Rock star reminds the need of ‘Harmony for Humanity’

On a rainy Saturday night, when a tall brunette Mary McBride started singing ‘One more time’, the packed house straight away looked at the erected photograph of slain journalist Daniel Pearl and it seemed that everyone was in search of the noble soul that was lost in 2002. It was clear that the lyrics “Can’t blame you at all / Running here and running there / Crossing border towns / Stop at every last state fair/ I didn’t mean to pull you under /I didn’t mean to take you for a spin / Just one more try / Just one more time / I’ll let you win” had a mesmerising effect at the audience. The rock star with her four-member contingent brought the country music live to the federal capital to mark Daniel Pearl World Music Day.
The event ‘A Tribute to Daniel Pearl: A celebration of Life and Music’ was arranged by the Embassy of the United Sates of America in partnership with Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). US ambassador in Pakistan Cameron Munter and his wife Dr Marilyn Wyatt graced the occasion that was also attended by other embassy officials, diplomats, music lovers and last but not least Daniel Pearl’s hundreds of fans. The world has come to know Daniel Pearl (1963-2002) as a Wall Street Journal reporter, who was kidnapped and murdered by terrorists in Karachi in early 2002, just four months after 9/11. Since then, people around the world remembered the US journalist as a symbol of hope- who built bridges between diverse cultures, as a prolific writer and a gifted musician.
The basic idea behind the day is to response to the assassination through music concerts around the globe, as musicians commemorate Pearl’s life through the universal language of music to spread the message of hope and bring the people together in a united stand for peace.
Clad in all black denim trousers, and black cardoi upper, with long dangling silver chain in neck, Mary truly spellbound the audience in a non-stop performance that lasted over two hours.
The concert came at a time when the Pak-US relations witness tremendous stress. Hence, music is used to bring back the people of the two countries together under the theme of “Harmony for Humanity”. Music is a universal language that is appreciated by all peoples irrespective of their language or cultural background. It is the most powerful tool to end hatred and polarizations between individuals and nations.
Mary McBride acted as a de facto ambassador of the American people to the people of Pakistan. She performed some of her famous songs like ‘Fly Away Home’, Tricky Tricky World’, ‘One More Time’, ‘I Don’t Need No Doctor’, ‘Slow Down Rain’, ‘If You Live in My Hometown’, and ‘If I could…’.
The rock star said on the stage: “We are thrilled to be here in Pakistan. Someone emailed from here asking would you like to visit Pakistan and it took me few seconds to say ‘Yes, I’ll soon’, she shared.
Mary gives a pleasant surprise when she goes off stage and appeared within few seconds putting on a Pakistan Cricket Team shirt, singing a national song ‘Dil Dil Pakistan, Jan Jan Pakistan’ with the strong tunes of Jazz.
Earlier in his brief address, Cameron Munter said music and culture were interconnected. “Using music as a tool, we can link people from one region to another.”
“The US Embassy is proud to support Pakistani efforts to spread a message of hope in the face of violence and to connect our two countries through music,” he said.
This concert also paid tribute to the Pakistani journalists who have lost their lives while giving voice to those who may not have the opportunity to express themselves freely. The photographs of all the slain journalists were on display inside the lobby of National Art Gallery (NAG).
Daniel Pearl was a talented musician who joined musical groups in every community in which he lived, leaving behind a long trail of musician-friends spanning the entire world.
Commemorating his October 10th birthday, World Music Days uses the universal language of music to encourage fellowship across cultures and build a platform for “Harmony for Humanity.” Since the inception of World Music Day in 2002, more than 5,000 concerts in 102 countries have been dedicated.
Talking to this scribe, Mohyuddin, who came from New Zealand few days ago, said the concert was awesome. “McBride took my breath away with her resonating voice and the guitarists did full justice with their profession. Though sound system at times was too loud but that’s what actually an ingredient of rock music is all about. Over all the performance was stunning,” he said.
Elizabeth, a US national said, “I am proud that the US Embassy supported the Daniel Pearl Day concert to connect our two countries through music and spread a message of hope and unity in the face of violence. The best part about the show – even better than the music – was the affirmation of life, tolerance, and pluralism shared throughout the evening,” she maintained.