Thank you, two of you It truly, truly means the world to me.

Person 1) “you are a case of still water running deep”

Person 2) “… Yours isn’t to be a polymath, you’re the socio-cultural anthropologist amongst us. You have this superhuman ability to step back and SEE the big picture
and analyze it right down to the bone. There aren’t many people with that level of depth and attention to detail AND a broad vision. It is the rarest thing i have ever come across. Much more so than being a polymath. Don’t think i haven’t been paying attention. It’s ridiculous how you do it. Being able to look at things from every side possible. social, cultural, economic, psychological, political and then put it all together in one neatly wrapped box for the rest of us. Believe me when I say this, every single one of those polymaths you so desperately look up to, they either already envy you this ability, or will when they realize it.

Rock’s Hottest Ticket

By Abid Hussain
Lahore

The year is 1976. The scene is set at Mount Temple High School, Dublin. A precocious young lad of 14 posts a note on his school’s notice board, asking budding musicians to collaborate for a band. Little does he realize, posting that note will change the face of music forever.

What sounds like a typical, ordinary story, resulted in the creation of inarguably world’s most successful band, both critically and commercially. This is a fascinating tale of how four young men believed, evolved and ultimately elevated themselves to the pinnacle of success, and even 35 years later, show no signs of stopping anytime soon.

• Stories for Boys

When 14-year-old Larry Mullen Jr. posted that note, he had hoped to lead what he would call the ‘Larry Mullen Band’ to stardom. However, with six people auditioning to be part of the band, they decided to name the band ‘Feedback’. Originally consisting of Larry Mullen, Paul Hewson, David Evans, his brother Dik Evans, Adam Clayton, and Mullen’s friends Ivan McCormick and Peter Martin, the band soon lost McCormick and Martin. The remaining five renamed themselves as ‘The Hype’ and started out on their musical journey.

Fate struck again when just two years later, Dik Evans left the band and those left behind made the final name change – finally, ‘U2’was born. After a few initial shows, U2 gained a steady following among the Dublin music scene as the most charismatic live performers – most notably due to their effervescent lead singer Paul Hewson, who often pulled wild stunts while performing.

Admittedly short on skill but big on captivating the audience, U2 was rewarded with a deal in 1979 to launch ‘U2-3’, their debut three-track EP. Inspired by the popularity of the punk genre and the general wave of rebellious rage that was surging through the British Isles, the band’s music was heavily inspired by The Clash, Sex Pistols and Joy Division, among others. By this time, Hewson had earned himself the moniker ‘Bono’ – inspired by the Latin phrase ‘Bonavox’, literally meaning ‘good voice’ – and Dave Evans’ sharp facial features made him The Edge.

• Out of Control

Regular performances catapulted the band’s fledgling reputation to the more mainstream London music scene, which resulted in the band being signed by Island Records, followed closely by the release of U2’s first album, ‘Boy’. With lead single and video ‘I Will Follow’ receiving constant airtime, U2 continued performing live and their fan following grew. The album also received positive reviews and was considered among the most successful albums of that year.

• Is That All?

The commercial success of ‘Boy’ led U2 on their first ever multi-city tour of America where they earned much appreciation for their unique music style and passionate live performances. It was during this period that the band also began recording material for their second album, ’October’. The album, released in 1981, saw U2’s musical focus deviating towards faith, spirituality and rebellion. Gloria, Tomorrow, Rejoice were some of the songs which were highly religious in nature and affirmed the growing trend of overt Christianity among the band members.

Following this, Bono, the Edge and Larry Mullen Jr. joined a religious group and contemplated disbanding. However, after a long intense debate, the band felt they could carry on pursuing music while retaining their religious beliefs.

• New Year’s Day

1983 saw the release of U2’s first internationally acclaimed album, War. Moving on from their usual themes of youth, spirituality and adolescence, U2’s third album took on a harsher, more politically charged sound. The first track off the album, ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’ was about an incident in Northern Ireland where innocent people were mercilessly shot by the British Police.

This album showcased the band’s growing maturity and ability to highlight issues in order to create awareness or raise a voice against them. The album’s overall composition was aggressive with a remarkable drum beat accompanying the booming bass line.

Post-release, the band set out on an ambitious ‘War Tour’ which included one of U2’s most celebrated concerts ever at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. This live performance was later also released on DVD with the title ‘Under a Blood Red Sky’.

• A Sort of Homecoming

After the culmination of the War Tour, U2 went back to the studio with the intent to bring about yet another change in their artistic endeavours. Ever evolving, the boys from Dublin chose to completely revamp their musical structure, and this time opted to create music which was more atmospheric in nature, with a more spatial, anthemic and melodic song structure. With a brand new team of producers, the recording began in early 1984 and the album, ‘Unforgettable Fire’ was released in October later in the same year.

If War nudged U2 onto the threshold of stardom, Unforgettable Fire throttled the foursome into the full limelight, having churned out some of their finest work. This was the beginning of the golden era of U2, when they delivered some of the most seminal work in their career. With songs like Pride (In the Name of Love) – a tribute to Martin Luther King – and Bad – dealing with drug addiction – U2 sped up the ladder of success and were slated to perform at the Live Aid charity concert in London. This phenomenal performance absolutely skyrocketed U2’s reputation and kick-started the Unforgettable Fire tour. But amidst this newfound fame and fortune, new ideas for the next album were already brewing.

• I Still Havent’s Found what I am Looking For

When the band entered the studio in 1986, they had a plethora of ideas to work with for their next offering. Over the next few months working with same team of producers at Windmill Lane Studios saw the emergence of what is easily The Magnum Opus of U2’s career. The Joshua Tree was released in March 1987, delivering the most powerful 1-2-3 punch with just its opening three singles.

The album earned U2 the label of ‘Rock’s Hottest Ticket’ and is widely considered to be among the greatest rock albums of all time. With music that is at once atmospheric, and yet retains a distinct American flavor, The Joshua Tree’s success surpassed anything U2 had previously accomplished.  With a sellout tour across the globe, U2 were truly the superstars of rock and roll.

• Love rescue me

The following year, U2 released their 6^th studio album, ‘Rattle and Hum’, accompanied by a movie with the same name. The album, despite being a commercial success, was critically panned. Dubbed as pretentious and self-righteous, it could not build on the success of The Joshua Tree, despite the presence of some all-time great songs such as All I Want is You, Desire and others. As the band wound down its Love Town tour in 1989, its next destination remained unknown as Bono promised, “we have to go away and … and dream it all up again.”

• Even Better Than The Real Thing

Upon entering the 90s riding on the wave of grunge music and synthesized sound, the band assembled in Germany after the fall of Berlin Wall. This was also the rockiest period of U2’s career as the band members were uncertain about which direction to choose. However, as they started writing and composing at the Hansa Studio amidst great pressure, the four men found their miracle drug in the form of a song called One, touted by many as their greatest track of all time.

Achtung Baby! was released in 1991 and its composition consisted of processed sound and synthesizers, a previously unknown territory for the band. Often competing with JT as U2’s best album, AB had some of the band’s finest work, dealing with human characteristics and failings such as lust, jealousy and despondency with songs like So Cruel, Until the End of the World, etc.

• Last night on Earth

The 90s were rounded out by two more album releases, Zooropa (1993) and POP (1997). This decade saw U2 shifting towards processed music more than ever before while reinventing their live shows. The Zoo Tv Tour as well as POP Mart tour were concerts on a massive scale, creating a spectacle in large stadiums with state-of-the-art technology.

Zooropa provided the band with critical acclaim, as songs like Lemon and Numb received constant airplay but POP was deemed as an experiment gone wrong, despite the presence of tracks like Do You Feel Loved, Please and If God Will Send his Angels.

•  Beautiful Day

After a three-year hiatus, the band released its first album of the noughties, ‘All That You Can’t Leave Behind’ in the year 2000, claiming to have returned to its roots. With its stripped down sonic structure, sans effects, the album provided U2’s modern-day classics, Beautiful Day and Walk On. The release of ATYCLB was followed by another series of successful tours, culminating with U2 acquiring the heady designation as ‘The World’s Biggest Band’.

Four years later, U2 continued in the same musical tradition to release ‘How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb’, declaring it as one of their best. However, despite commercial success, the critical response was lukewarm, suggesting the band chose to play it safe instead of venturing further in their musical journey. Vertigo, Miracle Drug and City of Blinding Lights were the highlights of the album.

• No Line On the Horizon

U2’s latest album is their most diverse work since the release of Zooropa. Commercially, the album received moderate success but critically, U2 explored new horizons with their songwriting and have composed their finest work in years. Magnificent, Moment of Surrender, Unknown Caller are among the gems from this album.

The album was followed by the 360° tour which has to date covered over 30 countries and is the highest-grossing tour of all time

•  Mercy

After a journey of 35 years and still counting, the band has left an indelible mark on the music scene as a whole, as well as followers and critics alike. With a vast repertoire of some of the finest songs ever, U2 has won more than 80 awards worldwide, including 22 Grammys, the most prestigious honour offered by the music industry. Aside from music, Bono and The Edge have also been involved in various charity activities. Bono, known for his social activism especially in and for Africa, has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize multiple times.

However, the journey hasn’t ended yet as plans are underway for the band to return to the studio and complete work on their new album, potentially titled ‘Songs of Ascent’. With working titles such as Mercy, North Star, Every Breaking Wave being performed at the 360° Tour, the new album has raised expectations among the critics and fans keenly looking ahead towards the release of the 13^th album.

Despite some commercial duds and a lack of adventurism in some of their recent offerings, the success of the 360° tour shows that U2 still retains the magic to enchant its followers and weave a mesmerizing web of music with its unique brand of soulful compositions.

Alternative playlist, in order of release.

The Electric Co.
Tomorrow
40
Bad
Running to Standstill
All I Want Is You
So Cruel
Lemon
Do You Feel Loved
When I Look At The World
City of Blinding Lights
I’ll go crazy if I don’t go crazy tonight

When the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) held its first public rally at Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore five years ago, they called it a breakthrough the party needed to enter politics in Punjab. Claims were
made about the advent of a new political ideology in the province, and MQM declared itself the party of the ‘98 percent oppressed population’ of Pakistan.

This happened in August 2006, a mere two years before the 2008 general elections. Five years later, MQM has organised what is so far its biggest rally in Punjab – two years before the general election. Campaigning started in the beginning of April as roads in Lahore were dotted with MQM banners and flags. Most of the Rabita Committee members were present in the provincial capital to oversee the proceedings.

For the neutral and the sceptics, the interest in MQM’s Istehkam-e-Pakistan rally was out of curiosity. The last MQM rally in Lahore was labelled a “rental rally” and there were accusations that activists were flown down from Karachi and Hyderabad. MQM had initially planned to stage this rally at Minar-e-Pakistan but the venue was moved to the Punjab Football Stadium because the Punjab government had security concerns.
On the day of the event, roads leading to stadium were blocked with containers and Ferozpur Road was made the only entry point. Heavy police contingents guarded the event. MQM activists from Karachi were
part of a vigilance committee that primarily took care of security. There were at least 13 different checkpoints from Ferozpur Road to the stadium entrance. Body scanners and signal jammers were installed around the venue. MQM’s trademark discipline was particularly visible at the Punjab Stadium as thousands entered the stadium in an organised manner. There were MQM flags all over, the crowd was enthusiastic, and speakers
blared out remakes of popular Punjabi songs that praised the party and its founder-leader Altaf Hussain.

Not everybody spoke or understood Urdu very well. M Sajid from Muzzafargarh said his love for ‘Altaf Bhai’ had brought him there. “I have been part of the party for over a year and we brought along 120
people from our village Shah Jamal.” Many said they had seen MQM perform in Karachi, especially during
Mustafa Kamal’s tenure as the city nazim, and believed the party could bring a change. “We have tried so many leaders but none of them ever helped us,” said Rizwan Ali from Bhakkar. “We believe the MQM will
provide us justice.” A few did confess having been dragged along by friends or relatives, but none said anything about allegations of violence on the MQM in the past.\

Lahoris were clearly not interested in the rally, primarily because of the perception here of MQM’s links to organised crime — allegationsthat the party has always denied. Speaking to TFT, some expressed fears MQM’s arrival might lead to increased crime or violence in the city.

The MQM leadership was satisfied with the turnout, which according to conservative estimates was 10,000 to 15,000 inside the stadium. There were scores of MQM supporters outside the stadium as well.
“The MQM is here to stay in Punjab,” said Faisal Sabzwari, minister for Youth Affairs, Sindh. “We are making a long-term strategy which may not show immediate results,” he told TFT. “Over the course of time, we will develop our organisation and structure in the province and gain a foothold in the politics of Punjab.” Sabzwari said the MQM was looking forward to the 2013 elections and promised “a few pleasant surprises for our supporters”. It was evident during the rally that MQM definitely piqued interest in people who travelled from far-off places, and most certainly none of them were from Karachi. However, what remains to be seen is whether they will achieve any tangible success in the upcoming elections or will this again be an exercise in futility, much like the last rally in August 2006.

Six weeks after it began with much fanfare in Dhaka, the protracted and ultimately successful cricket world cup is about to end. By the time you read these lines, the remaining two teams will be preparing
for the final showdown, set to take place at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

The unofficial entertainers of the World Cup were, to the surprise of many of us, the English Cricket team. Yes, those men with stiff upper lips. Lighting up the world cup with its only tie match (against
India) and five other absolutely electrifying, nail-biting finishes, which included losses to two minnows (Ireland and Bangladesh), the English team’s journey was a thrill-a-minute till it got to that damp
squib of a quarter final against Sri Lanka.

However, personally speaking, despite all the spectacular action seen on the cricket field, this world cup kept me entertained mainly by the way its covered on new forms of social media.

The last world cup was played in the Caribbean in the 2007. In those days (they seem so far away already), internet streaming was slow and unreliable, twitter was just a year old and facebook was just opening
up to a global audience. Four years later, things have changed. Andhow!

For every match that I saw during this world cup, I made sure I was logged in to my twitter account and facebook profile, as well as the ball-by-ball commentary on cricinfo.com and the Guardian over-by-over
coverage (everyone should follow it religiously). The life I’d known for a quarter of a century as an avid cricket enthusiast had undergone an unprecedented transformation.

There was no fun following cricket matches without telling the world what was on my mind in approximately 140 characters (this is, for those of you who are still resisting the pull of social media, the
maximum you can type in a twitter update). 300 balls every innings amounted to at least 600 twitter updates. And this was in normal circumstances. When Shoaib Akhtar bowled that ripping inswinger to
Mahela Jayawardena in the match against Sri Lanka, I can swear I cyber-screamed “OMG SHOAIB I LOVE YOU #ShoaibILoveYou!” seven times till the next batsman came in.

In the old days (yes, a few years ago is ‘old’ now), the trend was to watch cricket matches at home with your family. Now you have an army of online followers and friends with whom you can ‘watch’ the match,
scream in ecstasy and yell in agony, as well as interact through regular status updates. And if one wants to watch the match in a bigger setting with 200 hollering fellow cricket fanatics, just log on
to the greatest modern-day event management tool, aka www.facebook.com, and join the event of your choice. Till Monday night, I had received at least 19 different event invitations from my friends who were planning to watch the mouth-watering Pakistan-India semifinal at various places.  (For those of you who wish to know the outcome, I ended up watching the match at the conference room at a friend’s office. Yes, that’s what happens when you work in addition to tweeting.)

Aside from the big matches, which were seen with friends and such, the latest surprise came in the form of watching cricket on online streaming channels. What a joy it was! With hardly any of those
annoying advertisements which attack your senses at perfectly-timed, all-too-brief intervals during TV-aired matches, online streaming has made me a believer in the power of alternative media.

Throughout the world cup, there have been some consistent themes among the timelines of twitteraties and facebookers in Pakistan. In fact, before the world cup began, there was a bunch of people who initiated
a #MakeAfridiCaptain campaign to ensure that the beloved ‘talisman’ was chosen as captain of the team. During the world cup, Kamran Akmal, the man with iron gloves and butter fingers, was labeled with some
hilarious-but-unprintable nicknames. After Shoaib Akhtar was dropped from the team, his loyal supporters began a #BringShoaibBack mission. Then of course there was this horde of Afridi lovers, men and women
alike, who all declared their unconditional love and desire for him post his 4-wicket performance against the West Indies in the quarter finals.

However, as far as pure entertainment goes, the Pakistan Australia match on March 19 was absolutely brilliant. The timelines during that match perfectly showcased the unpredictability of the Pakistan cricket
team and its legion of followers. Skeptical and incredulous in equal measure, even though the target was down to 10 runs in some 70 odd balls, the variety of internet statuses and comments ranged from
downright witty to absolutely moribund.

The odd banter with Indian fans while unleashing a barrage of videos on youtube to celebrate the man that is Afridi, the writing of blog entries on why Ian Chappell is the sourest loser on the face of the earth, to listing 10 new commandments on How To Watch The Greatest Match Ever – cricket-watching will never be the same again. At least for those of us who are logged in. #CricketWeLoveYou!

*: The hash tag #FF is used on microblogging website twitter as an
acronym for Follow Friday.

Soon after I returned to Karachi I made it a point to seek job options
outside the city. And, as luck would have it, the opportunity knocked on my door when only three months after that fateful evening in Istanbul, I had an offer to move to Lahore.

Having visited that famous ‘other’ city over the years, the decision was a no-brainer: three weeks later I was ready to change my area code from 021 to 042.

However, the moment I stepped out of the airplane and felt the bitingly chilly wind on my face, I knew I wasn’t in for a ‘warm’ welcome.  My Karachi-dwelling friends had warned me. A few had suggested I check into a mental asylum, but most had simply predicted that I would be back in less than 90 days, with my sanity and accent more or less
intact.

To pass judgement on a city like Lahore after spending only a weekend in it is a crime against humanity. (Or the chunk of it that lives in Lahore anyway.) One can never get an accurate impression of the city in a three-day visit.  One needs to spend a considerable amount of time in Lahore to understand its culture, its eccentricities, and all
that is good, bad, and ugly here.

On my previous visits to Lahore I often had a car on me, which meant it was easy for me to move around. But this time I was car-less and soon found myself in a crisis. How to get to work! The Lahori public transport system is mostly an exercise in fleecing poor, unknowing customers. For example, I have yet to witness a single functioning, stopping-when-you-wave-your-hand-at-it taxi in the city. Rickhsaw walas, whether on their shiny CNG-powered Qing Chi rides or specimens of the older and more colourful variety, all cite a shortage
of gas as an excuse for exorbitant rates. The Khan Metro Bus Service buses, which I currently use to get to work, keep me waiting at the bus stop for a minimum of 25 minutes.
And then there’s the bargaining process, a tragicomic farce in which I, an Urdu-speaking Karachiite with no ear for Punjabi, try to convince a nonchalant rickshaw wala that 300 rupees is way too much for a journey of less than 10 km.

Also (and I am about to offend some Lahoris by saying this), despite the presence of the most efficient and nicely dressed, colour-coordinated traffic wardens, the traffic itself is atrocious, and no where it is more painful to navigate than on the Canal Road.
With narrow roads and multiple underpasses, the Canal Road is a mela of indecisive drivers who try to zigzag their way out of procedural lines at rush hour as they are still calculating whether to enter the underpass or not.

However, I must concede that aesthetically, this city is like no other in Pakistan. Even though Isloo loyalists might want to lynch me for this blasphemous statement, I have to say that Lahore wins this competition hands down. There’s no city in Pakistan which can compete with Lahore’s history, culture and stunning architecture,

People in Karachi often accuse Lahore of being too phony, too loud. This I feel is a misconception. The final cut in this war of words between Karachiites and Lahoris is that the former have a sea to call their own. What can Lahore boast of? Great waters aside, Lahore has much to offer. For an outsider like me, exploring my new city of residence and its people allowed me to understand what makes Lahore the city it is.

Admittedly, there are vast contradictions. You have extremists at both ends of the spectrum. While riding a bus, you may find the interior dotted with stickers and graffiti calling the faithful to wage Jihad against imperialists and blasphemers. You could see a call to eliminate Ahmadis and a salute to the killer of former Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer. On the other hand, the city is also home to the Lollywood film industry, raunchy stage shows and a thriving nightlife, albeit for a private few.

What is common to everyone in Lahore is their generosity and hospitality. Lahoris don’t do things in half measures. They go out and they make sure they treat you like a king, even if you can’t understand a word of Punjabi!

My own love affair with Lahore has been going on for quite sometime, but all of it was of a personal nature. All my former lovers and my current flame happen to be from Lahore, but this time round, I fell in love with the city too! This moment of confession came when I was
covering an event in a college inside the Old City.

Not knowing much about the old city, I borrowed my uncle’s car and muttering ‘In Google (maps) we Trust’, I made my way to the Government Fatima Jinnah College, Choona Mandi. Entering The Mall, I had to stop myself from craning my neck to look at all the marvelous buildings on this great road, whilst driving. I was left awe struck by the majestic
architecture.

But the best was yet to come. As I turned towards Badshahi mosque, the magic of old Lahore swamped me. Buildings made hundreds of years ago, the marvelous structure of the Lahore Fort and the famous Alamgiri Badshahi mosque, the walls of which are witness to history, were right there in front of me. I was visiting the place after almost 14 years
and I was completely taken aback by what I saw. For a history fanatic like me, Androon Shehar was like heaven on earth. The Fatima Jinnah College itself was housed in two havelis which were regal. The narrow streets, the people, the small workshops, everything just looked so quaint and attractive.

When I returned to the office, the first thing I told my colleague was how I fell in love with the city. He laughed, asking me if I was sure I went to the college and not to that “infamous” street!

So far, at the end of the first month, my overwhelming emotion is that Lahore is a city I would love to live in. Having a scrumptious Mughlai dinner atop Andaaz restaurant, overlooking the walled city, I realised that Karachi may have the sea, but Lahore has the soul.

So it arrives. The Cirque du Soleil of international cricket returns after the shambolic event we witnessed in the Caribbean in 2007. 15 years ago, when the World Cup was last staged in the subcontinent, things were rather different. Wasim and Waqar were still bowling those toe-crushing yorkers; Aussie domination had just begun; Twenty20 (orT20, as the popular abbreviation goes) wasn’t even a figment of anybody’s imagination; no one was convicted of match fixing; Pakistan was still hosting international cricket; and One-Day International
(ODI) cricket was the sole breadwinner for cricket boards across the world.

All that has changed.

For Pakistan, it’s mostly been for the worse: is it a coincidence that our cricket team’s declining fortunes have begun to tally with those of our nation? Machiavellian conspiracies have reigned supreme. Disasters have struck. Tales of greed, murder, backstabbing, infighting and, in one case, cross-border love, along with the occasional memorable win on the field, have turned Pakistani cricket into a veritable soap opera with no end in sight.

And yet, despite a captaincy crisis that was raging until two weeks before the start of the world cup, Pakistan has emerged like a phoenix from the ashes of its reputation, suddenly looking like a dangerous floater and considered by many as the darkest horse.

Behind this aura of edgy unpredictability is perhaps the second-most charismatic Pathan cricketer this country has ever known. With his high-octane boom-or-bust potential, his flowing locks and public displays of man-love on the field, Sahibzada Shahid Khan Afridi is a cult hero and a saviour.

It remains to be seen if he can keep his men together for the duration of this six-week-long tournament, not just coaxing out the talent they all possess but also leading them from the front.
Historically speaking, the two world cups Pakistan played in the last decade were both unmitigated, unprecedented disasters. The 2003 edition in South Africa saw Pakistan tumbling out after losing high-profile games against Australia, England and India in the first round, eventually ushering in a mass-exodus of the last generation of legends such as Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar and Rashid Latif.

The “rebuilding period” then saw a semblance of stability, with Bob Woolmer and Inzamam-ul-Haq at the helm of affairs. But the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean turned out to be the stuff of nightmares, because Pakistan not only lost to plucky minnows Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, they also lost coach Woolmer, and frighteningly, as the man was found
dead in his hotel room the next morning.

Presently, too, Pakistan is preceded by its reputation. (Two words: spot fixing.) And the related loss of two of our most promising fast bowlers is a punch in the gut. It’s fair to say the team has lost more than it has won. Yet there remains a sliver of hope.

The team lost two series against England and South Africa, but both were mighty close and were only decided in the final matches. Also, in its last assignment before the world cup, Pakistan managed to defeat an admittedly weak Kiwi team on their home turf, not only winning our first set of silverware in a long while, but also that priceless commodity called momentum.

Every team in the world cup has found some extra motivation to pump them up. Sri Lanka wants to give a perfect farewell to Muralitharan. South Africa wants to win it for Kallis and perhaps more than that, put to rest the title of ‘chokers’. England wants to show their T20 win was no fluke. Australia wants the world to know that they still haven’t lost their invincible aura. India wants to win for Sachin and to live up to their tag as the outright favourites.

As for Pakistan, the naysayers and detractors claim the team is too divided and disjointed to function. And that in itself is the engine of our resilience, for nothing motivates men or nations more than the realisation that they have been misjudged, slighted, wronged. This is why Pakistan is the team to watch out for, the team to follow, the team to support, and the team to believe in.

May the force be with the men in green:

Here we go it’s getting close
Now it’s just who wants it most
It’s just life that’s how it is
Cause we have our strength and weaknesses

Oh I have vision oh can’t you see
I’m on the move make way for me
And when I fall down
I have to pick myself back up

So stand up stand up for the champions
For the champions stand up
Stand up  -
Right Said Fred

When love comes to town

By Abid Hussain

Those who have attended Irish super-band U2’s concerts often claim that each concert is one of the greatest, life changing moment they have experienced.

For someone who has been following the band for the last 15 years, upon finding last September that U2 will be performing as near as Istanbul, Turkey, I just knew that this was my chance to finally experience the rapture that is U2 live. I too had to find out whether attending a U2 concert can be considered as one of my life’s greatest moment or not.

A friend helped me secure my ticket and lo and behold, I landed a couple of days before the U2 show in Istanbul. The concert was slated to take place at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, on September 6th, 2010.

The night before the concert, while strolling across the city centre at Taksim Square, I ran into a lot of U2 fans who had come from different countries to attend the U2 show. There were people from Bulgaria, Germany, South Africa, Italy and many other countries, who all gathered at different bars and restaurants, singing U2 songs and anticipating what was thought as one of the major concert of the U2 360° tour.

Wandering around I had the most jaw dropping of experiences: I managed to catch The Edge (Guitars) and Larry Mullen Junior (Drums) out on the fashionable Istiklal Street, having dinner with their entourage of friends. I could not muster up the courage to go up and ask for an autograph or picture, but the close proximity with members of the band got me buzzing for the next day,

Political connection

The day dawned after a sleepless night. The excitement across the city was palpable. This was U2’s first ever concert in Turkey. The band had previously expressed the desire to perform here during the Popmart tour but due to political reasons, the plan fell apart. This show was already labeled among fan communities as one to look out for, due to the fact that U2 have always been a staunch supporter of political freedom and is often outspoken advocate for human rights. U2 have close association with Turkey in past as they had acknowledged Fehmi Tosun, an ethnic Kurd who was taken into custody back in 1995 and never seen again, on their POP album. Upon arriving in Istanbul, the band took out time to meet with Tosun’s wife as well. However, along with that, Bono also met with the Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, whose conservative policies are protested against by the progressive sections of the country, this in itself caused a bit of controversy as U2 was seen by some as playing both sides.

Beautiful day

Typically, despite my excitement, I was late to get the shuttle to the Stadium. I was already apprehensive if I would be able to get a good seat.

The shuttle took over an hour to reach the venue which was almost 40kms away from the city centre and by the time I reached there I began smiling as it seemed that there weren’t a lot of people outside. However, once i moved towards the stadium, the smile soon disappeared from my face as I could see more than 600 people standing before me in the queue. After getting the ticket verified and stamped with number 848 on my wrist, I finally made my way through into one of the queue boxes outside stadium.

A U2 concert is a model of organization and efficiency. With expected crowds of more than 50,000, the organisers along with U2 team arranged for queue boxes which would hold 30 people inside them and separated those boxes with dividers ensuring there was no pushing or shoving. It is here one can truly understand the camaraderie between U2 fans. People from different nationalities all gather together for one sole purpose and that is to attend the greatest band on earth and rejoice. It is from this vantage point, where the GA ticket holders also get to hear the soundcheck performances which throw up a lot of surprises too.

I was lucky enough to be together with a group of Turks, who made me immediately feel at home with their friendly nature. In fact, upon finding out that I was from Pakistan, they also sang an impromptu version of Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan, a most remarkable memory to last a lifetime.

It was here when I got my first jolt of surprise when I heard the band perform Mercy during sound check, an almost mythical song which has sort of created a cult following among the diehard U2 fans as it has never been performed on stage or released as a single. Soon, I was given the second shock as U2 decided to sound check one of their most underrated gem from the Joshua Tree album, Mothers of the Disappeared.

By this time, the crowds in the queues were going absolutely berserk as the excitement for the show to begin was growing and there was this sense of urgency. Soon, however, we were granted our wish and the doors were opened and there was a mad rush to enter the stadium.

Let me in the sound

The moment I crossed the security check and entered the stadium, I was awestruck. It seemed like a moment of truth, a moment of surrender, for before me was standing the magnificent Claw. The 360° tour is all about the claw, an inter-galactic spaceship like stage-object which seems to have descended from the heavens to light up the sky. It was an absolute sight to behold and I for one, took my sweet time to take in the grandiosity of the structure.

As I was told by my Turk friends just to follow them, lo and behold, here I ran the length of entire field only to find myself inside the inner circle, unarguably the best seats in the house. From here, I could see the entire stage, be at a touching distance from the band, take the best photos and perhaps, achieve nirvana.

Open your eyes

Just as the doors to the stadium opened up, the heavens did too. It started raining just at the opening band, Snow Patrol came on as if to welcome them. Ataturk Stadium can hold more than 70,000 people and though it was obvious that it was not a sold-out show, those 55,000 present at the venue made sure they were loud enough and excited enough to send a shiver up anybody’s spine. And all of these 55,000 gave a rousing welcome to Snow Patrol, who opened the show in what was by now driving rain.

A fabulous band in their own right, Snow Patrol proceeded to deliver some fantastic songs and warmed up the crowd by performing numbers such as Chasing Cars, Run, You`re All That I Have. With Gary Lightbody dressed in Turkey’s national colors, the highlight of their setlist was when they dedicated Chasing Cars to the U2 road crew who came on stage to sing the song with the band.

This show was Snow Patrol’s last one with the U2 on the 360° tour and as they bid adieu, the energy levels among the audience suddenly shot up a few notches, anticipating the appearance of the men from Dublin.

Get on your boots!

Pretty soon, the wish came true as the intro for U2 began playing on the PA system, and all eyes rose on the giant screen on claw, to see where the band would enter from. This was definitely one of those moments which cannot be encapsulated in words, for somebody who had an opportunity to see his music heroes live, the sheer level of excitement was way beyond anything felt before. As the opening chords of their new song, Return of the Stingray Guitar, began playing, a surge of electricity crossed the field and the ecstatic screams of the crowd literally brought the roof down.

From here onwards, U2 dove into their thirty-year old repertoire of songs and delivered classics after classics, which left the entire stadium clamouring for more. It was a combination of old and new, as the band compiled a set list which would consist some of their decades old greatest hit such as New Years Day, Pride (In the name of love), Sunday Bloody Sunday to the modern classics such as Until the End of the World, Mysterious Ways and Beautiful Day. The playlist also consisted of the modern U2 hits, such as the fabulous Vertigo as well as Elevation and Walk On.

Oh you look so, beautiful tonight!

Like every U2 concert, this one too had its moment of greatness, which made this concert particularly stand out among the rest. The first of those unique moments arrived when while performing In A Little While, the audience witnessed the luckiest girl in entire Istanbul, who was lifted on the stage, and proceeded to dance with Bono.

Another highlight of the show, particularly for those inside the circle, was whenever any of the band-members would walk on the bridge constructed on the main stage to connect with the outer-circle, the bridge itself would rotate and move across the audience. Every time Bono and the boys would walk on them, there would be a loud roar emanating from the audience.

Because of the earlier rain, the band was forced to perform the songs at a relatively quicker pace to rush through them. Despite that, it was at the middle section of the show when it truly elevated beyond the vast boundaries of the Ataturk Stadium.

It all started at the beginning of the City of Blinding Lights, with the cylindrical screen expanding to take the shape of a larger cone, emitting dazzling array of lights, taking breath away of those present at the venue. From there onwards, the show just notched an unprecedented level and the climaxed when U2 brought out their rare gem, Mothers of the Disappeared (MOTD).

This song, the last one from the epic album the Joshua Tree circa 1987, has been written for the families from Argentina and El Salvador who lost their children, never to see them again. On a personal note, I thought this was a most pertinent song for a lot of people in Pakistan as well who lost their loved ones but are yet to see them back home. U2 dedicated this song to Fehmi Tosun, and brought on stage one of the greatest Turkish artist, a man of many talents, Omer Zulfu Livaneli, who accompanied Bono in singing MOTD. As Zulfu’s deep, baritone voice rang across the venue, the crowd’s reaction was mesmerising to say the least.

Zulfu soon took over from Bono and only for the second time in U2’s touring history, another artist besides the band went on to perform his own song. Singing his famous folk tune, Yiğidim Aslanım Burda Yatıyor (Here I am a Brave Sleeping Lion), it was a sight to behold when literally every single one present at the venue sang along with the 64-year old singer.

Walk On…

This magical performance was followed by the encores, where Bono also spoke about his visit to the Turkey, about the reasons of visiting the Turkish PM (amidst loud boos I may add) and ending with passionate plea to embrace the future by holding on to past, generating resounding appreciation by the audience.

Thus began the last leg of the concert with the stable anthems of the U2 discography, a glittering collection of gems such as One, Where the Streets and With or Without You, at which the entire stadium was bathed in shimmering lights as people held aloft their cell phone and created this dazzling sea of small blue dots and swayed in trance.

The concert was finally brought to an end by perhaps the most epic song, Moment of Surrender, from U2’s latest album. As the band walked down hand in hand, the audience in a most befitting manner applauded them and sang along to bring down curtains to what was possibly one of the greatest nights the historical city of Istanbul had ever witnessed.

As for me, the joy I experienced was such that cannot be confined in words or pictures. It was truly the best night of my life with memories to last forever.

Original URL: Published in Instep, The News on Sunday, 19th September 2010

The GREATEST night of my life, all because of you people - 6th September 2010, Istanbul.

I’m alive
I’m being born
I just arrived,
I’m at the door of the place I started out from
And I want back inside

Its been a week since i came back from my monumental trip to Istanbul, and i have to confess that mentally, i am still stuck in the code +90-212. During these last few days, i have often tried to put down my thoughts into words, or write a travelogue or a small memoir of sort to remember this trip but every time i sat down to do so, words just failed me. Absolutely failed me. I was completely numb, with writer’s block all over my mind.

However, one thing that emerged from all this thinking and reflecting over that fascinating week i spent in the magical city of Istanbul, was how lucky I am to have a most special bunch of friends. People knew my U2 obsession, and upon hearing that i will finally be making a pilgrimage to see them perform live, the outpouring of love was just way, way overwhelming. The amount of messages, calls, facebook wall posts i received,  it truly moved me beyond words.

And this realisation brought me here, as I want to convey my deepest gratitude to all those who wished me luck for the success of this trip. However, out of all those people, some of them deserve super special mention because without whom, the dream to see U2 would have remained just that, adream, nor i would have experienced the ‘life’ they way i did.

First and foremost, I have to thank my ex-boss and one of my real-life inspirations, GP, without whoseefforts i wouldn’t have been able to even think about this trip. I still remember it, the day i showed to him the U2 tour schedule last year September, without a second thought he said ,”If there is one person who deserves to go there, it is you and I will personally ensure that  nothing stops you from going.” Guess what, despite all the dark politics of our organisation, the man was true to his word in fulfilling his promise. So thank you GP, it really meant a lot and i do wish we get to work together again soon.

One can dream all they want, but there are people who help you realise that dream and keep telling you to focus and don’t give up. For me, this was done my best friend who kept pushing me and reminding me to just do it, without caring for circumstances and ‘ground realities’. She was the one who paved the way by her own trip to Istanbul in the most astonishing manner, which really set the tone and the inspiration to pull this off. Insi,  you know and I know, these words do not really do justice to what our friendship is all about. All i can say is, THANK YOU.

As time passed by, and July turned to August, it was on the 6th night the month when U2 opened their latest leg of tour at Turin, Italy. And it was on THIS night, when a most special friend kicked me on my bum and put me out of my funk. I would have almost jeopardised my travelling plans had we not had this conversation. For that, and much more (which includes 5 quid worth of newspapers ) , Emm Jay, I cant thank you enough.

Nothing of this would have been made possible, though, without this person. She has been a real life saviour for which i cannot thank her enough but more so, she is the one who for the last 7 years, kept on fueling my U2 passion. Maryam Baji, I know you hate thank yous and we have had long convos about this but really, this deserves as public a shout out as i can give. You told me to have as much fun and believe me, I had THE BEST time of my life. When I was shown the way to the inner circle as i was running on the pitch of Ataturk Stadium, you were the person i thought of. It truly is All Because of You and i cant thank you enough for this and everything else.

Ultimately, the biggest thank you, that can be for nobody but my brother, without whom i wouldnt have known about U2 at all. The person who got me into music, the person who introduced me to U2, the person who brought Sydney ZooTv VHS tape [which i refused to watch because i thought it was all junk] to eventually, the person who brought home POP Mart Mexico – the turning point when i finally became a U2 convert. Without you Rehan Bhai, nothing of this would have been remotely possible. Thank you , thank you , thank you.

Aside from them, I must thank Annie Baji for lending me her camera, without which I wouldnt have taken 2200 pics in 6 days including those fabulous U2 concert pictures and Sadia, for the late late help.

The bottom line, however, goes to the band which gave me songs for my life, an experience of a lifetime, but most importantly, the greatest set of friends one could ever hope to have. It was because of U2, i got close to a lot people and have some of the greatest memories, friendships and relationships. Something that shall always remain priceless and most precious to me.

As the title of the post goes, it really is ALL BECAUSE OF YOU, and you and you and you and you 

Abu Muhammad and Farid Ayaz with their troupe - Photo by Ali Khurshid

A devotional night of spiritual cleansing was planned by Peace Niche and Omar Asghar Foundation to generate funds for floods victims as well as provide the audience with the mystical Nirvana in the shape of Farid Ayaz and Brothers, one of the foremost practictioners of Qawwali, the traditional genre of Sufi music in South Asia.

With the lingering shadow of their famous father Munshi Raziuddin Qawwal, and the venerable Qawwal Bacchoun Ka Gharana, their forefathers; brothers Farid Ayaz and Abu Muhammad have held aloft the torch of Sufi music and have captivated their audience across the globe with their thrilling performances.
This night was no exception either, as the crowd was treated to a vast body of some of the most epic Kalaams by Amir Khusrau, Maulana Rumi, Hazrat Kamil Shuttari, and other Sufi saints.

As the warm night welcomed the audience that filtered in the vast courtyard of a local art school, the troupe began their performance with an unusual choice of Hazrat Amir Khusrau’s Kalaam, “Tohi Surat Ke Bal Hari”.The first number was a slow burner of sorts, gently garnering the audience’s attention which started to sway in unison as the Qawwals started to work their magic.This was followed by one of Hazrat Amir Khusrau’s all-time great Kalam, the mesmerising Nami Danam Che Manzil Bood Shab.

After this rendition, the ensemble tore into the Qaul, the legendary Manqabat by Khusrau in honour of Hazrat Ali (RA). Providing explanations of the verses while performing, Farid Ayaz had the audience absolutely enchanted as the booming chants of Man Kuntau Maula kept ringing throughout the venue and created a surreal atmosphere.

As the clock struck midnight, the performance went unabated with some of the famous Kalams, Persian and Hindi, such as Khabar-e-Tahayyur and others, leading towards a short interval.However, it was at the resumption when the real surprise of the night came. With time running out, the troupe decided to unleash a magnificent medley at the restart by delving into the wide repertoire of Kalams, beginning with Maulana Rumi’s “Na Man Behooda Girde Koocha”, which seamlessly segued into what is possibly the greatest Naat of all time, Hazrat Imam Buseri’s Qaseeda Burdah Shareef.

Although singing at a faster pace than usual and trying to accommodate as many famous Kalams and catering to the nuanced audience which kept demanding more, the Qawwals charged through their set by performing at a stretch for over 35 minutes, performing some of Rumi’s and Khusrau’s most treasured verses, such as “Har Lahza Bashaklay”, “Chaap Tillak” as well as the celebrated “Bhar Day Jholi Ya Muhammad”, among others.

After that captivating performance which had left the entire crowd spellbound, Farid Ayaz broke into Dhamaal, which also featured Yasir Qureshi, an accomplished Darbuka (goblet drum) player and part of the rock band Aunty Disco Project (ADP).
Qureshi, who earlier this year wowed the audience with his performance on Coke Studio, went on to perform a fascinating duel of sorts with the Tabla-Nawaz of the Qawwal troupe, as the two distinct yet similar percussion sounds, along with dholak, complemented each other and gave a thundering performance, accentuated by the rousing vocals of Farid Ayaz and Abu Muhammad.

The night of spiritual music was brought to close with a fabulous performance of Rangg, with the entire crowd on its feet and completely mesmerised by Khusrau’s Kalam.

Original published at: http://www.thenews.com.pk/30-08-2010/karachi/1919.htm
]]> http://u2ism.wordpress.com/2010/08/31/mesmerising-night-celebrates-sufi-music/feed/ 0 U2ism Finest Qawwals, ever! http://u2ism.wordpress.com/2010/06/20/thank-you-pakistan-cricket-team-you-are-finally-good-at-something/ http://u2ism.wordpress.com/2010/06/20/thank-you-pakistan-cricket-team-you-are-finally-good-at-something/#comments Sat, 19 Jun 2010 21:04:30 +0000 U2ism http://u2ism.wordpress.com/?p=174 ]]> So, Pakistan lost today, again.

This has been the story of Pakistan Cricket Team for the last many months. In fact, looking at calendar, it made me realize that it has been exactly 365 days since the heady heights we achieved on the gloriously sunny day in June 2009, at Lords Cricket Ground, when Shahid Afridi led Pakistan to the T20 World Cup title.

One year later, and things are looking rather pear shaped. Our cricket has been through its darkest times, the worse kind of infighting our team ever had to suffer with, and a board that could easily be labeled as the most incompetent one in the history of Pakistani sport.

Off the field, we have quite literally touched rock bottom and I don’t see what more can we do to top the fiasco that was PCB committee’s in-camera probe, where the players ripped each other apart and it sounded more like a political conspiracy of the Machiavellian order than a disciplinary committee meeting for a national cricket team

However, as the title of this blog-post state, I realized one thing. We Pakistanis are finally, eventually, good at something. This is beside the point that something happens to be the most awful of all.

We, the Pakistani Cricket Team, are good at snatching defeat from jaws of victory. We are good at giving life to the deadest contest, and then falling at the last hurdle. We are good at giving false hope when there shouldn’t be any. We are basically, just good at giving a lot of heart ache to the entire nation.

Again and again.

Consider this. After today’s loss, the first thing that came to my mind was the fact that over the last one year since winning T20 WC, what we have done well, in all three formats of the game, is to choke at the last morsel and die. Consistently.

Here is the proof.

I browsed through the most magnificent Stats Guru on the greatest website on the internet, www.cricinfo.org, and I filtered Pakistan’s records from 20 June 2009 till 20 June 2010.

What I found out was that Pakistan played 9 test matches, 19 ODIs and 13 T20 Internationals. Out of these 41 international matches, we lost 26 matches, a whopping 63% of the total. However, upon closer inspection, the astonishing fact was revealed which confirmed my initial doubt. Out of those 26 defeats, 13 of them [50% of the total] were absolute nail-biting crackers.

Now all of those who know a bit about sports, they can understand how much it matters to win a single close encounter and the kind of effect it has on the psyche of players but Pakistan was resolute enough to do just that. Continuously suffer close defeats.

To revive the memory of those who want to know about the 13 close matches were, here they are. Pray tell, if these were not heart breaking defeats, what is!

• 1^st Test Match against Sri Lanka at Galle
• League match against Australia in Champions Trophy
• Semi Final against Kiwis in Champions Trophy
• 3^rd ODI against Kiwis in Abu Dhabi
• THAT 1^st Test Match against Kiwis at Dunedin
  The match which gave us the precocious, mercurial Umar Akmal, who dazzled the world with his pristine stroke play but on this Eid Day, fell short of the target by 32 runs.
• THAT 2^nd Test Match against Australia at Sydney
  Do I even have to write a single word about this match?
• THAT 5^th ODI against Australia at Perth
  The match where Afridi couldn’t resist the hunger pangs
  
• One off T20 against Australia at Melbourne
• League match against England in T20 World Cup
• League match against Kiwis in T20 World Cup
• THAT Semi Final against Australia in T20 World Cup
  When Michael Hussey officially became Pakistani’s enemy number 1.
• League match against Sri Lanka in Asia Cup

and finally,

• Today’s league match against India in Asia Cup

Now, as one may go through the match results and details, it is evident that Pakistan, despite all the upheavals it has to endure over the last two years for various reasons, hasn’t done THAT badly. For all the flak we get for being chokers, and we admittedly are the greatest chokers in world cricket right now, at least the one silver lining here is that we were good enough to bring these matches SO close. In a lot of these matches, either we bossed them from the day one, or we fought back resiliently, multiple times throughout the course of the match. As I mentioned earlier, it is beside the fact that we ended up losing all of them, we were CLOSE ENOUGH, and that itself is a massive achievement keeping in mind how turbulent these times have been for our cricket team.

The second and definitely more important observation during this research of mine was how often we gave Aussies a run for their money and EVERY SINGLE TIME, those five times we went close to them, every single time HUSSEY WAS THE MAN WHO KEPT US AT THE BAY. It is astonishing how Michael Hussey has played against us, considering that during his first series against Pakistan back in 2004/05 season, he was rather pedestrian.

When today’s match finished, I was seething. I am generally calm and hardly lose my temper or let anything affect me, but Pakistan Cricket team almost always manages to do this to me, and of late, they are doing this rather frequently. It took more than an hour to get hold of my emotions and be composed and coherent enough and not snap at my family members and friends after this loss. But once I did, and managed to write this post, I also realize that ultimately, this can only make our team hungrier and desperate for success. They are surely a talented bunch, and with exceptions of some god-awful retards, have the potential to light up during this English Summer.

Let us all collectively pray and hope that by the time team for English tour is announced, we will see the back of Imran Farhat for good, while hope that Kamran Akmal never EVER dons the wicket keeping gloves. Shoaib Akhtar, well, that man is an enigma and regardless of how fond I am of his bowling talent, I don’t think I want him touring England.

May Afridi’s men perform a miracle and bring some much needed boost we all need.

p.s: I HATE LOSING, more so, against INDIA. But most importantly, I HATE HATE HATE HARBHAJAN SINGH.