HYDERABAD: Residents of Vertex Prime, a residential community in Nizampet, went a step ahead of the usual posts and pictures to float an idea called e-concert. The community which has 280 flats has about 1,200 people living in the premises. “There are many who are supremely talented, but have never got an opportunity to showcase that because of lack of time. So we conceptualised the e-concert concept,” shares R.Rajeshwari Iyer. Each episode features eight singers where they sing their choicest songs or showcase their artistic talent in this daily event.
Their performances are recorded while performing from the comfort of their home. Then they share those videos to the coordinator, who present them in a sequence with emcee giving a brief about every participant or performance. “Every episode has eight singers, artistes, amateurs, bathroom singers. Then all these videos are collated into one hour capsule. Such an edited version is posted on the YouTube Channel of the Vertex Apartment,” shares Rajeshwari, a resident.
“We have picked up song and dance to beat lockdown blues. So that it entertains each other. This becomes a point of dialogues, discussion among the fellow residents. Then it also helps to strengthen the bond between the people living in the same community,” she says. This is the best way to beat lockdown blues.
Though the performers are residents, the outside world can also view and comment on YouTube. This will give an exposure to amateur artists, who can further their talent, hobby or passion, she adds. Meanwh i l e, Pa at a l u Paadukundam is another group of family friends in Hyderabad who created a music group. “It is a group to hone our singing prowess,’ says Pankaja Gururaj about this group which was created in the second week of the lockdown.
With 81 participants from across the world, the common thread is their love for music. The group has a theme for each day of the week. Then members come online throughout the day depending on their time to sing their number which is shared through an audio note in the WhatsApp group. While the amateurs sing a capella, the professionals use sruthi or karaoke apps to sing. If Mondays are for solo songs, Tuesday are for duets, Wednesdays for patriotic songs, so on and so forth.
There is a day for sad songs too! “We get to hear the original voices and the talent of our friends,” says the group member. Elsewhere, other groups are exploring online Tambola with cash prizes up to `50,000. The group announces the rules which includes those like ‘network problem issues are not considered...Don’t message in the group unless you claim... Nobody is allowed to message in between except claim messages, like saying bogie, make it faster, board please, please continue etc... Every 10 numbers callout for everyone to check. The tickets are bought via Google Pay or PayTm for `300 for two tickets. The groups usually play at 9 pm to enable even those with work from home jobs to join. — Manju Latha Kalanidhi kalanidhi @newindianexpress.com @mkalanidhi