In an earlier post, I had ranted about the horrendous “Rock Karachi Rock” non-event, but “hope springs eternal in the human breast” and I bought a ticket for the Bryan Adams concert, desperate to relive memories of the glorious 80s and 90s. So much was at stake for our city and I was nervous as hell. On the morning after the night before, I am now totally coherent, awake, and devoid of any hyperbole – Karachi has vindicated itself on all counts.
The first security checkpoint was just after the Steel Mill entrance and a polite fellow checked our tickets. The second point required all of us to get out of the car for it to be checked out. This was done quickly and efficiently and resulted in a “security cleared” sticker. A number of small but meaningful details had been taken into account, in total contrast to my previous experience at the Arabian Sea Country Club:
- The parking area was mercifully illuminated
- There was a seating area for folks who either weren’t going inside or had to wait around
- The woman checking handbags was not power drunk and obnoxious
- The volunteers swiping cards were extremely polite and efficient
- Food and drinks were available inside the venue
- Clearly labelled restrooms were easily accessible
- There was no one bellowing on the mike saying, “once you’re in, you can’t get out”
What staggered me was the fact that the concert started at 8:00 pm. Nothing in Karachi starts at 8:00 pm, let alone a musical extravaganza of this scale. No amount of kudos are enough for whoever made this happen. Shehzad Roy kicked off the night with his infamous “Saali” number, followed by a cover of “It’s Only Words”. He sang another couple of songs and was done by about 8:30 pm. Sound checks and what not followed and by 9:00 pm, the decks were cleared for BRYAN.
He belted out one hit after another in his signature, non-confrontational style and the crowd loved him. I am not so fond of his newer, mushy tracks but was thrilled with Run to You, Cuts Like a Knife, It’s Only Love, I Need Somebody, Heaven, Kids Wanna Rock, Straight from the Heart, and of course, Summer of 69. He came back 3 times, by popular demand, and behaved like a real star. We Love You, Bryan. At one point, he announced that he was going to sing the opening lines of one of his songs and whoever recognized it, should raise their hands. Thousands of people had their arms in the air and he called upon a lucky, young lady to come up on stage and sing with him. Hats off to her – she did a great job, earning herself a big hug from Mr. Adams, and massive cheers from the crowd. He asked her a few questions about herself and promised t-shirts to all her friends, who of course, went totally nuts.
Bryan Adams said wonderful things about Shehzad Roy and Karachi, reminding us that none of this would have been possible without the efforts of our own countrymen. He told us that we sing very well 
and that music really has the power to bring people together. He also said he had no idea why they hadn’t come before and he hoped this concert would pave the way for many more. The crowd was very responsive and well-behaved and there were no phaddas and bayhoodgees. Thank you, 25,000 Karachivaalas, for not screwing this up. We have proved to the world that we can have a good time as well as behave ourselves and hopefully, more class acts will come to our city, if we continue to act like civilized folk.
It was a great, great show BUT, it was marred by poor sound quality. The concert just wasn’t loud enough and the balance was out. Sound makes or breaks a rock concert – this is very elementary and hopefully, someone important noticed and will strive for higher standards next time.
A huge round of applause for Zindagi Trust, Shehzad Roy, Nokia, ARY Digital, and all the other sponsors and organizers. Bryan Adams, THANK YOU for coming to Karachi despite negative travel advisories and plenty of bad press. Cheesy as this may sound, it truly was “a night to remember” 
