The Channel [v] Launchpad Concert for Change (and yes, the after party which we’ll get to in a bit) were something else…seriously what a night. Here’s your very own front row (and backstage) debrief!

VJs Mantra & Juhi

Lola Kutty and Raghu Dixit

Raghu Dixit Project

So I got to the Andheri Sports Complex, Mumbai just in time to catch VJs Mantra and (the darling) Juhi Pande introduce the Raghu Dixit Project who proceeded to rip up the stage with their unique blend of folk rock music. Raghu man, what a performer. There’s some kind of magic in his music (I also love that his whole crew does the show barefoot in lungi’s and since he used to be a classical dancer he wears ghungroos, not that’s what you call coming to the party with bells on!) Backstage I caught Lola Kutty having one of her hilarious conversations with him pre-performance. And then we rocked it out to his music for the next half an hour.

The first video for the band ‘The Raghu Dixit Project’ premiered on MTV on 26th February 2008. The song is ‘Hey Bhagwan’ and it’s also their first single. My favorite tracks have to be:
“Hey Bhagwan”
“No Man will Ever love you like I do”
“I am in Mumbai (and I’m waiting for a miracle)”
…you have GOT to hear them if you haven’t already.

Sheetal Sudhir – Creative Director

You know this whole “party in the park” vibe is truly awesome. Half of the audience was chilling on the grass enjoying the music while the superfans up front screamed their lungs out in support (mostly of Reverse Polarity.) Its so cool to see gigs like this come together with a motley crew of performances ranging from young death metal bands to the sappy strains of of Bappi Da. All in all, just the right mix of cheese and talent to make it all quite memorable!

Reverse Polarity

The next band I caught was of course Reverse Polarity, a crowd favorite (and I’ll cut the suspense and tell you right now that they won! Now while this may not be my kind of music per say I can totally see how they would be all the rage with today’s youth. I also thought their whole silence-of-the-lambsish comment on politicians being liars and two faced “and so we wear these masks” was pretty intense but hey, way to take a stand! By the way Anushka Manchanda’s brother Shikar is part of the the band too. And while the siblings play totally different kinds of tunes it was cute to see full support and big love backstage.

Anushka and Shikar Manchanda

The rest of the performances included Anushka herself filling in for Pentragram (who pulled a Pentegram and dropped out two days before the show because they weren’t crazy about sharing concert space with Bappi Lahiri.) She did a good ‘ol Bollywood song and dance routine but more than her moves I guarantee it was the mile high legs that the boys were admiring! Faridkot another one of the finalists sang their super popular love song “Laila” to a crowd that knew all the words. Soft rock Hindi-style, reminded me of all the supercool Pakistani boy bands like Strings and Jal. Kailash Kher and Bappi the king of disco Lahiri headlined the night to perfection. Suffice to say one look at him (and his bling bling) and you know you’re in for an unforgettable experience!

Bappi Lahiri

Bappi Lahiri on stage

Anushka Manchanda

Faridkot

Kailash Kher (centre)

Big B, Simpu Sir and SRK

Lola Kutty

Juhi Pande

Between the shenanigans backstage and the hilarious and excellent Simpu Sir adventures of an animated Sardar on the big screen I had a blast! Watch this space for the lo down on the after party set (with pictures of course) where everyone who spent all day doing this…

…finally got to chill out and do a little bit of this!