Increasingly, I’ve been feeling that I try to sing with soul to remind myself that I still have one. Wednesday taught me to breathe easy, sit back and listen to those who never seem to have seen a single difficult day, in that area. Eight people who seem to have all the soul that the devil bought off a thousand needy fools and wise men. I’ll say this: he redistributed wisely.
And this is why I am not going to talk about specific people, this time around. This is not writers’ block. I just don’t know how capable I am of doing any justice, although I’m really tempted to try. So, no singling out people. Like Roopika, who had the entire crowd on its feet and knees, alternately. Or Jerusha, who got the most shouting, yelling and cheering that I’ve seen in a long time. Or Jude who won about 89 hearts in the first minute of his performance. Or Keerthana, who blew the socks off the crowd with her power and confidence. Or Jacob. I do believe he had the crowd in tears and in complete awe-struck silence. Like little puppeteers, wrapping strings of worshipping crowds around their fingers.
Did I mention I wasn’t going to talk about specific people? Good. So I guess I should mention that I’m not proposing either. I’m done asking people to
Marry Me!
I’m not asking Bharath to marry me, for instance. He didn’t make it to the top four, but he does win a prize for being one of the few people in my surroundings who can pull of Dave Matthews.
And I sure as hell can’t ask Jude, irrespective of his charming performance. Besides being mildly incestuous, we all know how many times I’ve unabashedly asked his brother and how many times I’ve been rejected. We can safely assume that this sort of thing runs in the family.
But I’ll say this. Till I find my soul without having to look for it so desperately, I’ll keep the faith by recalling the Wednesday that just went by. I’m convinced that there’s enough soul out there to go around.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Pre-final 2- Chick, Korea
Music makes the world go ‘round. Music is not bound by language, geography or generation. Music is the food of love. Et cetera.
Really. Some sayings are so boring. If I were you, I’d have stopped reading at “bound by language”. I guess this is because we’ve heard some things said so often, but we’ve never experienced them first-hand. Watching a cliché come alive, more than being a mere reality check, is a refresher course for old jaded cynics.
On an operational level, last night saw four more people heading for the finals. But on that intangible level that writers love so dearly, it served as a refresher course for this jaded cynic I know. Turns out, music isn’t bound by language after all. Ask anyone who heard Goo sing. Some truth is cooler than fiction.
More about that later. Let’s start from the bottom and move up.
DJ: I’ve heard you sing a hundred times, but I’ve never seen you nervous. You have the voice and the presence, but the sad thing about nerves is that it paralyzes you. Getting discouraged is the worst thing one can do. Get some practise (loos are the best venue for this) and come right back.
Lindsay: Real pity you didn’t make it. But I have two words for you: song choice. You were great on Proud Mary, but Janis’s version of Summertime is a tough one. The charm lies entirely in the octave she sings in, and by taking it down, I do believe you lost out on voice quality, performance and about 50 votes. I still voted for you because your first song was outstanding.
Russ: You’re a wild one alright, gimmick boy! Your performances were really entertaining, and it looked like you were having a great time. That is easily one of the things that will set some people apart from others in this competition. That, and a superlative voice. You have one of them. :)
Sulekha: Song choice, half-hearted performances and finally, an alarming incident where you seemed to be checking your pitch- repeatedly- on the microphone. Girl, get off the mic when you want to check your pitch! Please! You actually sounded quite nice on Say A Little Prayer For You. But Black Velvet didn’t work out at all. And too many people do that song for it to continue to be fresh. Come back, and sing more. It always helps.
Now for those who made it.
Goo: The greatest sorrow is that you’re not going to be reading this article, Goo. Because while I’ve been gushing over various voices these past few weeks, what you pulled off gets all my R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Ladies and other weird creatures, this is where that bit about music not being restricted by language becomes relevant. Goo topped last night’s poll.
No. of brilliant performances: 2
No. of votes received: 139
No. of words she understood in both songs put together: Word has it, closer to 2 than to 139.
I cannot wait to listen to you at the finals.
As always, fools tread where wise men fear to venture. Here goes.
Marry Me!
Andy: Here’s the thing. You sing like a dream AND you’re approximately my height! Imagine! We can see eye to eye on everything! On a more serious note, I was really afraid after your stalwart performance of Love Hurts. I was almost sure you wouldn’t have been able to match that with song 2. But when I watched your performance of Show Must Go On, I think a piece of my heart fell into my beer. You are my pick from last evening. Without doubt. There’s a ring with your name on it.
Pratik: You have a great voice, and everything else that it takes to win this contest. No doubt about it. You even seem to have this stout Rock n’ Roll background, and a general ability to pick the right songs. Which is why I can’t for the life of me figure out why you picked Kiss From A Rose. You are great, I love your voice, marry me. But please be careful about what you pick for the finals.
Pragnya: Honestly, when you sang Somebody to Love, I had written you off. It didn't do you justice, you didn't do it justice. But then your Chain of Fools came to the rescue. What a brilliant choice that was! Your voice did everything right for that song, and it's not at all an easy number to pull off. Last evening was the best you’ve ever sounded and you deserved every single one of your 105 votes.
And that brings us to the end of a Wednesday with an alarming number of bad song choices, but a heartening number of great voices. And that sentence would have sounded far less cheesy if it hadn’t happened to rhyme.
Till next week, then. Practise your scales, gargle and…run your song choices by me!
Really. Some sayings are so boring. If I were you, I’d have stopped reading at “bound by language”. I guess this is because we’ve heard some things said so often, but we’ve never experienced them first-hand. Watching a cliché come alive, more than being a mere reality check, is a refresher course for old jaded cynics.
On an operational level, last night saw four more people heading for the finals. But on that intangible level that writers love so dearly, it served as a refresher course for this jaded cynic I know. Turns out, music isn’t bound by language after all. Ask anyone who heard Goo sing. Some truth is cooler than fiction.
More about that later. Let’s start from the bottom and move up.
DJ: I’ve heard you sing a hundred times, but I’ve never seen you nervous. You have the voice and the presence, but the sad thing about nerves is that it paralyzes you. Getting discouraged is the worst thing one can do. Get some practise (loos are the best venue for this) and come right back.
Lindsay: Real pity you didn’t make it. But I have two words for you: song choice. You were great on Proud Mary, but Janis’s version of Summertime is a tough one. The charm lies entirely in the octave she sings in, and by taking it down, I do believe you lost out on voice quality, performance and about 50 votes. I still voted for you because your first song was outstanding.
Russ: You’re a wild one alright, gimmick boy! Your performances were really entertaining, and it looked like you were having a great time. That is easily one of the things that will set some people apart from others in this competition. That, and a superlative voice. You have one of them. :)
Sulekha: Song choice, half-hearted performances and finally, an alarming incident where you seemed to be checking your pitch- repeatedly- on the microphone. Girl, get off the mic when you want to check your pitch! Please! You actually sounded quite nice on Say A Little Prayer For You. But Black Velvet didn’t work out at all. And too many people do that song for it to continue to be fresh. Come back, and sing more. It always helps.
Now for those who made it.
Goo: The greatest sorrow is that you’re not going to be reading this article, Goo. Because while I’ve been gushing over various voices these past few weeks, what you pulled off gets all my R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Ladies and other weird creatures, this is where that bit about music not being restricted by language becomes relevant. Goo topped last night’s poll.
No. of brilliant performances: 2
No. of votes received: 139
No. of words she understood in both songs put together: Word has it, closer to 2 than to 139.
I cannot wait to listen to you at the finals.
As always, fools tread where wise men fear to venture. Here goes.
Marry Me!
Andy: Here’s the thing. You sing like a dream AND you’re approximately my height! Imagine! We can see eye to eye on everything! On a more serious note, I was really afraid after your stalwart performance of Love Hurts. I was almost sure you wouldn’t have been able to match that with song 2. But when I watched your performance of Show Must Go On, I think a piece of my heart fell into my beer. You are my pick from last evening. Without doubt. There’s a ring with your name on it.
Pratik: You have a great voice, and everything else that it takes to win this contest. No doubt about it. You even seem to have this stout Rock n’ Roll background, and a general ability to pick the right songs. Which is why I can’t for the life of me figure out why you picked Kiss From A Rose. You are great, I love your voice, marry me. But please be careful about what you pick for the finals.
Pragnya: Honestly, when you sang Somebody to Love, I had written you off. It didn't do you justice, you didn't do it justice. But then your Chain of Fools came to the rescue. What a brilliant choice that was! Your voice did everything right for that song, and it's not at all an easy number to pull off. Last evening was the best you’ve ever sounded and you deserved every single one of your 105 votes.
And that brings us to the end of a Wednesday with an alarming number of bad song choices, but a heartening number of great voices. And that sentence would have sounded far less cheesy if it hadn’t happened to rhyme.
Till next week, then. Practise your scales, gargle and…run your song choices by me!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Pre-final 1: Mark says he won’t do that and Thos days are over
Last evening at Opus, we had a glimpse of exactly what we’re in for, over the next few weeks. Clearly, this is far more than a karaoke competition. I have no idea what’s happening around here anymore, but I do know that the people who run this city (yes, run it) need to stand in a corner and think about what they’re doing. The amount of talent I’ve seen at Opus in the recent past, I haven’t seen anywhere else. No surprise there, this is the result of a city choking under the sway of various small-minded scepters. I guess it really helps to stand up and shout, instead of sit around and stare.
Speaking of which, there was a fair amount of shouting going on last night, mostly in tune but some…not quite.
Remya. I really liked your voice on Fever. But I think Woman’s Worth was just a bad song to pick. It lacks character, and it does nothing for anyone’s voice. Not even for Ms. Keys. I empathize. Bad songs have haunted me forever now. Nevertheless, good job.
Shwetha. I really really wish you would let go and sing out. Orange Coloured Sky was average at best, but when you sang KT, I thought it was a pity you weren’t giving it everything. Try it next time. Get a couple of drinks, if you need outside help. But let go.
Thomas. I have no explanation for this. But I voted for you. There’s something about you. I guess when you screamed and jumped and gyrated, I kind of scared myself into circling your name. But you know I’m just being mean and Cowellish! I did vote for you, but I did it because you promised to prove something to me, and you did.
Tania. Well, I guess I don’t have to say anything. You seem to know where you stand as far as your vocal abilities are concerned. You’re a good sport. Cheers! And oh. Please don’t ever sing Celine Dion again. I will take my own life by swallowing the ring that Mark, Malliga and Venky refuse.
And now for the guys who made it. And also, presently, my Marry Me! section.
Abhjit topped the list with 173 votes. Abhijit, your Break On Through was excellent, although it did give me the feeling there was something of Mr. Morrison’s spirit inside you. That was about 60% his voice. Sure enough, you came back with You Know My Name and we got to listen to you sing. Now we sure as hell know your name! 173 votes, my man! Every single one of them, well-deserved.
Marry Me!
Mark came in a close second with 170 votes. Mark, first off, if I had your voice (besides being over the moon in a horribly showy extravagant brash way), I’d have picked another song for the pre-1975 round. Something with more drama, you know? Not that it really mattered; you kicked Jailhouse Rock’s posterior right through the shiny new roof. And then you go and sing I Will Do Anything For Love. This is approximately the moment when you steal the hearts of unassuming women in their mid-twenties. Damn you and that big fluffy voice of yours. Marry me? I childishly circled your name 8 times.
Venky qualified next, with 163 votes. Venky, since we’re on the topic of marriage, will you? Marry me, that is. And if you’re unimaginably young and thoroughly disgusted with my middle-aged advances, forgive me, but it’s entirely your fault. You were one of only two people last evening, who nailed it on song choice, both times. The Way You Look Tonight was easily one of the best performances and Roadhouse Blues stamped your ticket to the finals. In keeping with the childish trend, I circled your name about 6 times.
Malliga tied with Venky with 163 votes, to secure the last entry to the finals. Malliga, see, this proposals thing is very...open-minded. You have to understand, it’s a gesture. You are the second of two people who were bang-on with song choices, both times. Everlasting Love had me screaming and cheering like a drunk groupie. And Sweet Child of Mine- for an overplayed, oversung number- sounded great. So, feel free to accept this ring. It’s very old and suspiciously rusted, but I’m an impoverished writer.
For more about last evening, including pictures and videos and other fancy things that Mr. Braganza does, go to http://opusbangalore.blogspot.com
Is wonderful!
Speaking of which, there was a fair amount of shouting going on last night, mostly in tune but some…not quite.
Remya. I really liked your voice on Fever. But I think Woman’s Worth was just a bad song to pick. It lacks character, and it does nothing for anyone’s voice. Not even for Ms. Keys. I empathize. Bad songs have haunted me forever now. Nevertheless, good job.
Shwetha. I really really wish you would let go and sing out. Orange Coloured Sky was average at best, but when you sang KT, I thought it was a pity you weren’t giving it everything. Try it next time. Get a couple of drinks, if you need outside help. But let go.
Thomas. I have no explanation for this. But I voted for you. There’s something about you. I guess when you screamed and jumped and gyrated, I kind of scared myself into circling your name. But you know I’m just being mean and Cowellish! I did vote for you, but I did it because you promised to prove something to me, and you did.
Tania. Well, I guess I don’t have to say anything. You seem to know where you stand as far as your vocal abilities are concerned. You’re a good sport. Cheers! And oh. Please don’t ever sing Celine Dion again. I will take my own life by swallowing the ring that Mark, Malliga and Venky refuse.
And now for the guys who made it. And also, presently, my Marry Me! section.
Abhjit topped the list with 173 votes. Abhijit, your Break On Through was excellent, although it did give me the feeling there was something of Mr. Morrison’s spirit inside you. That was about 60% his voice. Sure enough, you came back with You Know My Name and we got to listen to you sing. Now we sure as hell know your name! 173 votes, my man! Every single one of them, well-deserved.
Marry Me!
Mark came in a close second with 170 votes. Mark, first off, if I had your voice (besides being over the moon in a horribly showy extravagant brash way), I’d have picked another song for the pre-1975 round. Something with more drama, you know? Not that it really mattered; you kicked Jailhouse Rock’s posterior right through the shiny new roof. And then you go and sing I Will Do Anything For Love. This is approximately the moment when you steal the hearts of unassuming women in their mid-twenties. Damn you and that big fluffy voice of yours. Marry me? I childishly circled your name 8 times.
Venky qualified next, with 163 votes. Venky, since we’re on the topic of marriage, will you? Marry me, that is. And if you’re unimaginably young and thoroughly disgusted with my middle-aged advances, forgive me, but it’s entirely your fault. You were one of only two people last evening, who nailed it on song choice, both times. The Way You Look Tonight was easily one of the best performances and Roadhouse Blues stamped your ticket to the finals. In keeping with the childish trend, I circled your name about 6 times.
Malliga tied with Venky with 163 votes, to secure the last entry to the finals. Malliga, see, this proposals thing is very...open-minded. You have to understand, it’s a gesture. You are the second of two people who were bang-on with song choices, both times. Everlasting Love had me screaming and cheering like a drunk groupie. And Sweet Child of Mine- for an overplayed, oversung number- sounded great. So, feel free to accept this ring. It’s very old and suspiciously rusted, but I’m an impoverished writer.
For more about last evening, including pictures and videos and other fancy things that Mr. Braganza does, go to http://opusbangalore.blogspot.com
Is wonderful!
Monday, April 30, 2007
Everything you need to know about the pre-finals
And whatever we know about the finals
If you have any questions, please leave a comment or mail us or sms us or just start shouting out our names in random public.
Ladies and gentleitems, here are your pre-final dates:
Pre-final 1: 2nd may
1. Abhijit
2. Mark
3. Malliga
4. Remya
5. Shwetha
6. Tania
7. Thomas
8. Venkat
Pre-final 2: 9th may
1. Andy
2. Divya
3. Goo
4. Keerthana
5. Lindsay
6. Prateek
7. Russ
8. Sulekha
Pre-final 3: 16th may
1. Aishwarya
2. Bharath
3. Jacob
4. Jerusha
5. Jude
6. Pragnya
7. Roopika
8. Gulshan
Dos:
Category 1- any song originally recorded in or before 1975
Category 2- any song you want
Don’ts:
You can’t sing a song you’ve sung before at Opus. Pretty please. No one deserves to be disqualified.
the pre finals will be judged by the audience. entry cards for the semis will also double up as voting cards .. for you to have your say and circle your 4 favorites of the night. The voting will be done at the end of the evening. The results will be up on this blog the day after the contest. (Promise.)
Recording for the CD
Between the 3rd and 19th of May, the Kroaking CD will be recorded with sharmon ibrahim. The song that you will record will be one that best showcases your voice.
The roster for the recording sessions will be sent out to the top 12, post the semis. All communication for rules, regulations, roster etc will be communicated by email and sms. And blog.
The Finals
1. There will be 12 participants at the finals.
2. Finals will be held on 25th May 2007 (Friday) at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall. The hall is booked for the whole day. Participants are advised to come in during the day for practice.
3. Participants cannot sing songs that they have performed before at Kroaknights (both Wednesday and Sunday) or at the semis.
4. There will be 2 rounds of competition. The criteria for each round will be announced shortly after the semis
5. Only top 6 from the 12 will move to Round 2. All 12 participants are strongly advised to have two songs ready. Why underestimate yourself when… you don’t have to?
6. Judging for the finals is by a panel of judges. List of judges will be communicated shortly. The decision of the judges will be final.
That should about cover it
If you disagree, let us know.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment or mail us or sms us or just start shouting out our names in random public.
Ladies and gentleitems, here are your pre-final dates:
Pre-final 1: 2nd may
1. Abhijit
2. Mark
3. Malliga
4. Remya
5. Shwetha
6. Tania
7. Thomas
8. Venkat
Pre-final 2: 9th may
1. Andy
2. Divya
3. Goo
4. Keerthana
5. Lindsay
6. Prateek
7. Russ
8. Sulekha
Pre-final 3: 16th may
1. Aishwarya
2. Bharath
3. Jacob
4. Jerusha
5. Jude
6. Pragnya
7. Roopika
8. Gulshan
Dos:
Category 1- any song originally recorded in or before 1975
Category 2- any song you want
Don’ts:
You can’t sing a song you’ve sung before at Opus. Pretty please. No one deserves to be disqualified.
the pre finals will be judged by the audience. entry cards for the semis will also double up as voting cards .. for you to have your say and circle your 4 favorites of the night. The voting will be done at the end of the evening. The results will be up on this blog the day after the contest. (Promise.)
Recording for the CD
Between the 3rd and 19th of May, the Kroaking CD will be recorded with sharmon ibrahim. The song that you will record will be one that best showcases your voice.
The roster for the recording sessions will be sent out to the top 12, post the semis. All communication for rules, regulations, roster etc will be communicated by email and sms. And blog.
The Finals
1. There will be 12 participants at the finals.
2. Finals will be held on 25th May 2007 (Friday) at Chowdaiah Memorial Hall. The hall is booked for the whole day. Participants are advised to come in during the day for practice.
3. Participants cannot sing songs that they have performed before at Kroaknights (both Wednesday and Sunday) or at the semis.
4. There will be 2 rounds of competition. The criteria for each round will be announced shortly after the semis
5. Only top 6 from the 12 will move to Round 2. All 12 participants are strongly advised to have two songs ready. Why underestimate yourself when… you don’t have to?
6. Judging for the finals is by a panel of judges. List of judges will be communicated shortly. The decision of the judges will be final.
That should about cover it
If you disagree, let us know.
Week 8: In which Carlton found what he was looking for
Give the dog a bone; this chap man came rolling home!
We all have our agenda with what we do. Some of us sing to be heard, some to be seen and some to help Carlton along the road to his Sanjaya. After many months of anticipation and preparation, eight weeks of qualifying rounds and innumerable trials and errors, we’ve come down to 24 people who are singing to win.
Last Wednesday brought us some more new talent- something that we’ve begun to cheerfully look forward to. Suman deserves a special mention for her rendition of Misty by Sarah Vaughn. Suman, it’s a real pity you didn’t make it. You were a little shaky on that song, and I don’t blame you- Ms. Vaughn is fairly inimitable. But I hope you’ll come back every Wednesday anyway. And ideally with more jazz for us. Some of us are turning many shades of blue, for lack of good jazz.
There were other colourful moments- Sanjay, with his lyric-less belting out of Can You Feel The Love Tonight, and Sushma who gave us her startling and mildly disturbing version of Shaggy’s Angel. And of course, Mr. Mark Lazaro, about whom I’ve written more than an advisable amount on this blog. Well, try and stop me. Mark, how about a new song for us? Before too much love kills us, you know? Fi fie fo fum!
Getting back to business, four people qualified, bringing us to our desired tally of 24:
Roopika- You sang one of my least favourite songs of all-time (Hero- Mariah Carey). Which means, I’ve heard that song two weeks in a row in Opus. Which means, I should be really really unhappy at this point. But if you’ve heard yourself sing, you’ll know that’s not true. Hats off!
Swetha- Congratulations on making it. And thank you ever so much for not attempting Alanis’s yodel on One Hand In My Pocket. Hopefully, people will now realize that it’s possible to sing Alanis without subjecting an unassuming drunk audience to a split-voiced shriek at irregular intervals.
Sulekha- Turns out Orange Coloured Sky is the unofficial heart-winner of this season. Nina put magic into that song before bursting our collective pink bubbles by opting out of the contest. And now, you. Congratulations, girl.
Thomas- Well, well, well! Who would’ve thought it possible?! To be honest, not I. But no matter; the judges voted and you made it and all the best to you. Carlton is showing all of his shiny white(ish) teeth on having found his Sanjaya. But a word of caution: if you pick Something to Talk About, I might attempt murder. Please, please don’t ever do something like that to me, bonnie lad.
I want to also quickly mention Anand who sang Love Story. On my little piece of paper, I had a big exclamation mark next to your name. That usually means, had I been a judge, you’d have been given a place. You didn’t attempt to imitate anyone or sing is someone else’s voice, and I thank you for that rare experience.
No marriage proposals this week. But I’ll carry a ring with me to Opus next Wednesday, to make up for it. And hopefully Carlton will be giving us something to talk about as well. So. Here are our final 24!
1) Jacob
2) Tania
3) Keerthana
4) Mark Lazaro
5) Jude Lazaro
6) Pratik
7) Jerusha
8) Andy
9) Venkatesh
10) Divya Joseph
11) Remya
12) Abhijit
13) Pragnya
14) Lindsay
15) Bharath
16) Russ
17) Malliga
18) Gulshan
19) Goo
20) Aishwarya
21) Roopika
22) Swetha
23) Sulekha
24) Thomas
Hang in there for my next post, which will be wearing a tie and being very business-like. It’s all about the rules, regulations, dos, don’ts and or-elses.
We all have our agenda with what we do. Some of us sing to be heard, some to be seen and some to help Carlton along the road to his Sanjaya. After many months of anticipation and preparation, eight weeks of qualifying rounds and innumerable trials and errors, we’ve come down to 24 people who are singing to win.
Last Wednesday brought us some more new talent- something that we’ve begun to cheerfully look forward to. Suman deserves a special mention for her rendition of Misty by Sarah Vaughn. Suman, it’s a real pity you didn’t make it. You were a little shaky on that song, and I don’t blame you- Ms. Vaughn is fairly inimitable. But I hope you’ll come back every Wednesday anyway. And ideally with more jazz for us. Some of us are turning many shades of blue, for lack of good jazz.
There were other colourful moments- Sanjay, with his lyric-less belting out of Can You Feel The Love Tonight, and Sushma who gave us her startling and mildly disturbing version of Shaggy’s Angel. And of course, Mr. Mark Lazaro, about whom I’ve written more than an advisable amount on this blog. Well, try and stop me. Mark, how about a new song for us? Before too much love kills us, you know? Fi fie fo fum!
Getting back to business, four people qualified, bringing us to our desired tally of 24:
Roopika- You sang one of my least favourite songs of all-time (Hero- Mariah Carey). Which means, I’ve heard that song two weeks in a row in Opus. Which means, I should be really really unhappy at this point. But if you’ve heard yourself sing, you’ll know that’s not true. Hats off!
Swetha- Congratulations on making it. And thank you ever so much for not attempting Alanis’s yodel on One Hand In My Pocket. Hopefully, people will now realize that it’s possible to sing Alanis without subjecting an unassuming drunk audience to a split-voiced shriek at irregular intervals.
Sulekha- Turns out Orange Coloured Sky is the unofficial heart-winner of this season. Nina put magic into that song before bursting our collective pink bubbles by opting out of the contest. And now, you. Congratulations, girl.
Thomas- Well, well, well! Who would’ve thought it possible?! To be honest, not I. But no matter; the judges voted and you made it and all the best to you. Carlton is showing all of his shiny white(ish) teeth on having found his Sanjaya. But a word of caution: if you pick Something to Talk About, I might attempt murder. Please, please don’t ever do something like that to me, bonnie lad.
I want to also quickly mention Anand who sang Love Story. On my little piece of paper, I had a big exclamation mark next to your name. That usually means, had I been a judge, you’d have been given a place. You didn’t attempt to imitate anyone or sing is someone else’s voice, and I thank you for that rare experience.
No marriage proposals this week. But I’ll carry a ring with me to Opus next Wednesday, to make up for it. And hopefully Carlton will be giving us something to talk about as well. So. Here are our final 24!
1) Jacob
2) Tania
3) Keerthana
4) Mark Lazaro
5) Jude Lazaro
6) Pratik
7) Jerusha
8) Andy
9) Venkatesh
10) Divya Joseph
11) Remya
12) Abhijit
13) Pragnya
14) Lindsay
15) Bharath
16) Russ
17) Malliga
18) Gulshan
19) Goo
20) Aishwarya
21) Roopika
22) Swetha
23) Sulekha
24) Thomas
Hang in there for my next post, which will be wearing a tie and being very business-like. It’s all about the rules, regulations, dos, don’ts and or-elses.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Week 7: Lookin’ for fun and feeling Gooey
No. I don’t know what to say. And that’s exactly what I say moments before I launch into a tirade. In this case, a happy tirade because I tell you, this contest is gamboling and frolicking about the place like Kate Moss on acid!
Last evening was another revelation to close-minded idiots like me, about the amount of talent there is in this city. There was some outstanding singing going on, and it’s refreshing to have so many new voices. (Nakul, you were really really good. Very trained, mature voice. I hope we get to see you back next week. Suman, that was a very decent rendition of Moondance. Come back, come back!)
The weather god, having absolutely no sense of timing, chucked a couple of buckets of water at us, somewhere in the middle of all this. But seeing how it didn't stop people from going right ahead with the business of having fun, he packed his pails and went home. People actually continued to sit out in the open, holding up umbrellas. Now, that’s spirit.
I have to make a couple of special mentions.
Kim- I’m always taken by women who pick male vocal pieces. You did the opposite and, for once, I was impressed. Or at least entertained. Your priceless falsetto had you squeezing many oranges, and many people screaming for you. Bravo!
Bharath- I have a soft corner for that song. And the fact that you know how to rock it, made it so worthwhile. (Bharath sang Hard To Handle.)
Goo- I must say ‘Hero’ is one of my least favourite songs of all-time. These wimpy songs that put up various objects-of-affection on a pedestal don’t impress me much. But you saved the experience for me, and listening to your voice made up for the nauseating lyrics.
So, moving along rapidly to my favourite part…
Marry Me!
Andy
I must admit I was skeptical when I first heard you sing. Sweet Child Of Mine is one of those songs that so many people have mastered, it’s stopped becoming a song by which you can judge someone’s prowess. But your version of Oh Darling (The Beatles) removed any doubt that I might have had about you. Outstanding!
Gulshan
My man, this is love that I’m feeling! You started off a little self-consciously, but somewhere in the middle of your performance, you threw caution to the winds, which is exactly where it belongs. You were my pick for the night. Gush!
Aishwarya
You have an effortless voice and style. A few seconds into your song, and I knew you’d make it. Don’t Know Why I Didn’t Come is, again, not a hot favourite. (I guess I can understand Norah Jones’s angst; a lot of us don’t know why we didn’t. But must she sing about it?) I can’t wait to hear you do another song. Something sassy and with a little more attitude, perhaps? To compliment your voice.
The evening ended with our little boy wonder, Jacob Ninan. You are a beauty, Jakes. And for the record, I’ve asked Jacob to marry me as well. But he’s loving angels instead.
So.
Three more have made it. Gulshan (gush!), Goo and Aishwarya. Here’s the list so far:
1) Jacob
2) Tania
3) Keerthana
4) Mark Lazaro
5) Jude
6) Pratik
7) Jerusha
8) Andy
9) Venkatesh
10) Divya Joseph
11) Nina Mathew
12) Remya
13) Abhijit
14) Pragnya
15) Lindsay
16) Bharath
17) Russ
18) Malliga
19) Gulshan
20) Goo
21) Aishwarya
Turns out Nina Mathew (Kroak Idol No. 11) will not be competing, since she won’t be in the country. That sure is a pity, Nina, you have the voice of an angel. This means next week, the last week for qualifying, will see not 3 but 4 people through to the finals. So if you thought you didn’t stand a chance or you didn’t have the time, think again.
Whee. Things are hotting up! See you next week?
Good!
Last evening was another revelation to close-minded idiots like me, about the amount of talent there is in this city. There was some outstanding singing going on, and it’s refreshing to have so many new voices. (Nakul, you were really really good. Very trained, mature voice. I hope we get to see you back next week. Suman, that was a very decent rendition of Moondance. Come back, come back!)
The weather god, having absolutely no sense of timing, chucked a couple of buckets of water at us, somewhere in the middle of all this. But seeing how it didn't stop people from going right ahead with the business of having fun, he packed his pails and went home. People actually continued to sit out in the open, holding up umbrellas. Now, that’s spirit.
I have to make a couple of special mentions.
Kim- I’m always taken by women who pick male vocal pieces. You did the opposite and, for once, I was impressed. Or at least entertained. Your priceless falsetto had you squeezing many oranges, and many people screaming for you. Bravo!
Bharath- I have a soft corner for that song. And the fact that you know how to rock it, made it so worthwhile. (Bharath sang Hard To Handle.)
Goo- I must say ‘Hero’ is one of my least favourite songs of all-time. These wimpy songs that put up various objects-of-affection on a pedestal don’t impress me much. But you saved the experience for me, and listening to your voice made up for the nauseating lyrics.
So, moving along rapidly to my favourite part…
Marry Me!
Andy
I must admit I was skeptical when I first heard you sing. Sweet Child Of Mine is one of those songs that so many people have mastered, it’s stopped becoming a song by which you can judge someone’s prowess. But your version of Oh Darling (The Beatles) removed any doubt that I might have had about you. Outstanding!
Gulshan
My man, this is love that I’m feeling! You started off a little self-consciously, but somewhere in the middle of your performance, you threw caution to the winds, which is exactly where it belongs. You were my pick for the night. Gush!
Aishwarya
You have an effortless voice and style. A few seconds into your song, and I knew you’d make it. Don’t Know Why I Didn’t Come is, again, not a hot favourite. (I guess I can understand Norah Jones’s angst; a lot of us don’t know why we didn’t. But must she sing about it?) I can’t wait to hear you do another song. Something sassy and with a little more attitude, perhaps? To compliment your voice.
The evening ended with our little boy wonder, Jacob Ninan. You are a beauty, Jakes. And for the record, I’ve asked Jacob to marry me as well. But he’s loving angels instead.
So.
Three more have made it. Gulshan (gush!), Goo and Aishwarya. Here’s the list so far:
1) Jacob
2) Tania
3) Keerthana
4) Mark Lazaro
5) Jude
6) Pratik
7) Jerusha
8) Andy
9) Venkatesh
10) Divya Joseph
11) Nina Mathew
12) Remya
13) Abhijit
14) Pragnya
15) Lindsay
16) Bharath
17) Russ
18) Malliga
19) Gulshan
20) Goo
21) Aishwarya
Turns out Nina Mathew (Kroak Idol No. 11) will not be competing, since she won’t be in the country. That sure is a pity, Nina, you have the voice of an angel. This means next week, the last week for qualifying, will see not 3 but 4 people through to the finals. So if you thought you didn’t stand a chance or you didn’t have the time, think again.
Whee. Things are hotting up! See you next week?
Good!
Monday, April 16, 2007
... of creeps and men who feel like women !!
we're almost at the business end of our search ... 2 more wednesdays and we will have our final list of 24 singers .. and errr .. performers.ok a couple of things
THE FINALS ARE AT THE CHOWDIAH AT 7PM ON THE 25TH OF MAY 2007 .. tickets go on sale shortly
unlike last year, we are gonna have 3 semi finals (cant really call it that.. it should be the one third finals, i guess) .. they are 3rd, 10th and 17th may. 8 singers will perform and we will have 2 designated rounds (which will be announced once all 24 have been decided) and it will be an audience vote to pick the 4 singers that go through. entry coupons for the semis will also double up as voting cards ... the top 4 will be announced on the site the next day and at the following sundays' KroaKnight. if any of the performers have any problems with a particular date pls let us know asap.
one more time just to reiterate here are the PRIZES
a cash prize of Rs 10,000 for kroaKING
Nokia phones for the finalists
weekly prizes from levitate and native resorts...
and free entry to wed and sun kroaknights for the year for all the top 24 (thats 104 nights in the year @ Rs 110/- a night ... u do the math)
the top 12 get into a studio to record the season 2 special CD with sharmon ibrahim
... still some prizes are coming in :) who are we to complain
and now about the 3 that made it last week.
malliga breezed through and gave herself a b'day present with man i feel like a woman, bharath nailed born to be wild and mr. peterson being true to himself and the song was the 3rd to scrape through with radioheads 'i'm a creep, i'm a weirdo' ....
1. jacob 2. tania 3. keerthana 4. Mark Lazaro 5. Jude 6. Pratik 7. Jerusha 8. andy 9. venkatesh 10) divya joseph 11) nina mathew 12) remya 13) abhijit 14) pragnya 15) lindsay 16) bharath 17) russ 18) malliga
and now about the 3 that made it last week.
malliga breezed through and gave herself a b'day present with man i feel like a woman, bharath nailed born to be wild and mr. peterson being true to himself and the song was the 3rd to scrape through with radioheads 'i'm a creep, i'm a weirdo' ....
1. jacob 2. tania 3. keerthana 4. Mark Lazaro 5. Jude 6. Pratik 7. Jerusha 8. andy 9. venkatesh 10) divya joseph 11) nina mathew 12) remya 13) abhijit 14) pragnya 15) lindsay 16) bharath 17) russ 18) malliga
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
idle worship
(click on image to enlarge)
somebodys gotta do this and since 'baby got back' problem and 'the cat' is going through menopaws its landed on my laptop.
ok i have to say this .. since i dont know if and when i'll get to say anything here ... i wanna go on record and say that apart from melinda (who needs to doolittle to prove that shes octaves above the rest) we have, in our little backyard on palace cross road, at least 6 in the KroaKING final 15 already who could demolish the other 'idols'.
really, i'm gonna compare man for man, if u dont mind ...
1. phil stacey ... jacob ninan could and would have him for breakfast
2. chris richardson ... i think mark lazaro can more than take the pants off him
3. haley scarnato ... sorry tania, but you're my pick for this one .. we both know singing is not your forte
4. lakisha jones ... jerusha, i think u have what it takes
5. blake lewis ... barry would tear him to shreds and leave his carcass to de'compose' ... (barry still doesnt know his travel plans so he hasnt yet qualified)
6. sanjaya malakar ... now thats someone i cant match .. problem is that all in our version of the competetion can sing ... which is sad cos i'd love to have a 'sanjaya' in the final 12 . last year the kroaking finals had characters ... V had vinoj and vivek (and of course barry) .. but there are still 3 weeks and im still hopeful (russ peterson or young thos is who i have my crosshairs on)
anyways im supposed to report on last wednesdays action and keeping with the theme here goes
the marry me section ... (im proposing on behalf of ms. anand, just in case theres any confusion)
1. a very very inebriated lindsay erdman, a candian jazz blues rocker proved that one whisky one scotch and one beer are her secret ingredients, and wang dang doodled her way into the semis
2. abhijit with a rather ambitious song choice (doing sting always is) ... but he handled it decently enough to make it through
3. pragnya ... finally!! phew!! hats of to this girl though for perseverance ... she braved through that busted flat in baton rouge and is now one of the 24
ok and check it out yo! (happy anoopa?)
there were 2 other girls that stood out ... shweta with a nice vocal of sheryl crows sweet child of mine ... girl, all u need to do is loosen up and enjoy yourself ... really!! i think lindsays secrets should be shared
but the one i really felt really sorry for though, was yamini, a girl from hyderabad, who did a near flawless rendition of didos white flag. pragnyas total was 61 and yamini got 60, and when asked, she said if she were in the semis, she would be here whenever she needed to come down from hyderabad ... siggghh .. come back soon girl
thats about it for this week .... i really hope i find my sanjaya!
carlton
ok i have to say this .. since i dont know if and when i'll get to say anything here ... i wanna go on record and say that apart from melinda (who needs to doolittle to prove that shes octaves above the rest) we have, in our little backyard on palace cross road, at least 6 in the KroaKING final 15 already who could demolish the other 'idols'.
really, i'm gonna compare man for man, if u dont mind ...
1. phil stacey ... jacob ninan could and would have him for breakfast
2. chris richardson ... i think mark lazaro can more than take the pants off him
3. haley scarnato ... sorry tania, but you're my pick for this one .. we both know singing is not your forte
4. lakisha jones ... jerusha, i think u have what it takes
5. blake lewis ... barry would tear him to shreds and leave his carcass to de'compose' ... (barry still doesnt know his travel plans so he hasnt yet qualified)
6. sanjaya malakar ... now thats someone i cant match .. problem is that all in our version of the competetion can sing ... which is sad cos i'd love to have a 'sanjaya' in the final 12 . last year the kroaking finals had characters ... V had vinoj and vivek (and of course barry) .. but there are still 3 weeks and im still hopeful (russ peterson or young thos is who i have my crosshairs on)
anyways im supposed to report on last wednesdays action and keeping with the theme here goes
the marry me section ... (im proposing on behalf of ms. anand, just in case theres any confusion)
1. a very very inebriated lindsay erdman, a candian jazz blues rocker proved that one whisky one scotch and one beer are her secret ingredients, and wang dang doodled her way into the semis
2. abhijit with a rather ambitious song choice (doing sting always is) ... but he handled it decently enough to make it through
3. pragnya ... finally!! phew!! hats of to this girl though for perseverance ... she braved through that busted flat in baton rouge and is now one of the 24
ok and check it out yo! (happy anoopa?)
there were 2 other girls that stood out ... shweta with a nice vocal of sheryl crows sweet child of mine ... girl, all u need to do is loosen up and enjoy yourself ... really!! i think lindsays secrets should be shared
but the one i really felt really sorry for though, was yamini, a girl from hyderabad, who did a near flawless rendition of didos white flag. pragnyas total was 61 and yamini got 60, and when asked, she said if she were in the semis, she would be here whenever she needed to come down from hyderabad ... siggghh .. come back soon girl
thats about it for this week .... i really hope i find my sanjaya!
carlton
Thursday, April 05, 2007
TB or not TB
I’ve studied a bit of literature in my life, and I found it strangely romantic and picturesque that an alarmingly large number of writers and artists in the Victorian era died of consumption. But I’m weird like that. When I first fell in love with literature and thought I might want to start writing, I always imagined that after many years of being an unsuccessful impoverished writer, I would eventually contract consumption and be asked to spend a lot of time by the sea, being weak and disillusioned.
Sadly, science came in the way of my ambition. We have so many ‘cooler’ ailments now. Stress-related vertigo and posture-related backaches are my personal picks for Generation Vexed. And neither has resulted in the doctor advising me a decade’s rest by a calm grey sea.
What I am trying to say in this rambling comatose-inducing manner, is one of the two have kept me from being of any use to this blog, over the past week. And if you’ve followed this blog, you’ll know which it is. For now, I promise to try and get someone else to fill you in on last night’s happenings. And for the large large number of you who are no doubt feeling faint with worry regarding my health, here are some smelling salts. I have bought a hot water bag and some new reading material to see me through countless hours of lying around in bed.
I will be back soon.
Sadly, science came in the way of my ambition. We have so many ‘cooler’ ailments now. Stress-related vertigo and posture-related backaches are my personal picks for Generation Vexed. And neither has resulted in the doctor advising me a decade’s rest by a calm grey sea.
What I am trying to say in this rambling comatose-inducing manner, is one of the two have kept me from being of any use to this blog, over the past week. And if you’ve followed this blog, you’ll know which it is. For now, I promise to try and get someone else to fill you in on last night’s happenings. And for the large large number of you who are no doubt feeling faint with worry regarding my health, here are some smelling salts. I have bought a hot water bag and some new reading material to see me through countless hours of lying around in bed.
I will be back soon.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Baby got bad back: Weak 4, KroaKing
Due to a sudden and inexplicable pain in my back, I am incapable of writing a long review of last night. (Stop counting your blessings, please, that is just so insulting.)
Here’s the short version.
Twenty-odd people sang. There were some highlights. Barry, you never cease to amaze me. Come into these arms of mine. Ramya, you were brilliant with that Alicia Keys song. Divya, I loved your rendition of Long Train Running. Laryngitis or no laryngitis, your voice stands out. In sickness and in health. Kurien, Mustang Sally was…interesting. I just didn’t get the feeling that you were singing it in your own voice. This happens to a lot of us a lot of the time. The trick is getting over it. Sing a song and make it your own. Will look forward to seeing you back. Saurabh, it was great to have you back and singing after so long. We hope we’ll be seeing more of you in these parts. Nina, Orange Coloured Sky was, as usual, outstanding. The matrimonial offer is still open. Thomas, that version of Gimme One Reason had a lot of…gusto. Can we have you back and competing next week, please? We had fun.
Here are the three who qualified yesterday:
Ramya
Divya Joseph (DJ)
Nina
Twelve spots, filled:
1. Jacob Ninan
2. Tania Jones
3. Keerthana Mohan
4. Mark Lazaro
5. Pratik
6. Jude Lazaro
7. Andy
8. Jerusha
9. Venkat
10. Ramya
11. DJ
12. Nina
And twelve more to go. If you think you can’t sing, think again. Or find out for sure.
KroaKing, Season 2, every Wednesday night, Opus.
I’ll be, err, back.
Here’s the short version.
Twenty-odd people sang. There were some highlights. Barry, you never cease to amaze me. Come into these arms of mine. Ramya, you were brilliant with that Alicia Keys song. Divya, I loved your rendition of Long Train Running. Laryngitis or no laryngitis, your voice stands out. In sickness and in health. Kurien, Mustang Sally was…interesting. I just didn’t get the feeling that you were singing it in your own voice. This happens to a lot of us a lot of the time. The trick is getting over it. Sing a song and make it your own. Will look forward to seeing you back. Saurabh, it was great to have you back and singing after so long. We hope we’ll be seeing more of you in these parts. Nina, Orange Coloured Sky was, as usual, outstanding. The matrimonial offer is still open. Thomas, that version of Gimme One Reason had a lot of…gusto. Can we have you back and competing next week, please? We had fun.
Here are the three who qualified yesterday:
Ramya
Divya Joseph (DJ)
Nina
Twelve spots, filled:
1. Jacob Ninan
2. Tania Jones
3. Keerthana Mohan
4. Mark Lazaro
5. Pratik
6. Jude Lazaro
7. Andy
8. Jerusha
9. Venkat
10. Ramya
11. DJ
12. Nina
And twelve more to go. If you think you can’t sing, think again. Or find out for sure.
KroaKing, Season 2, every Wednesday night, Opus.
I’ll be, err, back.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Rock n' roll dreams come through
There is, in my opinion, only one thing that remains constant about karaoke. Variety. On an average, there will be about 20 singers each evening, and at the end of it all, you'll always find that every genre you can think of has been covered. Almost always. Which brings me directly (aren’t you grateful?) to last evening at the KroaKing qualifiers.
If I didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed that yesterday’s Kroak had a rock theme that I wasn’t informed about. It started with Andy handing out a perfectly rendered version of Sweet Child of Mine. Axl (bless his torn throat) himself would have assumed that it was his own voice emanating for another body. Somewhere in the tail-end of the applause, Pragnya burst into her very brave attempt at Led Zep’s ‘Rock n’ Roll’, and from then on, it was one yowling distortion after the other.
Pragnya, I have to say this. It’s just unfortunate- again- that you didn’t make it. You have a good voice, and gauging from yesterday, I’d say you have more than your fair share of spunk. A piece of advice? Bathroom singing, for one entire week. I’ll wait for you next Wednesday. As the Beatles once said, “don’t let me down”. *Smiles, but refuses to use annoying emoticon*
The rock fest continued with Neville (Wherever You May Go), Venkat (Light My Fire), Siddharth (Roll Over Beethoven), Manu (Jeremy), Kannan (Plush) and a whole bunch of others. Mark Lazaro, one of my favourite gents, ended the magnificent over-indulgence with a song that I do believe only he can pull off- Too Much Love Will Kill You.
Evenings like this never end with a whimper. Stanley Pinto brought the tempo down to a wistful sway, with The Shadow Of Your Smile. His vibrato had all the women screaming for him. It always helps to have a judge who has a twinkle in his eye, and wine in his voice.
They say it ain’t over till the fat lady sings, and apparently there’s some truth to that. A fat lady sang, and she is I, so enough about her. Shall we move on to my favourite section, then?!
Marry Me!
This week’s Marry Me! features two people.
Jerusha
You know what is most endearing about you? Your ability to get people to love you almost immediately. It may be the big dimples at the end of each line, but I’m not so sure it’s just that. You have this effortless voice, and very good control. Learn up a whole bunch of songs, girl. You’re going to be in this competition for a really long time.
Barry
I love your voice, your presence on stage, your carefully constructed genre and your ability to move to the music, rather than against it. Some of us have no idea what that feels like. But more than loving your talent, there’s another reaction that stems from your perseverance and hard work. I think the scientific term for that is ‘respect’. I’ll check with Aretha Franklin and get back to you on that, but till then, just know that you are the undisputed King of Original.
Three more people qualified, which means there are now nine names on that list, which means there are fifteen spots left. This also means that I am finally equipped to take my ICSE Maths exam. Here are the guys who’ve made it:
1. Jacob Ninan
2. Tania Jones
3. Keerthana Mohan
4. Mark Lazaro
5. Pratik
6. Jude Lazaro
7. Andy
8. Jerusha
9. Venkat
And here are the guys who haven’t:
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
And they haven’t made it because YOU haven’t sung yet. So be there next Wednesday. Till then, it’s over and out from me. Terminology that Team India is getting alarmingly fond of, I’m afraid.
If I didn’t know better, I would’ve assumed that yesterday’s Kroak had a rock theme that I wasn’t informed about. It started with Andy handing out a perfectly rendered version of Sweet Child of Mine. Axl (bless his torn throat) himself would have assumed that it was his own voice emanating for another body. Somewhere in the tail-end of the applause, Pragnya burst into her very brave attempt at Led Zep’s ‘Rock n’ Roll’, and from then on, it was one yowling distortion after the other.
Pragnya, I have to say this. It’s just unfortunate- again- that you didn’t make it. You have a good voice, and gauging from yesterday, I’d say you have more than your fair share of spunk. A piece of advice? Bathroom singing, for one entire week. I’ll wait for you next Wednesday. As the Beatles once said, “don’t let me down”. *Smiles, but refuses to use annoying emoticon*
The rock fest continued with Neville (Wherever You May Go), Venkat (Light My Fire), Siddharth (Roll Over Beethoven), Manu (Jeremy), Kannan (Plush) and a whole bunch of others. Mark Lazaro, one of my favourite gents, ended the magnificent over-indulgence with a song that I do believe only he can pull off- Too Much Love Will Kill You.
Evenings like this never end with a whimper. Stanley Pinto brought the tempo down to a wistful sway, with The Shadow Of Your Smile. His vibrato had all the women screaming for him. It always helps to have a judge who has a twinkle in his eye, and wine in his voice.
They say it ain’t over till the fat lady sings, and apparently there’s some truth to that. A fat lady sang, and she is I, so enough about her. Shall we move on to my favourite section, then?!
Marry Me!
This week’s Marry Me! features two people.
Jerusha
You know what is most endearing about you? Your ability to get people to love you almost immediately. It may be the big dimples at the end of each line, but I’m not so sure it’s just that. You have this effortless voice, and very good control. Learn up a whole bunch of songs, girl. You’re going to be in this competition for a really long time.
Barry
I love your voice, your presence on stage, your carefully constructed genre and your ability to move to the music, rather than against it. Some of us have no idea what that feels like. But more than loving your talent, there’s another reaction that stems from your perseverance and hard work. I think the scientific term for that is ‘respect’. I’ll check with Aretha Franklin and get back to you on that, but till then, just know that you are the undisputed King of Original.
Three more people qualified, which means there are now nine names on that list, which means there are fifteen spots left. This also means that I am finally equipped to take my ICSE Maths exam. Here are the guys who’ve made it:
1. Jacob Ninan
2. Tania Jones
3. Keerthana Mohan
4. Mark Lazaro
5. Pratik
6. Jude Lazaro
7. Andy
8. Jerusha
9. Venkat
And here are the guys who haven’t:
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
And they haven’t made it because YOU haven’t sung yet. So be there next Wednesday. Till then, it’s over and out from me. Terminology that Team India is getting alarmingly fond of, I’m afraid.
Our very own ‘Tap-Some-Bong by Night’
There are all kinds of singers and performers. And then there are those who do something to warrant an entire write-up about themselves. This man has been doing that something for a while now at Opus- and with such elan! Vivek Madan applauds Opus's very own superstar-mixer-dancer-rapper boy. Read on.
No doubt most of us have heard/seen/heard of the famous Russel Peters line on Chinese Superheroes.
Well, we have our own Superhero, right here at Opus.
First time you see him, you see what everybody else does; a quiet, bespectacled boy with floppy hair and knapsack and you think, “Ok. Geek.” Well he is. Bharat Krishna is a software engineer by profession and an IIT Chennai graduate to boot. He works at the Bank of America and finishes work by about 7 PM or so and if it happens to be a Wednesday, he finds his way to Opus for the Kroaknight.
And that’s when you see the transformation occur.
‘Bharat Krishna by day and BARRY by night’.
“Typical Chennai attitude”, you think. “Bharat calling himself Barry to make people think he’s cool.”
But when he gets on stage and picks up that mike, “Barry” is not cool enough. The man is a musical genius; not only can he sing, he also mixes his own tracks. Most of which are remixes of Tamil, Arabic and English songs. The permutations and combinations he achieves with his mixes are just something else. I mean, who would even think that ‘Aicha’, ‘Pettai Rap’ and ‘Summertime’ would make a mixable mix? Pick up the KroaKING Season I CD to find out. (I’m on it too… Track 5)
And it’s not just like, you know, he sings in one corner with a music stand in front of him. He knows the mix so well, he sings it off the hard disks in his brain and when you have 4 different mixing back and forth like the Indian population, it’s got to be hard. And of course, Barry is a consummate dancer. Whether he’s jumping around like a maniac with his version of ‘Jam’ (which is, by the way approximately an 8 minute mix of some 5 songs) or standing still in a pose of hard concentration while singing his ‘Desert Rose’ mix, Barry proves to the world in general that he is a born performer.
Blows my mind every time I watch him. You should come and see him in action sometime. He may not have Kryptonite or a strange rubber suit or the ability to throw fridges around but man, he is truly something else.
Barry my friend, what can I say except that I’m proud to be sharing a CD with you.
- VIVEK MADAN
No doubt most of us have heard/seen/heard of the famous Russel Peters line on Chinese Superheroes.
Well, we have our own Superhero, right here at Opus.
First time you see him, you see what everybody else does; a quiet, bespectacled boy with floppy hair and knapsack and you think, “Ok. Geek.” Well he is. Bharat Krishna is a software engineer by profession and an IIT Chennai graduate to boot. He works at the Bank of America and finishes work by about 7 PM or so and if it happens to be a Wednesday, he finds his way to Opus for the Kroaknight.
And that’s when you see the transformation occur.
‘Bharat Krishna by day and BARRY by night’.
“Typical Chennai attitude”, you think. “Bharat calling himself Barry to make people think he’s cool.”
But when he gets on stage and picks up that mike, “Barry” is not cool enough. The man is a musical genius; not only can he sing, he also mixes his own tracks. Most of which are remixes of Tamil, Arabic and English songs. The permutations and combinations he achieves with his mixes are just something else. I mean, who would even think that ‘Aicha’, ‘Pettai Rap’ and ‘Summertime’ would make a mixable mix? Pick up the KroaKING Season I CD to find out. (I’m on it too… Track 5)
And it’s not just like, you know, he sings in one corner with a music stand in front of him. He knows the mix so well, he sings it off the hard disks in his brain and when you have 4 different mixing back and forth like the Indian population, it’s got to be hard. And of course, Barry is a consummate dancer. Whether he’s jumping around like a maniac with his version of ‘Jam’ (which is, by the way approximately an 8 minute mix of some 5 songs) or standing still in a pose of hard concentration while singing his ‘Desert Rose’ mix, Barry proves to the world in general that he is a born performer.
Blows my mind every time I watch him. You should come and see him in action sometime. He may not have Kryptonite or a strange rubber suit or the ability to throw fridges around but man, he is truly something else.
Barry my friend, what can I say except that I’m proud to be sharing a CD with you.
- VIVEK MADAN
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Week 2- Lazaro Khwaishein Aisi
I missed the opening week of KroaKing 2, but I heard there were some teething problems. Not too many forthcoming singers, low audience participation, et cetera. Ad infinitum, even. So I went to Opus yesterday prepared for a few cavities at least; best to lower your expectations. Boy, was I in for a surprise.
There were sixteen singers last night, and I'd love to write about all of them. But this is blog not a novel. So I’m going to use every writer’s favourite tool: prerogative. My prerogative section is called…
Marry Me!
Marry Me! each Wednesday, will feature people who stood out. Today’s Marry Me! features four people and one highlight- a phenomenon that is not likely to repeat itself. I’m henceforth going to try and restrict myself to three. But for now, forgive me, I’m weak.
Pragnya
Pragnya picked two songs that most karaoke singers love to sing- Black Velvet, which helped her to Round 2, and I Will Survive. But the thing about songs like this is, a truly exceptional singer will be applauded for picking them. And she was. Come back next Wednesday, Pragnya. Something tells me this contest hasn’t seen the end of you.
The Freddies Mercury
My favourite section of last evening was the impromptu back-to-back Freddie Mercury special. Mark Lazaro- bless his wonderful voice- with Too Much Love Will Kill You and Vivek Menzel- my hero- with Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Queen is never easy to sing, but then with these two voices, there’s never any doubt that they can pull it off. Warm-fuzzies are few and far between, boys, but that was definitely one!
Jude Lazaro
What a pretty voice you have, Jude! ‘Home’ was okay for me, but ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ awakened my dormant goose bumps. I think it was your round 2 song that gave you that nudge. Great choice of song- a thing that, I assure you, will help in future rounds. Ask Ms. Kate Moss from last season, she'll tell you.
Mark Lazaro
Yes. I’m writing about him twice. Got a problem? If you do, then come and listen to this man sing next Wednesday. No, not just listen. You have to watch this one. Jumps around like a livewire, yells and screams and throws his arms around. And has a voice that makes the tears jump out of my face. (Ask anyone who knows me. The best performers always make me cry. The glistening eyes aren’t just a finton of your imagination.) Too Much Love Will Kill You and Bed Of Roses allowed this man to trample his way to the top three. Fee-fie-fo-fum.
Nina
Nina, Nina, Nina. Sigh. I didn’t think too much of Can’t Fight The Moonlight, but that’s probably because I don’t think too highly of that song. But Orange Coloured Sky. What did you do with that song?! You were simply magnificent with that one. It was just pure bad luck that you didn’t make the top three. Come back next Wednesday. You can make it to the finals. And then what say you and I run away together? And how many people are going to believe that I’m straight after this? Who cares?
So anyway. Those of you who were there, Wasn’t it great?! And those of you who weren’t, What’s up with that? Six spots are filled up already, but you have a bunch of Wednesdays left. So come and sing.
Here are the six, so far:
1. Jacob Ninan
2. Tania Jones
3. Keerthana Mohan
4. Mark Lazaro
5. Pratik
6. Jude Lazaro
More later. Bye bye for now. Turns out I have to get back to a job. And all the endless ways in which we rob ourselves of ourselves and each other. Sigh.
There were sixteen singers last night, and I'd love to write about all of them. But this is blog not a novel. So I’m going to use every writer’s favourite tool: prerogative. My prerogative section is called…
Marry Me!
Marry Me! each Wednesday, will feature people who stood out. Today’s Marry Me! features four people and one highlight- a phenomenon that is not likely to repeat itself. I’m henceforth going to try and restrict myself to three. But for now, forgive me, I’m weak.
Pragnya
Pragnya picked two songs that most karaoke singers love to sing- Black Velvet, which helped her to Round 2, and I Will Survive. But the thing about songs like this is, a truly exceptional singer will be applauded for picking them. And she was. Come back next Wednesday, Pragnya. Something tells me this contest hasn’t seen the end of you.
The Freddies Mercury
My favourite section of last evening was the impromptu back-to-back Freddie Mercury special. Mark Lazaro- bless his wonderful voice- with Too Much Love Will Kill You and Vivek Menzel- my hero- with Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Queen is never easy to sing, but then with these two voices, there’s never any doubt that they can pull it off. Warm-fuzzies are few and far between, boys, but that was definitely one!
Jude Lazaro
What a pretty voice you have, Jude! ‘Home’ was okay for me, but ‘Fly Me to the Moon’ awakened my dormant goose bumps. I think it was your round 2 song that gave you that nudge. Great choice of song- a thing that, I assure you, will help in future rounds. Ask Ms. Kate Moss from last season, she'll tell you.
Mark Lazaro
Yes. I’m writing about him twice. Got a problem? If you do, then come and listen to this man sing next Wednesday. No, not just listen. You have to watch this one. Jumps around like a livewire, yells and screams and throws his arms around. And has a voice that makes the tears jump out of my face. (Ask anyone who knows me. The best performers always make me cry. The glistening eyes aren’t just a finton of your imagination.) Too Much Love Will Kill You and Bed Of Roses allowed this man to trample his way to the top three. Fee-fie-fo-fum.
Nina
Nina, Nina, Nina. Sigh. I didn’t think too much of Can’t Fight The Moonlight, but that’s probably because I don’t think too highly of that song. But Orange Coloured Sky. What did you do with that song?! You were simply magnificent with that one. It was just pure bad luck that you didn’t make the top three. Come back next Wednesday. You can make it to the finals. And then what say you and I run away together? And how many people are going to believe that I’m straight after this? Who cares?
So anyway. Those of you who were there, Wasn’t it great?! And those of you who weren’t, What’s up with that? Six spots are filled up already, but you have a bunch of Wednesdays left. So come and sing.
Here are the six, so far:
1. Jacob Ninan
2. Tania Jones
3. Keerthana Mohan
4. Mark Lazaro
5. Pratik
6. Jude Lazaro
More later. Bye bye for now. Turns out I have to get back to a job. And all the endless ways in which we rob ourselves of ourselves and each other. Sigh.
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Something to talk about
We’re excited because the World Cup is upon us like a ton of Cola wars.
Bangalore roads are ghastly- just like the traffic, the weather, the infrastructure and the BPO belts.
It’s the middle of the week and we are all at work.
Cottons are in.
Brangelina is (are?) out.
The point I’m trying to make, rather inarticulately, is that we need to have something new to talk about. Desperately. Before we all die of...Nothing To Talk About.
Under the dire circumstances, I am pleased, proud and almost childishly excited to announce- rather belatedly- that Opus is back with KroaKing 2. The contest that made waves and news, sealed friendships, allowed for our fair share of gossip, but most of all showcased some of the best voices this city has.
And this time the New could be You. All you have to do is show up on any Wednesday evening, grab a drink or ten, grab the mike from Mr. Mark Swaroop and sing your heart out. From then on, you could either make it to that list of 24 finalists or not. Either way, you’re in for a big fat happy time. I should know. I’ve been there. And I often put the ‘big fat’ in it!
In the presence of the million dangling conversations we have everyday, let at least one be truly exciting. So what if you have to sing it.
Come on, kroakers, let’s give them something to talk about!
P.S.- I will be taking over writing on this blog- at least for a while- from Vivek Madan. But I've always preferred a conversation to a monologue. So please leave me comments, requests, bouquets or their opposites. Or you can write to me at thewriterbites@gmail.com
Bangalore roads are ghastly- just like the traffic, the weather, the infrastructure and the BPO belts.
It’s the middle of the week and we are all at work.
Cottons are in.
Brangelina is (are?) out.
The point I’m trying to make, rather inarticulately, is that we need to have something new to talk about. Desperately. Before we all die of...Nothing To Talk About.
Under the dire circumstances, I am pleased, proud and almost childishly excited to announce- rather belatedly- that Opus is back with KroaKing 2. The contest that made waves and news, sealed friendships, allowed for our fair share of gossip, but most of all showcased some of the best voices this city has.
And this time the New could be You. All you have to do is show up on any Wednesday evening, grab a drink or ten, grab the mike from Mr. Mark Swaroop and sing your heart out. From then on, you could either make it to that list of 24 finalists or not. Either way, you’re in for a big fat happy time. I should know. I’ve been there. And I often put the ‘big fat’ in it!
In the presence of the million dangling conversations we have everyday, let at least one be truly exciting. So what if you have to sing it.
Come on, kroakers, let’s give them something to talk about!
P.S.- I will be taking over writing on this blog- at least for a while- from Vivek Madan. But I've always preferred a conversation to a monologue. So please leave me comments, requests, bouquets or their opposites. Or you can write to me at thewriterbites@gmail.com
Friday, March 09, 2007
Frogs are passe. Its the reign of the frogesse!
Right! Let me try and explain that.
I'm not in a mental state fit enough to continue with this blog. As all the 3 and half readers will testify, the quality has gone down a bit. And all 3 and a half of you deserve better reports of what actually goes on at KroaKnights, especially now that KroaKING II is upon us with it's rather deafening, and sometimes off-key, crescendo.
So, without further ado, allow me to present to you, my dear readers, the Frogesse (Portmanteau of frog and largesse/duchess, if you get my drift)!!!
Anoopa Anand, published writer, self deprecating (but a very good) singer and now the proud owner of 2 cats (which you will no doubt be hearing about) will take you through the murky depths of Karaoke at Opus, the backstabbing, the bitching, the tears, the fears and oh yes, the singing too.
And one she has improved the ratings on my blog, I will gently nudge her aside and take all the credit. :-)
Take a bow, Frogesse Noops!
I'm not in a mental state fit enough to continue with this blog. As all the 3 and half readers will testify, the quality has gone down a bit. And all 3 and a half of you deserve better reports of what actually goes on at KroaKnights, especially now that KroaKING II is upon us with it's rather deafening, and sometimes off-key, crescendo.
So, without further ado, allow me to present to you, my dear readers, the Frogesse (Portmanteau of frog and largesse/duchess, if you get my drift)!!!
Anoopa Anand, published writer, self deprecating (but a very good) singer and now the proud owner of 2 cats (which you will no doubt be hearing about) will take you through the murky depths of Karaoke at Opus, the backstabbing, the bitching, the tears, the fears and oh yes, the singing too.
And one she has improved the ratings on my blog, I will gently nudge her aside and take all the credit. :-)
Take a bow, Frogesse Noops!
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Kroaking Season 2 - Rules and Prizes!!!!!
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KROAKING SEASON 2
RULES
for 8 wednesdays, starting today, we pick 3 people out of the entire lot that sings, to get into the final stages ... (which means if u are not picked on a particular wednesday u have the opportunity of 7 more weeks to get in, tho im guessing it will get tougher as the weeks roll by) ... every week an updated list will be sent to all and hosted on the site... when we reach 24 people we'll have a semifinal to pick 12 .. and then a final at the cowdiah auditorium on the 25th of may ... wherein one would be crowned Opus KroaKING... aaah, and one more thing ... the judges decisions are final and binding
ELIGIBILITY
anybody and everybody can take part (even those who competed last year) ... the only one who gets a wild card into the semifinal (thats entirely up to him if he wants to take it) is mark swaroop who will be hosting the first leg of the competetion ... and yes, if u are picked you have to be around in May for the final stages
PRIZES
a cash prize of Rs 10,000
Nokia phones for the finalists (model nos. will be announced shortly)
weekly prizes from levitate and native resorts
... and free entry to wed and sun kroaknights for the year for all the top 24 (thats 104 nights in the year @ Rs 110/- a night ... u do the math)
RULES
for 8 wednesdays, starting today, we pick 3 people out of the entire lot that sings, to get into the final stages ... (which means if u are not picked on a particular wednesday u have the opportunity of 7 more weeks to get in, tho im guessing it will get tougher as the weeks roll by) ... every week an updated list will be sent to all and hosted on the site... when we reach 24 people we'll have a semifinal to pick 12 .. and then a final at the cowdiah auditorium on the 25th of may ... wherein one would be crowned Opus KroaKING... aaah, and one more thing ... the judges decisions are final and binding
ELIGIBILITY
anybody and everybody can take part (even those who competed last year) ... the only one who gets a wild card into the semifinal (thats entirely up to him if he wants to take it) is mark swaroop who will be hosting the first leg of the competetion ... and yes, if u are picked you have to be around in May for the final stages
PRIZES
a cash prize of Rs 10,000
Nokia phones for the finalists (model nos. will be announced shortly)
weekly prizes from levitate and native resorts
... and free entry to wed and sun kroaknights for the year for all the top 24 (thats 104 nights in the year @ Rs 110/- a night ... u do the math)
the top 12 get into a studio to record the season 2 special CD with sharmon ibrahim
we are still working on more prizes and record deals and judges ... by next week we'll have a final list of goodies, as more and more people are coming in as partners) ..
for more competition hype go to www.kroaknights.blogspot.com
we are still working on more prizes and record deals and judges ... by next week we'll have a final list of goodies, as more and more people are coming in as partners) ..
for more competition hype go to www.kroaknights.blogspot.com
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Knock Knock...?
Ok so i'm not The Bangalore Torpedo. I didn't expect a few hundred comments exclaiming how good it was to have me writing again but at least a few?????
Bleddy cows. Just reading and running off. Say something. Even if its about the melting of the polar ice caps or about good looking balding men who sing their way.
(If this fails, I'll go off and become a housekeeper in Trivandrum)
Bleddy cows. Just reading and running off. Say something. Even if its about the melting of the polar ice caps or about good looking balding men who sing their way.
(If this fails, I'll go off and become a housekeeper in Trivandrum)
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Guess who’s back????
Last Sunday was a very strange night at Opus for me. It was like a semi reunion of the Kroakers of last year’s competition. All the more weird because it brought home the fact that while some of us are still around, so many of the others have moved on, made babies, found different jobs, different lives. Hell, some of them have even found different wives in the short time since the finals last year.
But for those of us that were still there, the losers, there were many pleasantly nostalgic moments. Vinoj with his Eminem act, the Kuttukarn sisters Serah and Eleyah with their trademark songs ‘We are’ and ‘Black Velvet’ respectively, Mark, Jacob and Barry who are now like pieces of furniture at Opus and of course Namrata’s fussing.
All these casual incidents were legacies of a time not so far gone but man, they seem like eons ago. All those decisions on which song to sing, all the bitching about who should have actually gotten third place and the excitement of the Kroaking CD and the recording sessions; all of it came back slowly.
I’m quite glad that Carlton has decided that the participants of last year can take part again this year. Would have been a shame to deny those great voices a second chance - now that Megha has left the country.
I'm not taking part this year, for reasons that I will explain in future editions. But I must admit to feeling a small pang of envy for those contestants who make it to the top 24. They are in for a roller coaster ride over the next 10 weeks and I hope their journey is as magical (a word I have used in only one other context in my life) and meaningful as mine was 8 months ago.
If you want to know what to do to win that prize, which I’m told will be something I would kill for, keep reading this blog.
PS – The title of this piece refers to the contest and to me. NOT to Vinoj. No offense Vinoj, you sure can sing that one - only. ;-)
But for those of us that were still there, the losers, there were many pleasantly nostalgic moments. Vinoj with his Eminem act, the Kuttukarn sisters Serah and Eleyah with their trademark songs ‘We are’ and ‘Black Velvet’ respectively, Mark, Jacob and Barry who are now like pieces of furniture at Opus and of course Namrata’s fussing.
All these casual incidents were legacies of a time not so far gone but man, they seem like eons ago. All those decisions on which song to sing, all the bitching about who should have actually gotten third place and the excitement of the Kroaking CD and the recording sessions; all of it came back slowly.
I’m quite glad that Carlton has decided that the participants of last year can take part again this year. Would have been a shame to deny those great voices a second chance - now that Megha has left the country.
I'm not taking part this year, for reasons that I will explain in future editions. But I must admit to feeling a small pang of envy for those contestants who make it to the top 24. They are in for a roller coaster ride over the next 10 weeks and I hope their journey is as magical (a word I have used in only one other context in my life) and meaningful as mine was 8 months ago.
If you want to know what to do to win that prize, which I’m told will be something I would kill for, keep reading this blog.
PS – The title of this piece refers to the contest and to me. NOT to Vinoj. No offense Vinoj, you sure can sing that one - only. ;-)
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
kroaKing Live Concert
Well well well. Who would’ve thought it!
Last Wednesday was a complete treat for those who witnessed the sort of birthing of a generation of performers at Opus.
The line up of singers boasted some who had been on stage before but there were quite a few who had never entertained the possibility (the wish or the hope, maybe) of performing as part of a concert in front of a live, paying audience.
When they started out on the project about a month ago, they were given the responsibility of organizing themselves into a respectable evening of entertainment. They stressed themselves and each other about rehearsal schedules, people not coming on time, song choices, the weather, sore throats, dogs on airplanes and everything else under the sun.
With the persistent training of Chris Williams who rehearsed the group songs and tons of initiative from each of them, they metamorphosed into a cohesive, dedicated group who between themselves, sorted out their costumes, their props, their song lists and even their entries and exits on and off stage.
Boys went shopping for white clothes and brown slippers, girls for feather boas, paper money was printed, and someone got his ear pierced. The level of enthusiasm and commitment made them extremely hard to recognize as the same group of people who started off at Opus as Karaoke Singers.
Cut to show day: What a night!!! Everyone performed with such élan; you would think they’d been born on that stage.
I’m not going to put down a complete song list because they’re going to perform again in a couple of weeks so for those who missed it this time, make sure you mark off that date well in advance.
It’s not only in fairy tales that frogs can become Kings and Queens.
And our boys and girls proved it. Implicitly. And we’re damn proud of them! (Sniff!)
Kudos! Great show!
Vivek Madan
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KroaKing season 2 every wednesday
