On Astray

Arun Kale did an interview of me!
Full interview here >>

Head over to Astray and check out the other interviews too for some very insightful question-answering.

Kutcheri Hopping

This year, Shoo and I planned a mini kutcheri-hopping session.
(Our new year's eve kutcheri plan got cancelled though, I was looking forward to that).

The first kutcheri we got to was Sandeep Narayan singing at Krishna Gana Sabha, accompanied by Nagai Sriram (violin), Dr. Umayalpuram K Sivaram (mridangam) and Dr.Karthik (ghatam).  Gradwolf came along for this one. Highlight was having such a senior artiste like UKS autographing the drawing and showing it off to some people around!

I drew Sandeep a year ago (accompanied by Shoo, again), and Dr. Karthik early in 2011- this time I think I've managed to get the resemblance better. I didn't realise that until someone named all the artistes I drew without any prompting.

Sandeep's kutcheri was followed by Bombay Jayshree at Music Academy, but not before a quick stopover at the sabha canteen. Some day I will manage to get tickets/seats at Music Academy that will give me a better (closer) view of the artistes. Until then I will make the most of my balcony views.

~

List of songs from Sandeep's Krishna Gana Sabha kutcheri

Economicey Evening

This man. This talk.
Enlightening.

Dragged along by Why Shoe.

Aruna Sairam+Mandolin U Srinivas

After ages, I think, I managed to go for a kutcheri with the mother. The highlight of the evening (apart from the concert, of course) was a family, including a 3 year old child, that spoke only in Sanskrit! I haven't heard anything remotely like conversational Sanskrit since school. Just, wow. :O

Concert, amazing as expected. This was the first time I heard Mandolin Srinivas live in a kutcheri. Only encounters before this were cassette covers featuring a much younger him.

Animated Aruna singing 'Punniyam Oru Kodi'

Christmas Kutcheri

I've been wanting to use that title for a long time now.

~
December in Chennai can mean only two things- the kutcheri season and of course, Christmas. I hadn't caught any concert this time, and Shoe suggested Sandeep Narayan who was performing at the Narada Gana Sabha mini hall the weekend I was in Chennai. Good concert :)

~

Sandeep's Naan Oru Vilayattu Bommaiya playing on loop