ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN YOULIN MAGAZINE
Written by: Nayha Jehangir Khan Posted on: December 20, 2021 | | 中文
(Left to right) Sameer Ahmed, Natasha Ejaz, Moniker Shorbanoor, Jimmy Khan, Kamiar Rolkni, and Zahra Khan
At a showcasing of trailblazing musical talent in the city of Lahore, Cosa Nostra curated a wonderful evening of live music and gastronomy on Friday, the 17th of December. The lineup of musicians included vocalists Jimmy Khan, Natasha Ejaz, and Shehzad Noor, joined by seasoned session players Kami Paul, Sameer Ahmed, Rufus Shahzad, and Danish Khawaja. Farhan Ali, a renowned bass player in his own right, was mixing the sound for the band. Kamiar Rolkni who is an acclaimed fashion designer and a stalwart of art and culture in the city showed his musical prowess by joining the band as a guest vocalist on nearly every song of the evening. Zahra Khan was also a guest vocalist who performed an original solo song.
The show started at 8:30 pm to a packed crowd with the entire ensemble performing an energetic rendition of Bill Withers' Lovely Day, setting the mood for the lively evening to follow. Following an extremely well-thought-out setlist, Jimmy Khan led the band into the 70s hit song "Stuck in the middle" by Stealers Wheel followed by his original "Barish" that had the audience on their feet cheering and dancing. Next up was Shehzad Noor who performs under the moniker Shorbanoor. His songs "Pythagoras" and "Prelude To Murder" have shades of storytelling, drama, and dark humor that create a gripping listening experience for audiences.
(Left to right) Jimmy Khan, Kamiar Rolkni
Watching the band perform was a treat as they were each performing with an energy and excitement that was instantly transferred to the audience. Natasha Ejaz hailing from Islamabad traveled to Lahore to jam and rehearsed with the band earlier in the week. Her presence on stage was passionate and joyful. Her reimagining of Sunita Rao's "Paree Hoo Mein" was tastefully layered with her delicate vocals flowing over a hypnotic yet enigmatic groove. Natasha also performed her original tracks "Right Way To Fall" and "Soye Nahi" which cover a spectrum of genres.
Jimmy Khan
After Jimmy' rendition of "Harvest Moon," the intermission directed guests to go up to the rooftop for a live buffet dinner. There were chicken burgers, beef burgers, chicken sliders, beef sliders, an assortment of Cosa Nostra's famous Italian-style pizzas, fried chicken tenders, and French fries. The ambiance of the rooftop was comfortable with a bonfire pit, standing heaters, a ceiling of fairy lights, and sit-down dinner tables for guests.
Moniker Shorbanoor
The second half of the show was started by Jimmy Khan performing an old Lollywood favorite "Chal Chaliyay" followed by a mashup of his 2019 hit "Tich Button" and "Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash. Shorbanoor sang "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers with the entire ensemble. It was a hopeful and heartfelt version where we saw the chemistry that had been built between the band members and the audience. A never-before-performed original by Shorbanoor was shared next called "Got Your Back", the audience sang along, unable to escape the extremely catchy melody of the chorus.
(Left to right) Sameer Ahmed, Moniker Shorbanoor, Danish Khawaja, Jimmy Khan, Kami Paul, Kamiar Rolkni, and Rauf Shahzad
The performance space was on the second floor of Cosa Nostra that had been transformed from a dining hall into an intimate concert venue capable of hosting over a hundred guests. The live performance part of the evening ended at 11:00 pm which was followed by two electronic sets by Bobi and Gibby. The night ended with hypnotic electronic dance music by both the DJs. "Alive & Kicking" was a 4-hour non-stop musical extravaganza that came together because of the collaborative efforts of the musicians and Cosa Nostra creating an unforgettable experience for the audience.
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