SPB50 Malaysia Concert 1st October 2016 Part 11

1st October 2016 morning 7.30 am location ZENDE Restaurant on the ground floor all musicians have come for breakfast. The entire team has to have breakfast and should be ready to board the bus for the VENUE to do Sound Check before the final show.  The team is waiting time is 9.30 am waiting no vehicle arrives, the wait is getting on the nerves  not because its  late, there is so much to do before the show, 11.30 am  finally we leave for the Venue,  The reality check says its all getting ready, the stage is set, with the backdrop being done, Our musicians get on to the stage to set up their placement and instruments  the lightman is arranging focus lights on each of them. Girish is setting up his sound check for each of the Instruments and also the singers.

Sound check begins  in the due course of time about 1.30 lunch arrives, All the musicians and CFW crew break for lunch there is space enough only for 6 people to sit and eat.  We do get our South Indian  Vegetarian  meals, post lunch everyone is back on the stage for rehearsals. Sound check is done by Charan for all the singers mikes in meantime Veera, Chandu and Prakash set up their work for the program. By 4 pm all of them retire and prepare for the final show.

The Stage

The Show begins at 6 pm with local singers belt out some of the popular tamil songs. The audience slowly begin to trickle into the stadium. I find a que in front of the enterance when I peep outside to check the status. Most of the people have come in groups hence there is a bonhomie as some meet and greet after a long time.  There is still settling down happening audience searching for their seats and flashes of bright smiles and greetings are exchanged.

Badminton Stadium

7 pm 1st October 2016 The Stadium Badminton Cheras Kuala Lumpur Malaysia the audience are waiting 7.15 pm SPB arrives amidst applause, curiosity and urge to see and hear him echos the stadium with chanting SPB SPB SPB.  Manivannan  walks on to the stage this is man who has been running pillar to post to get this up and running he announces the show, Charan quickly addresses  on the walkie talkie  to start the  SPB50 AV there is a pin drop silence engulfing the auditorium to watching the LED SCREEN. A garland of songs and his pictures with his collegues make the audience go raving with praises. 

Swaralya Manivannan begins from  Rajinikanth starrer Movie Annamalai (1992) "Kondayil Thazaam poo"  with Swagatha, Swagatha then introduces the next singer Anand Aravindakshan  to sing from the movie Satya (1988)  "Valayosai"  with local Malaysian singer Kalaivani Original score was by SPB and Lata Mangeskar,  Anand then invites SP Charan who walks on to the stage  to the loud clapping and rousing welcome by the crowds with and sings  "Thamarai Kodi" from the movie Ananda Kummi (1986) music by Illayaraja  I would like to add here a beautiful musical intricate by the maestro listen to the bass lines, Acoustic drums, and Congo usage in the mix.

In meantime the SPB is waiting in the backstage as focused as ever and as nervous as ever, which I wonder why? he has been doing this for ages and He is the king of the stage yet, he says those little butterflies in the stomach makes him get the best out of him " hats off ". The son SP Charan invites the Golden voice  the Legendary Singer Sripathi Panditaradhyula Balasubrahmanyam on the stage, audience going frenzy unable to contain their emotions with lots of clapping, shouting, whistling this entire commotion is taking a while to contain the noise and ephoria as the sound begins to die down, he begins with "Aval Oru navarasa" a 1973 MGR movie, song lyrics by Kannadasan and music by MS Vishwanath the movie Ullagam Suttru valliban   when I am writing this blog I realise that how true to him which has close resemblance to SPB since he is also Ullagam Suttru Valliban.

SPB asks SP Shailaja to join him on the stage to sing "Nadhiyil Adum" from the movie Kadhal Ovium (1982) he chats with the audience by offering his respects if not for the rasikas where  is this SPB.  Then to enthrall he lashes out the "Mere Rang mein" from hit Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) for a long time this was to be the voice of Salman Khan in his movies, He now invites the beautiful Shwetha menon (mohan) and shares that he has sung with her mother Sujatha Mohan and now with her and was waiting to sing with her children the stadium cheers and they belt out  together "Azhagooril Poothavale" from movie Thirumalai (2003)  music by Vidyasagar whom SPB often mentions to be  wonderful melody maker if you listen in this number he just done that.

On the Stage now Anand Aravindakshan walks in to roaring audience he is popular here, sings "Agaram Ippo" from Sigaram (1991) SPB acted in this movie incidently the playback was done by KJ Yesudas.   Then he sings "Neelavana Odayil" from Kamal Hassan hit movie Vaazhvey maayam (1982)  live sing along facility for all the audience as they join the singer. Charan and Shwetha sing a melody to the delight of the audience "Kadhalenum Thaervezhudhi" from Kadhalar Dinam 1999 music by AR Rahaman. 

Walks in the Golden Voice celebrating the golden year SPB on the stage with  "Aamani paadave"  from Geetanjali (1989)  a Telugu song lyrics by Veturi and Music by Illayaraja, some sing, move along  to this melody number, SPB shares his experience with Veturi and exemplifies his lyrical quality to the audience.  Next to sing "Madai Thirandhu Thaavum"  from the movie Nizhalgal  (1980) which gave the Identity and made him Nizhalgal Ravi and music by Illayaraja , I am sure SPB singing made a lot of actors wanting to enact the singer,  many movies were produced and scripts were written.  I am sure when SPB sang he was the Protagonist himself just enjoying his singing making the onscreen heros more popular. SP Shailaja walks in to sing with SPB "Siriya Paravai" from the Andha Oru Nimidam (1985) a Kamal Haasan starrer.

SPB talks about Malaysia Vasudevan  and association with him and how they both sang  also talks about friendship and sings a song from Sattam(1983) "Nanbane Enadhu Uyir" along with SP Charan, a feast both father and son exchange glances and enjoying the song as the song's alapana fade SPB goes backstage leaving people longing for them to be together. Shweta walks in interacting with the audience and her love for the music and Malaysia along with SP Charan she sings "Thoda thoda malarndhadhenna" from the Aravind Swamy Starrer Indira (1995). The nephew Charan and Aunt SP Shailaja enthrall the audience with their chirpy smiles and enjoying the song with "I want to tell you something"  Movie Anand (1987) a Prabhu and Radha starrer.  Anand with Shwetha belt out "Then Sindhudhe Vaanam" from the movie Ponnuku Thanga Manasu (1975).

Its been a while we had not seen SPB he must be resting or checking his song so I go in to peep he is having his coffee and waiting to be on stage  as he gets up to walk -  Vani Jayaram AV is played he has a quick chat, then along with SP Shailaja sings "Bharathi Kannamma" from the movie Ninaithale Innikum (1979) Kamal, Rajni, Geetha, Jayasudha, Jayapradha starrer.  He then gets into his Solos "Manram Vanda" from hit movie Mouna Ragam (1986),  it was time to make people go frenzy here come "Yennadi Meenatchi" from the movie Ilamai Oonjal Adukirathu (1978). Then he does a medley of popular numbers which the audience join and enjoy sing along,  you could hear them praise him unconditionally.

The time was at its best moving at lightening speed there were more to come Anand  sang "Thanga Thamarai magale" from Aravind Swamy starrer Minsara kannavu (1997), SP Charan sings "Vathi Kutchi Pathikadhuda" from Ajith starrer Dheena (2001) and "Chennai Express" from the Sharukhan movie Chennai Express (2013). Looked like we have to do the one final list and quick blast of the songs to leave the audience to be enthralled for years to come this is SPB50 they need to remember and talk about this.

SPB walks in with "Unnai Partha Pinbu Naan" from Kadhal Mannan (1998) a very cute romantic number,  calls Shweta to sing "Naan Pogiren" from Naanayam (2010) movie was produced by SP Charan under his banner Capital Film Works, then sings "En Kadhale" from the movie Duet (2007) you should hear the Saxophone  done by Kadri Gopinath,  then comes "Swasame" with SP Shailaja from the movie Thenali (2000)  and "Enge Pogudhu Vaanam" from the iconic movie Kochadaiiyaan (2013),  Oh my god the time was already 11.30 the night should not end sorry the time and tide waits for none we should stop here not before SPB50 gives you the peppy number "En Jodi Manja Kurvi" movie Vikram (1986) with the all the singers coming together on the stage  creating a perfect fitting to the final song of the concert.

  

CFW presented SPB50  as a part of the Grand World Tour at Kuala Lumpur Malaysia on 1st October 2016 on record, audience were enthralled by music, happy faces went home some stayed back to wish the musicians some took selfies some did not know  what to do after this. Our next job was we packed our luggage, Musical Instruments, took selfies, accepted compliments graciously and came back to hotel to party and take our flight back home.  WE thank  Swaralaya Manivannan, Dattu Kantharao, and all the team who took care of us.

Arun, Caleb and Girish left the same night to Bangalore. The next day being rest day all the musicians were on a half day tour to Kuala lumpur,

3rd Morning 2016 our flight MH182 was scheduled for 9.30 am we were all ready in the Bus by about 5.30 am. We came to the Airport together the team were scattered here and there visiting the Duty free shop to buy some chocolates and some gifts back home.

Finally we arrived in Chennai at 10.45 am all of them left home happy after a successful trip. The team CFW had to start preparations for November 2016 we had to do Moscow and Colombo in span of a week. we got back to work immediately.

Team Selfie at the Chennai International Airport 3rd November 2016

Signing off for now will get back to shortly
Shivaram S Vinjamuri