Khumariyaan bring sheer magnetism and inimitable Pashto beats to Karachi

Arriving at the T2F an hour late, due to traffic and deadlines, I had assumed that the concert would be half over because Khumariyaan had performed at T2f a while back and they started on time. Assuming is not necessarily a good thing. As I arrived, tickets were still being sold and people were standing in a straight line that went almost to the road. No one was misbehaving and people were being patient. A T2F staff member was selling tickets, depending on whether there was any space and if people could be accommodated. I, a single soul, managed to buy a ticket and get in only to encounter listeners sitting or standing. As it turned out, Khumariyaan hadn’t started playing due to technical issues. Within 5 to 10 minutes of my arrival, the band, that was already at the venue and was upstairs, arrived. Without wasting further time, they took their respective instruments to begin the hybrid folk frenzy, Pashto beats and interactive moments with attendees that have become synonymous with their music. If you have attended a few Khumariyaan shows, you know what’s coming. But it immediately became apparent that even after dealing with technical issues, there were technical issues. And they were serious enough to affect how the band usually plays. But it was not something that most people noticed because Khumariyaan went into improvisation mode. Among the songs they played and earned applause for – after each performance – included their claim-to-fame single, ‘Tamasha’ but that came much later. With the music it became apparent that Pashto beats are unlike anything else and harder to master. But Khumariyaan play interactive shows, which means they involve the audience, be it singing verses from ‘Rasha’ Mama’ or clapping after Sparlay Rawail, lead guitarist, as he plays Pashto beats as claps. The set was electric because it was the one thing that remained unpredictable. After mastering the rubab, alongside percussions, and guitars, the band has also added sehtaar to their music and so played an untitled sehtaar track that has the audience wishing for more. After that, in no particular order, they played some of their best songs including ‘Bela’, ‘Sheenai’, ‘Qataghani’, ‘Pearl’, a malang percussion jam and a little ‘Bella Ciao’ in Pashto style. With the presence of Coke Studio 11 co-producer Zohaib Kazi, Sparlay Rawail spoke about him and how ‘Ya Qurban’ went on to win a Lux Style Award which was followed by a huge round of applause for Zohaib Kazi. In between Farhan Bogra did some moves that either had people dancing along or had them in fits of laughter. Aamer Shafiq – despite the lack of space given how Khumariyaan play – was on fire with his guitar. He managed to dance a little; Sparlay Rawail brought out his ghungroo but the dance he usually manages was not possible due to lack of space and the band was dealing with severe technical issues that meant they had to hold back. And yet Khumariyaan had T2F completely packed with many sitting and a lot of people dancing wherever they could; it was a lovely sight to see, the kind the late Sabeen Mahmud would encourage. In the end, Khumariyaan saved the show by going into full improv mode that comes from a decade of experience. These intimate shows are the kind the band enjoys the most. So, here’s hoping T2F manages to get technical problems right next time for Khumariyaan has the kind of magnetism that can convert anyone into a fan. – Photo Credits: Hassan Ali Zarar (T2F)

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