Live: Shaa’ir + Func @ Blue Frog

Shaa’ir + Func are a terribly oppressed band.

They are also killer live when there are enough people paying attention to the music.

At the official launch of their new album Light Tribe the band performed an energetic 90 or so minute set and managed to thoroughly engross the biggest crowd I’ve seen at the Blue Frog yet (or at least very close in size to Bauchklang).

Take the jump for the full review, a bunch of very cool pics and the Indiecision.

Smoke kicked off proceedings playing the same song (‘Summer Sun’) they played on the 19th. Ashutosh clearly found it difficult hitting lows in the song. Dhruv was flamboyant as usual. They hastily made way for S+F who promptly, to the crowd’s delight, made their way on stage.

As Groovebox described it, Randolph was dressed in his ‘Jeetendra outfit’ (or was it Mithun). Monica joined a few minutes later, dressed in her usual kitschy way (outfit courtesy ‘Golmaal’ or something of that nature). They started with their now regular set opener ‘Selling Our Souls’ immediately being loud and energetic. The stage had a panel of six screens and an annoying flashing light that after 15 minutes was dangerous for epileptic people.

The set comprised a sizable number of songs from New Day with ‘Government’, ‘New Day’ and ‘Oops’ getting as much applause as any of their new material. Light Tribe is a pretty consistent new album and the new material is much better suited to live listening than on a CD. The crunch of the guitars don’t shine through the CD at all, and the programmed drums just aren’t impressive (look out for full CD review).

Monica gets zoned into her act pretty quick and it rubs off easily on the audience. The result is a crowd that, though not as zanily hotfooted, is entertained through a pretty long set. Special mention to the guy from Bombay Black on drums.

Shaa’ir + Func are soon rising the ranks in the pegging order of great live Indian acts and not without good reason. The stage act is as important to their performance as is the music. Together it makes for an electric combination. The spoken word interludes were unnecessary though, and came off a little pretentious. Thankfully they were short.

The Blue Frog staff probably sold out the boxes of CDs they had at the entrance.

Indiecision: A-