Month: January 2010

Microsoft’s Infinite Wisdom

I had installed Windows Live Writer (Offline blogging tool), when it was in its infancy, and it was pretty good – small, lightweight, fast etc. So I wanted to give it another shot. Live writer is now a fully blown MS software, which means, it is now officially, bloated, slow, and big. It takes 8 seconds to load up. It has to install Live Image Gallery, even if you uncheck it etc etc. So as usual, I was disgusted, and uninstalled it. And I happened to see the below snapshot, while uninstalling.

Uninstalling installer ! If there is one thing that MS still maintains, it is entertainment value (in how ridiculous it can get!) 😉

Day 7: Madras Music Season

My father was the one who noticed that, I had not logically concluded my series of posts on the Madras Music Season, which I thoroughly enjoyed the whole of last week.

The last concert on the day that I left for Bangalore, was Sanjay Subramanyam, at Rama Bhaktha Jana Sabha (at PSBB schook KKNagar). My bus was at 11PM, and I was at the concert until 9:20PM. :=). So yes, I was listening to music until the last minute of my Chennai trip.

My comments on the Sanjay concert:

  • Outstanding performance
  • His maturity and control over the music is evidently visible.
  • One thing that I noticed was, how he enjoyed the concert. He was smiling, and encouraging the mridangam, ganjira, and the violin (genuinely!). You can easily see that, he was enjoying the concert, as much as the listeners were. I think that’s made the concert class apart. The only other concert, in which I got this vibe, was TM Krishna. Every other concert, the singers were so engrossed in making sure they sounded good, they chose the right songs, they did on time etc etc etc. Sanjay’s music just flowed.
  • Bilahari, Amir Kalyani, and Vagulapriya, were few of the ragams delivered flawlessly.
  • Virutham before Aadum Chidambarame was amazing.
  • He was almost dancing while singing the fast paced Nijagaadasa Yadunandane.
  • It was a pity, that I had to leave at 9:20PM. Not sure how long he sang. I am sure there would have been atleast 2-3 thukkadas. He is famous for singing tamil songs. I sure missed them.

 

That ends my series of posts on the Madras Music Season 2009-2010. I had tons of fun. I hope reading these posts encourage/enthuse people to come to Chennai next year, and have the same feeling that I had this year.

Happy listening!

Day 6: Madras Music Season

Day 5: Madras Music Season

Day 4: Madras Music Season

Day 3: Madras Music Season

Day 2: Madras Music Season

Day 1: Madras Music Season

Magnetic coffee cup holder

Another of those most ingenious inventions ever ! Have you ever needed a third hand, when you are holding a cell phone in your hand, and rummaging through your back pack for your keys, and also have a coffee cup in your hand. (I have similar situations at work. Laptop in hand, note book in the other, and a coffee cup balanced precariously while I try to open a conference room door!).

coffeecup

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why cant we just stick it on the nearest metal surface !! That would be very cool.

Check out how to do this here.

(source: original link from lifehacker).

Day 6: Madras Music Season – Mambalam Sisters

Totally unplanned concert. Today was supposed to be a day of rest for me. But then, amma realized that, Mambalam Sisters were singing in PSBB school (KK Nagar). Too close to miss. In a way, I think I am thankful that we did not miss it. Awesome concert.

  • Went a little late.
  • Awesome concert.
  • Trivia – Father – Ganjira – Two daughters singing, and third daughter on the violin – it was a whole family singing.
  • They sang the thirupugazh of the day – very traditional – I like it.
  • It has been a long time since I heard Chalamelara.
  • Main ghana ragam was Sankarabharanam – Akshaya Linga (today was Arudhra Darshanam).
  • Begabaro was a nice fast paced composition.
  • Manu pugazh Kosalaithan – a nice lullaby put everybody into a swaying mood (yes – the kknagar mami’s also sway!)

PS: I leave back to Bangalore tomorrow late night 11PM Volvo – There is a decision that still needs to be taken for tomorrow – TVSankaranarayanan at Gorodia School (or) Sanjay Subramanyam at PSBB KKNagar school

Day 5 – Madras Music Season – OS Arun/Priya Sisters

OS Arun (stayed only for half concert). Concert was at Bharath Kalachar. Got very bad seats. The burnt oil smell (or should I say stink!) from the canteen wafted too strongly for comfort. Disgusting, and distracting.

  • Ok crowd.
  • Ghana ragam was Kalyani. He was experimenting something – mixed in a few other ragams. In my humble opinion, they did not mix well.

Priya Sisters. Concert was at Parthasarathy swamy Sabha – Bheemasena Garden Street – off Luz.

  • Concert was awesome. Very fast paced. Good selection of songs.
  • The elder sister had a bad throat, and there were some times, when she struggled. But other than those times, the concert was very enjoyable.
  • Sujanajeevana (Kamas) and Soundararajam (brindavana saranga) was highly enjoyable.
  • The next day was Arudra Dharshanam – so they sang a kriti on Mylai Kapaleeswarar (Nambi kettavar evvarum illai) – Hindolam – one of my favourite raagams.
  • For the ghana ragam – it was Mohana Rama (Mohanam) – very well sung. A long time, since I heard Mohanam being picked as a ghana ragam.
  • Then they shifted into bhajanai mode (for the mylapore maami’s who were the overwhelming majority in the crowd – I even wondered if the entire sanskrit college crossed the road and came to the concert). A neat fast paced kriti – Matsya Kurma Varaha was sung to set the stage.
  • Sree Chakra Raja Simhasaneswari was beautiful. One of my favourite songs as well. But then, the master of this song – Maharajapuram Santhanam – is no more!
  • Jo acchuthananda (nilambari) – put us all into a somniferous state – with the entire mami population – swaying.
  • There was also a nice Kabir bhajan – chadhariya – fast paced and nice.
  • All in all, a very entertaining concert.
  • Canteen was also good – had a plate of bonda – very tasty.

Day 4: Madras music season – Ranjani Gayathri

From what I had heard, Ranjani/Gayathri were the best performers in the past few seasons (and this season as well). So the expectation was set high. Concert was at Rani Seethai Hall. Hall was packed.

  • The concert was like a diesel locomotive. Started off slow – with a song in the ragam chintamani (terribly slow song!)
  • Then came manasu swadhinamai (sankarabharanam) – almost a let down for me as well. Sankarabharanam does not sound good slow (atleast to me). It is ideal for some high pace swarams, but not dragging alapanais. Well rendered, but slow for my taste.
  • Then the speed picked up. The loco picked up speed. A superb song by GNB (did not note down the song name) in Malavasri.
  • Ragam Thanam Pallavi in Madhyamavathi was mind blowing – very very well sung.
  • It was vaikunta ekadasi – and hence Sreenivasa thiruvengada mudayan – was sung with full devotion. Several of the mami’s in the crowd were prompty swaying in bhakthi 😉
  • The concert ended with an abhang which, again, had the audience swaying ;-). It was kind-of amusing to see the relatively “polished” silk saree crowd (in raani seethai hall) swaying in Bhakthi. You can usually see this more often in other sabhas like Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, Mylapore fine arts etc.

Day 3: Madras Music Season – Nityashree.

Decided in the morning to attend Nityashree at Rani Seethai Hall. Concert was at 6:15PM. The previous concert was a free concert by an upcoming singer – Ravikiran. He was pretty good. Nityashree started the concert bang on time. Following are my observations:

  • Very impressive concert.
  • Full throated singing – though she has started modulating her position with respect to the mike, so it has become more pleasurable than previous years.
  • Started off with a brisk varnam – Thodi. Was awesome.
  • Nannu brovu Lalitha in ragam lalitha was beautiful. In general, it is one of my favourite ragams.
  • Some new raagams featured were – Karna ranjani and Jayantasena – both very pleasing to hear.
  • Pasupatheeswaram in Shubhapanthuvarali was rendered with passion.
  • Aadum deviam nee (kambhoji) was the ghana raagam.
  • A high paced Velan Varuvaaradi made people sit up, after the thani avarthanam.
  • The tempo was beautifully modulated with a melodious Sarvam Brahma Mayam (Madhuvanthi)
  • A quick thukada was in order – Ramanai Bhajital (maandu)
  • The concert was nicely concluded with a thillana in Ananda Bhairavi
  • All in all, a good concert. Packed hall. Thunderous applause.
  • She still, however has something very amusing going on, on the top right side of the ceiling, which she keeps beckoning, whenever she goes high pitched 🙂