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Shahzeb Shaikh shahzeb.shaikh@gmail.com
Karachi
Atif Aslam is the kind of
artist whose genre is hard to pin down. To say that he is a successful pop
star would be
an understatement. He has the charm to take you into a romantic groove with
popular ballads like ‘Tu Jane Na’ and at the same time he can make you
bop to tunes such as ‘Aadat’ and ‘Woh Lamhey’ etc. He proved his
versatility recently at a gig in Karachi organized by a private bank. Held a
little before Ramadan, the venue was surprisingly not jam packed as people
thronged to witness Atif perform live in the city of lights.
As is common with
corporate gigs, the audience tends to hold back, which in turn makes the
artist lethargic too. Business executives dressed in formal attire can often
make a gig lackluster. The crowd is expected to be display certain decorum
while enjoying the music. However, the situation changes and so the norms
when a performer of Atif Aslam’s caliber takes over the proceedings. The
crowd boomed in exhilaration as he began belting out hit after hit. Dressed
in a white tee and a  pair
of jeans, Atif got the crowd moving from the get go. And I repeat – ‘Tu
Jane Na’ is even better when witnessed live – a real treat! He dedicated
the track to his fans and at one point urged them to sing along.
Amidst a crowd singing in
unison with the performer there was an aura of optimism. Towards the end of
the track, he made every one yell, "Pakistan Zindabad” and the crowd
obliged. A sense of buoyancy was apparent. An electric charge rippled over
the venue and girls began screaming their lungs out and tripping over each
other to get a better view as Atif launched into ‘Hona Tha Pyar’, off
the Bol soundtrack. He pulled it off effortlessly and with such precision,
the audience was left gasping in awe.
No doubt it’s his
diverse performance capabilities that make him such a great live act. A hit
in every aspect, ‘Meri Kahani’ drove the crowd to frenzy as the
performance was solid as expected. A rocked up version of ‘Mera Piya Ghar
Aya’ followed, merged with his Coke Studio hits. Everyone leapt to their
feet, the energy levels rose, and even the aunties in front rows crowded
around the stage. It was altogether a new experience to witness him perform
‘Man Kunto Maula’. It was thrilling to witness a fusion of two different
genres of music on a single platform. And, before he could call it a night,
the crowd shouted for a re-do of ‘Tu Jane Na’, a request which Atif
merrily accepted. And frankly, the crowd probably sang more than the singer.
It was so exhilarating that the crowd sounded at an equal pitch as that of
Atif’s.
Moral of the story: Only a
singer of Atif’s caliber has what it takes to make the crowd stand up and
dance at a corporate event.
[Via Instep] | 
