For those seeking harmless entertainment, going to the movies is now a norm. Public concerts, on the other hand, are harder to find. But when the opportunity does present itself (and that too with names like Quratulain Balouch (aka QB) and Umair Jaswal on the roster), music fans in Karachi will always turn up.
GOGOUT!
Karachi witnesses a roaring performance from two of music’s most exciting names.
Karachi
For those seeking harmless entertainment, going to the movies is now a norm. Public concerts, on the other hand, are harder to find. But when the opportunity does present itself (and that too with names like Quratulain Balouch (aka QB) and Umair Jaswal on the roster), music fans in Karachi will always turn up.
All this and more became obvious this past weekend as the DHA Creek Club in Karachi played host to the dynamic talent of QB and Jaswal, who performed live to a cheering, excited crowd.
One must add that state-of-the-art sound system, dazzling lights whirling in the background and a sensibly designed and elevated stage paid off as it was welcomed by everyone in attendance and gave the audience a chance to really see the performers up-close.
The show was opened by warm-up sets from underground acts that were sadly unknown to the majority of the crowd. Tasked with entertaining this rambunctious crowd, the bands felt like fillers as they couldn’t galvanize the collective mood of the audience despite ample time onstage.
The mood changed, however, as Umair Jaswal’s entry was announced and he was greeted upon arrival with screaming, chanting fans. On his part, Umair, armed with a repertoire of blistering hits interacted with the audience throughout the evening. When he first arrived, Umair asked the audience: “Hello Karachi, Aap mein junoon hai? jazba hai? So, let’s hear it guys….”
Umair opened his set with a mash-up of classic tunes like Junoon’s ‘Jazba Junoon’ and ‘Heeray’ and Vital Signs’ ‘Dil Dil Pakistan’. This was followed by the loud magic of songs like ‘Halaak’ and ‘Ishq’. Umair followed this with a memorable cover of the Vital Signs classic ‘Aitebar’ and dedicated it to his swooning female fans in the audience.
By the time Quratulain Balouch (QB) arrived, the energy in the crowd was electric and she didn’t waste any time before breaking into a song. Starting a countdown of ten, QB, armed with a crushing playlist, opened the proceedings with a colourful rendition of Adnan Sami’s ‘Aye Khuda’. She then shifted gears and transitioned into a different dimension with songs like ‘Ankhian Nu Ren De’, ‘Tere Ishq Mein’ and others. This mixture of songs showcased her versatility as a singer and as a live performer.
Interacting with a delighted audience, QB said, “We all are charged up and we all are pumped up and I love the energy out here.”
Satisfied with the overall arrangements, QB also took a minute to appreciate the efforts of the organizers for supporting the cause of music before getting back to her set, which was as unpredictable as the singer herself.
For her mash-up set, QB included few true crowd pleasers like ‘Bolo Na’, ‘Ek Tara’, ‘Raat Baki Baat Baki’ and ‘Inteha Ho Gai’ as fans sang along.
As QB belted out her Coke Studio hit, ‘Sammi Meri Waar’, the crowd was roaring for her. She concluded her set with her claim-to-fame single, ‘Woh Humsafar Tha’ from TV serial Humsafar and was joined by Umair Jaswal on the Coke Studio hit.
– Photo courtesy: Destiny Enterprises
