MUMBAI: They say music has no language and rightly so. For music transcends worldly boundaries, projecting beyond the dimensions of the physical world. However, nothing enriches like music that brings back the nostalgia of the lush green farmlands from your childhood. Punjabi music does just that- stirring your soul with a colossal whirlpool of emotions and nostalgia.
Gaana Crossblade powered by Seagram’s Royal Stag Barrel Select Mega Music CDs, came as a breath of fresh air amidst a lot of festivals in the country that seem to be drifting away from folk and regional music. Gaana Crossblade in its second edition put across an electrifying show for all the attendees. Power packed performances by the who’s who of the music industry, the vibe had a spell binding effect on everyone.
The festival has introduced a multi-stage showcase of performances- a first for any event in the region. The idea is to inculcate an international festival aesthetic into the minds of people, wherein different stages promote a different feel and genre of music. To further elevate the festive vibe, Gaana Crossblade launched their custom-made stickers nation-wide on Snapchat along with interesting filters that the attendees may incorporate to make their selfies social media ready in no time. Great food, drinks and games helped everyone unwind.
Day 1 of the festival saw performances by Stanley Live, Sunanda Sharma, Roop and Dolly Sidhu, DJ Bhanu, Indo-Kiwi Singer Shirley Setia ft Gurnazar. The performances by headliners Sukhbir- the 90s Pop sensation on one stage, and Manj Musik of RDB and Bollywood Fame along with Nindy Kaur supported by Urban Singh Crew as on-stage dance troupe on another stage were a never seen before sight. To bring back the nostalgia of Punjabi folk music, the legendary artiste of Punjabi music Hans Raj Hans along with sons Navraj and Yuvraj Hans weaved magic with their combined talent. The night ended with a short yet crisp performance by the industry’s golden boy Parmish Verma.
The second day of the festival concluded on a high with the headlining act by Amit Trivedi Live- India’s most experimental music composer, lyricist and singer, all rolled into one. His act included Bollywood’s famous playback singers Divya Kumar, Yashita Sharma, Arun Kamath along with choicest of musicians from around the world. A perfect display of music and art genius, the star-studded night was no short of a music dreamland. Another highlight was the Punjabi jazz-rock, Delhi 2 Dublin all the way from Canada that sang their original English tracks with the right dash of Punjabi lyrics and dhol beats. To add to the fervor there were stupendous performances by B Praak, Jasmine Sandals, Akhil Sachdeva, DJ Flow and Singha. Special mention goes to the tribute act for Lt Shiv Kumar Batalvi- the most celebrated poet and lyricist of the industry which was beautifully orchestrated and executed by the young talent- Sajjan Adeeb, Armaan Bedil and Sara Gurpal. The night escalated to an all-time high with Bollywood’s most sought-after beat master DJ Aqeel.
The Gaana Crossblade powered by Seagram’s Royal Stag Barrel Select Mega Music CDs is all set to drop the Punjabi beat in the mighty land of Jaipur later in the month of March.