Whether it is R D Burman’s playful Chadti Jawani Meri Chaal Mastani or ABBA’s cheerful Mamma Mia, there will be one thing in common — a 60-year-old grandma lighting up the room with her moves. That’s what good old music does to people, especially for those who had grown up listening to it. And thankfully for fans in Chennai, they get their regular dose of good old music from the umpteen number of tribute concerts making their monthly appearance in the city.
From Michael Muthu’s ‘The Buzz — Living Performances’ that have featured ABBA and Michael Jackson to the upcoming Beatles tribute to regular shows saluting Hindi music’s greats by Satrangi and Music Lovers Chennai — the golden era of music has never been more alive in Chennai. And yet, if you thought it was only the 50-plus crowd thronging these tribute shows, you’d be grossly wrong.
There are a good number of young, 20 somethings in the city who make it point to frequent these tribute concerts — either for the novelty of it or for the nostalgia of their childhood. Athulya Joseph, an architect by profession, says it’s both. “Dad introduced me to bands whose songs he used to listen to. And when we go to a tribute concert, it’s nostalgic because you’ve grown up listening to those songs,” she says.
Of course, tribute concerts also mean a night of bonding with like-minded music lovers. And some inane hair-raising fun that the otherwise normally quiet city doesn’t offer. “It’s a lot of fun for the younger generations because we will never get a chance to see them live,” explains Ann, a writer. “Everyone is screaming...enjoying the same thing. It’s fun,” adds in Nikhat Jahan, an interior designer.
Well, with the flurry of tribute concerts that this city is seeing all of a sudden, one can’t be surprised.