Power of a live performance

No matter how many movies I watch, however grand the special effects or big the budget, there is no comparison with a live performance. Be it a scintillating dance, rousing vocals, extraordinary instrumental renditions or live theater, it is difficult to come out of a live performance feeling ambivalent. You either like it or don't. You feel it was worth the time and effort to go see it or a waste of your time.

I watched a live concert by Runa Laila at the Qutub Shahi tombs last week. A cool winter evening, a brightly lit historic site and a live band accompanying a versatile and well-known singer who I have loved since childhood, what a wonderful way to spend a Friday night. Runa Laila is not just a wonderful singer but a great performer who is at her best facing an enthusiastic audience. She sang a lot of her famous songs and also gave in to the many requests that came her way. As the evening progressed and the tempo increased, people came out of their cozy chairs and started dancing in the aisles and a few went up on the stage to move with the music. The lightness in the audience was contagious. I walked out feeling energized and upbeat, to the extent that I got lost driving back home but even that detour did not bother me!

We are so used to hearing recorded programs, CDs and mp3 and take it for granted that music is available to us at the touch of a button. But a recording is a repeat of the original and no matter how many times you listen to the music, it sounds the same. It is a great way to learn, by repetition, but what is missing is the connection to the artist and the energy that flows through them as they connect to their creative zone and pull the audience along. It is this transmission of energy that puts power into a performance and draws audiences. As I heard Runa Laila sing some of my favorite ghazals, I felt inspired to pursue my interest in music. The power of a live performance is not just in being in the moment and enjoying the show but in its ability to draw you out of your comfort zone and show you what is possible.