As the music and arts company celebrates its 75th live show on October 5 with an upcoming electrifying gig ft. Khumariyaan and Hussain Dossa, legendary group Strings endorse their vision.
Salt Arts, an audio-visual company that emerged in 2015 with a strong focus on audience development via live shows, interdisciplinary collaborations and gender-friendly shows, is celebrating its 75th show on October 5.
With beautiful textures that music group Khumariyaan bring to the floor, as well as the eclectic sounds of resident DJ Hussain Dossa – who will be opening the show – the concert will take place in Karachi while the venue will be revealed once the ticket is bought.
As Salt Arts, co-founded by Junaid Iqbal and Raania Azam Khan Durrani, with the latter also being the artistic director, gear up for the show, among their endorsers is music group Strings – who collaborated with Salt Arts for a fantastic live show at the iconic Beach Luxury Hotel many moons ago.
“That concert (with Salt Arts) was very special. It brought back the old Strings vibe back. In our concerts,” said Bilal, looking to Faisal, “Faisal, you must remember, time was always a priority at our shows. We always used to start on time. During that period when concerts used to happen, they’d start late but Strings always started on time. Because our audience was a select audience – boys and girls – who’d know every song and would sing along and that discipline that we lost – we saw at the Salt Arts concert.”
Bilal added: “The credit for this goes to Salt Arts because they took the audience back to a time when Strings had begun. And everyone felt that vibe; the way people were standing in queues and that line going all the way out – that is not something you see today.”
Added Faisal: “That was a ticketed show.”
The capital value of an artist is not known until such an event happens. Khumariyaan has value and if people can pay exorbitant amount to eat at restaurants only the ultra privileged can afford – paying for good live music is the only way to revive the industry beyond TV shows.
“Going on that particular stage was exciting of course and there was some nervousness – especially after four years of doing Coke Studio – and not being on stage. Going to a sold out crowd who were standing with discipline and enthusiasm, which we could sense, this is the crowd we want and that concert set an example for sure for other shows.”
In other words, given how Strings feel special about the Salt Arts show, the Khumariyaan gig – a band that have collaborated with the company on a number of occasions and delivered each time – this upcoming one will be quite special. However, with a select capacity get your tickets while you still can and follow Salt Arts on Instagram to learn more about the show and the artists.
– Strings photos by Khuala Jamil
– Khumariyaan image courtesy Salt Arts
