With Khumariyaan, Sounds of Kolachi, Lyari Underground and Tamashaa opening the concert, it was ultimately Junoon who stole the show with their reunion.
For Ahsan Bari, the leader of the magnificent music group Sounds of Kolachi, the Sooper Hai Pakistan Ka Junoon concert, presented by Peek Freans Sooper and Geo TV, was not about being a featured artist. It was a) an honour to be one of the opening acts and b) a night to cherish Junoon and their incredible music, split over several studio, compilation and live albums.
Lyari Underground, one of the younger groups had a daunting task before them, being the first act to go onstage and the only rap act but they nailed their songs, as Karachi appreciated their novelty to a degree.
Tamashaa showcased their youth and growing potential while Sounds of Kolachi and Khumariyaan, each playing a short set, showcased with their musicality and stage presence just why they can play to a huge audience, the kind that had turned up for Junoon on Tuesday evening (December 25).
Khumariyaan had the crowd more than warmed up but also managed to make fans on this rare night through their beautiful performance, consisting of songs like ‘Zwangeer’, ‘Qataghani’ and others.
Sounds of Kolachi added to that zing created by Khumariyaan with their performance, head-banging and all, and presented, among other things, a fantastic cover of the popular folk tune, ‘Yaar Dhadi’.
The Junoon show
As for Junoon, their rare, reunion gig brought out people who no longer go to concerts and pulled people across demographics. Karachi behaved and stood in lines and waited for their turn to get into the venue. Karachi can be a brutal audience or a beautiful one. Junoon brought out the beauty. People turned up on time, some hours before Junoon’s turn, nostalgic and excited. The enclosures were full of people by the time Junoon brought their A-game to the stage and Karachi danced, clapped and grooved with each song. Others were sitting in the grass, far away from the stage, but singing along.
Among famous faces, one counted music group Kashmir, Chand Tara Orchestra’s Babar Sheikh, Two-time Oscar winner Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, Call’s frontman and actor Junaid Khan, actor-producer Hareem Farooq, Ali Rehman Khan, Zahid Ahmed, Ayesha Omar, fashion designer Deepak Perwani, singer and actor Tara Mehmood as well as some members of the opening acts who stuck around to watch the show.
Junoon took a little time with their sound-check but Karachi had no problem waiting. With a dramatic entry, Junoon finally took the stage and once they did, it was magic, 13 years later.
With a main screen behind the musicians and one on each side with visuals running through, it was an unexpected audio-video layer and keeping in line with how music is experienced in 2018.
Ali Azmat, Salman Ahmed and Brian O’ Connell stood on one stage as they once did many, many times before - until more than a decade, for various reasons, kept them apart. No one thought they would unite but somehow, under a winter night, they pulled it off – as a group.
Backed by a dynamic group of strong musicians such as Omran Shafique, Emad Rahman, Kashan Admani and others, Junoon put on one of its most memorable shows.
It had banter, courtesy of Ali Azmat, stories about NFAK, and a tribute to Junaid Jamshed by Salman Ahmed.
The reason it all flew was because Junoon had the songs, a strong setlist, the musicianship and a front-man who was on fire, the kind of fire that made him the country’s original rock-rebel singer.
Expected songs like ‘Sayonee’, ‘Jazba Junoon’, ‘Khudi’ and ‘Dosti’ were belted out by the band but fortunately they were matched by the likes of ‘Chalay Thay Saath Saath’, ‘Khwab’, ‘Neend Aati Nahin’, ‘Husn Walo’, ‘Sajna’, Bulleya’, ‘Zamane Ke Andaz’ among others.
Ali Azmat appreciated the Karachi audience in his tongue and cheek manner and was having nearly as much fun as the audience who was singing along with him. There were moments they shared the mic together but Salman would walk away, letting Ali be the vocalist for the most part of the concert.
This show was not about the decade of grudges but about the many years when Junoon knocked out one thrilling record after another with ‘Sayonee’ converting them into South Asia’s biggest band.
Some relived memories as they sang along while others created new ones, watching a band that has inspired generations of fans and musicians.
Brian O’ Connell, Ali Azmat and Salman Ahmed’s coming together was a reminder of what big concerts can do. It can bring people together.
