No Woman No Cry

A sleepy Saturday afternoon following a boozy friday night was when my friend called me to check if out evening plan was on. Having nothing much to do other than outsourcing the ironing of my clothers to the neighborhood IDC (Ironing delivery center), I was all game.

We were supposed to meet at the Bangalore palace grounds at 7 PM and there was no news from my friend who said who would tell me a place midway where we could meet and proceed together. My watched showed 5 minutes to 7 when he called and confirmed that he had got the passes.

That evening all roads seemed to lead to the Palace grounds and after heavy stop-go-stop traffic reached the sprawling palace grounds. Caught up with my friend who had 2 of his other buddies with him and we made our way to the scene of action.The queue was long but atleast there was a queue.. Soon we were in. We were the "free pass" category so that meant we had to stand behind a barricade beyond which the ones who paid sat in plastic chairs.

We had to stand through insipid performances and numerous messages for global warming and it was nearly 9PM when they made their appearance.. to a literally standing ovation - all those duffers who had paid and got a plastic chair stood on their chairs to welcome them and we the free pass duffers got to see the backsides of the paid pass duffers (this reinforces one of life's little lessons!!!).

Marcia Barret of Boney M fame in a wine red dress accompanied by 2 nubile females and an older Jamaican gentleman. Boney M a band most of us would have listened to when growing up. For me, it was one of the earliest songs I have heard being played at our home. This and the other iconic pop group of the 70s - ABBA. Hence most of the Boney M songs were kinda second nature to me and it was really bliss to see a live member of Boney M - a voice heard over the Ahuja speakers as a kid and to seeing that source of that voice live.. albeit at quite a distance.

If the entire original Boney M including the inimitable Bobby Farell had made an appearance, I guess I would have died and gone to heaven humming Daddy Cool during the journey. Another dampner was the music was all taped and only Marcia Barett's voice was live. But a Boney M song taped or otherwise gets your feet tapping.

Marcia started off with "take the heat off me" (again a global warming message??!?!) their first album and then moved to the more popular "Belfast", "Ma Baker", "Daddy Cool", "Rivers of Babylon", "Rasputin" (their Italian dancer Filipo literally rocked during the opening drum sequence of Rasputin) plus a host of others. And ofcourse Marcia Barett's cover version of the Bob Marley classic "No Woman No cry"(The pic you see in the beginning was snapped from where I was standing with my trusty Razr).

A very enthusiastic crowd - from oldies to little gals dancing happily on their daddy's shoulders the atmosphere was good fun. 2 hours of foot tapping music. An estimated 20,000 people were there it seems as the organizers kept reminding us along with their anti global warming message. Towards the end, fire crackers lit up the sky. That combined with the amount of electricity for the lighting, the generators and stuff, I guess the concert itself was a significant contributor in melting the ice cap.

At the exit, met a nice guy who wanted a lift and we discussed Boney M and exchanged introductions - he owns a chain of shops across Bangalore with one near every Empire Hotel.

Finally around 10 PM, drunk on the live concert experience, I staggered home with a rather delayed New Year's resolution - Never miss another concert.

My Pass providing friend.. Are you listening??