Islamabad

The blurb that advertised the ‘Khumariyaan’ concert read, “Kuch Khaas brings you yet another mesmerising instrumental night featuring ‘Khumariyaan’, who have come all the way from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to intoxicate you with their instrumental skills.

They have been constantly transforming themselves and those around them in local jams and events at institutions far from home and have become a mobile musical and intellectual experience. Khumariyaan’s smooth blend of ‘rubab’, a dash of guitars and a garnishing of ‘darbooka’ will surely send you in an unforgettable trance.” It would be hard for music buffs to resist such a promised treat and sure enough, the venue was packed with eager fans of the band — both young and young of heart — which features Farhan Ali Bogra on the ‘rubab’, Sparlay Rawail on lead guitars, Aamer Shafiq on rhythm guitars and Shiraz Khan on percussions. I don’t know about the ‘trance’ part but the energy and the enthusiasm with which the band performed was quite delightful and had everyone clapping along to the irresistible beat the band has made its own.

Music of the KPK and northern Areas has a catchy beat and this is what the boys have captured — the guitars adding that extra zing to the already well-known and popular music. I was not able to hear the titles of the songs that were played but the younger audience up front was obviously familiar with the composition, as loud cheers and applause greeted each announcement. The foursome on stage was joined for a while by a young man playing the flute and again, I could not get his name (Mujeeb?) but the notes of his flute added to the haunting rhythm of the compositions played at that time. Besides having talent the success of a vocalist or a group also depends on how they interact with the audience — and Khumariyaan have the ability to do this, which added to the overall atmosphere created by the music.

The ‘rubab’ a traditional instrument of the frontier region was almost extinct but interest in it has been revived by this young artiste as he plays with a fervour that shows his love for the sounds it produces in skilful hands. Fusing its sound with that of guitars has been a brilliant way to bring this beautiful instrument back into the limelight and into the notice of the younger generation. The same can be said of the ‘darbooka’ or ‘zeer baghali’ as some people call it. This one-sided drum or ‘tabla’ that is played by holding its ‘neck’ between the knees is rarely seen or heard these days. All in all, an exciting blend of ‘east meets west’ and enjoyable — even though some traditionalists may disagree. Everything was good except for the lighting, which was not up to the mark — too red and irritating. By the way, ‘khumar’ means ‘mild intoxication’ and it can well be believed that fans of the band are intoxicated by their music!