right now, what one needs is a recorded audio version of the performances. Music that rocks couture, while infusing a bit of soul here and there, is definitely an experience that needs to be shared.

Source: DAWN | Images