- A platform to integrate generations through music
LAHORE: Interaction with musicians is generally considered a tough task because they’re either seen on television channels and social media, or during concerts. Lahore Music Meet 2018 (LLM18) allowed the audience the opportunity to interact with budding musicians.
While the outdoor food stalls and musical arrangement attracted quite a few, the events in different halls saw sizeable crowds listening to speakers revealing their creative process. Here are the details from some of the event from the first day of the LLM18.
Seed to Songwriting by Shehzad Noor
Shehzad Noor – a renowned English songwriter – talked about the creative process of writing lyrics and shaping them into songs. Noor, who is now running a band with the name Shorba Noor, emphasised on overcoming limitations while writing songs and finding the courage to let loose. He started the Songwriting Masterclass on the notes of a piano with his original Thinking Heart.
“You ask me what a song is, I would say I don’t know but I resonate with Shajie [a rock singer] who said that a song is a way of storytelling,” Noor said. He added that as a songwriter, there is no better feeling than being able to connect with his audience.
“A song is an intersection of literature, music and performance art, and as long as the ball is rolling, nobody should be worried about the final output,” he concluded.
Lyari Underground
Lyari Underground (LUG), which includes teenage rappers from Lyari, Karachi, mesmerised the audience with their talent.
It was fascinating to note that these kids were able to stir up an audience of adults and create a festive atmosphere. They were all dancing and moving around on the stage to engage with the crowd.
Sibbi song famed Abid Brohi made a short appearance but received great applause.
This Lahore Music Meet was an evidence of the popularity of initiatives taken by Patari and Pepsi battle of the bands over the years to promote unknown bands and young talent to the foray. The way the crowds responded to newbies proved the success of such initiatives.
Lyrics and composition in contemporary Urdu music by Asim Raza
Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s claim to fame, the melodious ‘Jiya Dharak’, is a song that won’t be forgotten for years. But do you know who wrote such soothing and meaningful lyrics? Well, it was a modern-day legend Asim Raza who writes songs and has won several awards, both nationally and in India.
Asim was interviewed by Dr Umar Adil who is a renowned broadcaster and hosts music programmes on private TV channels. Raza accentuated the need for creative collaborations in Pakistan to create diverse music and the creative process of linking compositions with lyrics.
He introduced the audience to two budding singers namely Faraz Nayyer and Sehar Gul Khan and narrated the process behind the lyrics of the songs the two sang. Sehar specifically attracted great praise from the audience when she has sung her original ‘Dil Be Sabra’.
Dr Umar was very critical of the lack of structural support given to the music industry by the government. He was adamant that people like Faraz and Sehar are the future of the country’s music. “Only 16 TV channels show entertainment-related content, 89 others show news. Where should artists and singers go?” he rued. He added that commercialisation has penetrated the creative process of the singers and, therefore, the process itself has gotten nowhere.
Depth of Field by Mobeen Ansari
An emotional talk by a legendary photographer Mobeen Ansari shed light on the moments in his musical journey. Ansari narrated how he lost his hearing at a tender age, but the music was always his greatest refuge.
He talked about taking photos of Noori the band, her favourite musician Abida Parveen, the late Junaid Jamshaid, and Amir Zaki, and how he captures personalities through his lens.
Citizens Archives Pakistan’s Art Gallery
An elegantly arranged art gallery by Citizens Archives Pakistan (CAP) provided a refreshing escape from all the music. CAP, which has been collecting oral history narrations of both pre-partition and a few years after partition, had placed archival pictures of different legendary musicians such as Ustad Fateh Ali, Aziz Mian Qawwal and pop bands from Karachi from the early 60s.
While talking to Pakistan Today, CAP’s General Manager Hiba Ali said that LLM has provided them with a platform to integrate generations through music. One of the activities being organised by the CAP was the Mauseeqi Mulaqat which allowed both old and young people to sit together and share their playlists.
“We have created an environment where young and old can meet through music,” Hiba said.
Also included in the CAP’s art gallery was a stall where archival photos were placed for sale. People could also listen to the archival videos of people who were witness to partition and the events in the early years of Pakistan.