By Sara Khalid

Musicians come out and show their support for fashion at PFDC Sunsil Fashion Week 2010

Overload: The show kicked off on the 16th with the first collection being by Nickie & Nina, and as the collection made it to the ramp Overload performed their insanely amazing songs to a cheering audience.

{Read More…}

Photography by Rizwan Baig (Deevees)

Strings duo Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood are currently going through the major cities of Pakistan as part of a concert tour. Having played a Valentine’s Day show for the Isloo crowd, Strings made their way to LUMS in Lahore on February 17, and sent an already keyed-up audience into absolute adrenaline-rushed mode.

While it is always fabulous to hear Strings sing – this particular performance was made even better by the fact that Bilal and Faisal sang a medley of pop songs by various Pakistani artists of yore. {Read More…}

Complete PFDC Compilation:

PFDC Fashion Week Red Carpet

PFDC Sunsilk Fashion Week, Backstage

Nickie Nina’s Collection at PFDC Fashion

Body Focus’ Collection at PFDC Fashion Week

YQB’s Collection at PFDC Fashion Week

Asifa & Nabeel’s Collection at PFDC Fashion

Lahore Fashion Week Day 1 (Pictures)

PFDC Fashion Week Day 2 – Ramp (Pictures)

Lahore Fashion Week 2010 Day 3 (Pictures)

Lahore Fashion Week 2010 Day 4 (Pictures)

Courtesy: Arijit Mondal, Shantanu Ghosh, Bhuvan Prasad & Dinesh Poddar

Pakistani band ‘Strings‘ and Indian band ‘Euphoria’ share the stage while performing for the ‘Aman Ki Asha’ concert at Nicco Park in Kolkata on January 20, 2010.

By

Sadaf Fayyaz

1. Chal Bulleya (Mekaal Hasan Band)

The title song of Album Saptak, the theme comprises of seven cardinal sins. Directed by Bilal Lashari, and wardrobe by Ammar Bilal, the theme goes parallel with the beautiful poetry of Bulleh Shah. The seven cardinal sins concept is depicted well, with an exotically novel idea. Apart from conventional love stories message, the video is riveting.

2. Tanha Hai Kyun (Ali Azmat; Klashanfolk)

Zeeshan Perwez comes up with a brilliant attempt for the second video from the album. With rocking video and haunting vocals, it gets the second rank.

3. Az Chashm Saqi (Hadiqa Kiani: Aasmaan)

With beautiful and mesmerizing Persian poetry of Allama Iqbal, with clips of Iqbal’s life at different places, Hadiqa’s outrageous wardrobe and styling add a graceful glitziness to the video. Produced by Mian Salahuddin, the English translation and B & W theme add more poise to the revolutionary poetry, penned by Iqbal.

4. Titliyan (Strings)

Paying the tribute to some the lost gems of Pakistan, Strings have come up with something old, in a new style. The highly emotive opening verses in the start do a fabulous job of an introductory session, of describing what the song is about.  Marvelously directed by Soheb Akhtar, The song from their album “Koi Aanay Wala Hey” is a very beguiling tribute to some of the legends we lost. The B&W adds an archetypical tinge to the video.

5. Khuda Zameen se Gaya Nahi (Rahat Fateh Ali Khan)

The beautiful vocals of Rahat add melancholic touch to the video. English translation, rich on the feelings of nationalism, sacrifice, heroism and fighting spirit, the serial depicts the exploitation of youth by militants converting them into suicide bombers. It also exhibits the distress of demolition of human psyche and relationships in wake of uncontrolled terrorism in country in a pragmatic manner. It can’t be called a video exactly, but a beautiful compilation of some of the shots of the drama.

The soundtrack album for the film hasn’t been released yet. These are the demo songs by Strings, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Shafqat Amanat Ali for previewing purposes.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan – Sajda (Demo):

Shafqat Amanat Ali – Tere Naina (Demo):

Strings – Khan Theme (Demo):

Shahrukh’s upcoming movie “My Name is Khan” will be featuring 4 Pakistani artists for the soundtracks

Shafqat Amanat Ali will do a song called “Tere Naina”. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will be featured for a song called “Sajda” while Strings will be doing the theme music for the movie called “Khan Theme”. Apart from these three, Adnan Sami will also do a song for the film called Noor-e-Khuda.

You can preview the songs here.

Strings front man talks to Instep about touring India, the local concert circuit and the high of performing at the recently concluded Twenty20 match between Pakistan and New Zealand…

Maheen Sabeeh
Karachi

Before Jal’s tour of India, Strings were touring across the border and have returned home this week. “This was our first Indian tour since the 26/11 attacks. We performed in Delhi twice, once in Jaipur and once at Bangalore,” Faisal Kapadia told Instep in a telephonic conversation.

The long-term consequences, as Faisal Kapadia (Strings front man) had pointed out earlier, stand true. It took eight years for cultural exchange to develop between the two countries. It was because the door to India was finally opening up, enough for a Lollywood diva to debut in Bollywood with Mahesh Bhatt’s Nazar. Atif Aslam’s career took off and he is flying high since. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and so many others became bigger entities at home and across the border as a result. Since 26/11 attacks, things have been at a standstill but it seems the fog is clearing. Slowly, things may be changing once again. {Read More…}

By Asif Khan

Strings fans could be seen in full force last Friday evening at the Royal Rodale Club in Karachi where Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood got off to a bumpy start amidst the muffled voices in the background. They belted out their first track of the evening, Humsafar, from their album Koi Aanay Wala Hai, which is somewhat fast becoming a signature opening number for their performances. The sound system too was good enough to pump energy into the audience.

Sans any glaring glitches or behind the scenes blunders, it was an amazing experience to be at the concert. Although the entry of stags and boys in groups was refrained following the club’s policy, the energy level wasn’t missing. {Read More…}