Pooh's Den

We did what 8000(?) other desis decided to do last Friday – yes we hit the AR Rahman show. AR Rahman – India’s golden boy sure brings in crowd and the organizers cashed in on it! The show was a sold-out event held at the Reliant Arena. The event was at 9pm on a Friday night – it sure is an odd timing for the show and my only guess for the timing of the show is Reliant rents its facilities cheaper at later hour. Inspite of the time, we decided to go and at the end of the day I really am not sure if it was worth going or not.

We reached the venue around 8.40pm and wham! a sea of color greeted me! Bright fuchsias, blues and yellows! Well I was quite unsure if I was at the right location, I was there for a concert and everyone there looked as if they were a part a grand wedding! There was the whole desi crowd decked in their best clothes and I looked pretty drab next to all these decked up people! Yup V has already got some ideas of what is in vogue in India and planned what to shop next!

We waited and waited growing impatient, drinking $4 pops and eating samosas, listening to loud ads for Hum Tum Radio City and finally around 9.05 we were let in and we got comfortable. And did what we always do the best - people watch and that was all we could do for the next 40 minutes. The show was ofcourse running on Indian Standard time and no one bothered to enlighten us why the show was being delayed or apologize for the delay. There was a mixture of languages thrown around and confusion prevails in a way it always seems to happen when you put a bunch of desis together. Here are some interesting ways to spend when you are waiting for a show to start (thanks to the junta at ARR concert @ Houston)

1) Call every single desi person in your contacts. 99% of them will be at the show. And your conversation will be something like this

You: Aree yaar! Do you hear me? Guess where I am

X : Speak up! Speak up! I can’t hear you! I am at the AR Rahman concert and the people are just going crazy!

You: Me too!! Me too!! Where are you? I am in $** ticket section. The stage is pucca clear from here

X: Oh me too! I also have a $** ticket. Which row are you?

You: I am in row xyz. Can you see me? I am waving at you. Get up and wave!

(Now starts the time of frantic waving. And you see every next person in the arena also glued to their mobile and waving and checking out)

X: Dude! I don’t see you. Did you get the section right?

You: Same here. Btw what color dress are you wearing? I am in my new green top/shirt I got at Neiman Marcus (go ahead and lie, no one is going to check it out!)

X: I still can’t find you.

Continue frantic waving and add a few dance moves! Watch out for fakes (like us) who for no reason just keep waving and irritating people!

You: Dude! I have another caller waiting cya. Keep looking for me!

Now continue the same with the caller!

What an amazing time pass for the caller and the people around them. We had free entertainment courtesy our neighbors at the concert! And by any chance if your friend is not at the concert, here is your chance to boast.

2) Now the organizers really wanted us to enjoy the concert and bring out the kid in everyone and hence they supplied glow sticks and flashing novelties to the crowd. And as desis we never leave a chance for a freebie. Here are snippets from conversations I managed to eavesdrop.

Aunty to Uncle: Dear just go and get couple of those flash things. They are giving it out at the counter. It is free and a nice gift

Uncle: Oh are you sure they are free?

Aunty: Yes I am really sure. Mrs.S with whom I just spoke said she picked up 3 of them. We sure need them.

Uncle: Okie Okie I am off.

A while later you get to see Uncle happily rotating those flashing stuff and get back.

Then the conversation

Aunty observing her neighbor Aunty 2 rotating her flashing novelty : Wow! Yours has a different color than mine. Where did you pick it up?

Aunty 2: Oh! They gave it to me at the counter. Is yours different?

Aunty to Uncle: Did you see her’s? Isn’t it different? Might be you should try to get one of those. They look so pretty.

Aunty 2 also repeats the same stuff to Uncle 2 and you could see both Uncles moving down to get different colored freebies!

And you could see people of all ages twisting those novelties to their heart content. Am I the only one who found it weird? Check out the whirling glow sticks

And finally the show begun! And that is for tomorrow! Watch for part 2 of Rahman's show in Houston

With inputs from KA and V's dance friends PD, SV and KB! Thanks!