“I wish Deep dai could join us. But we can’t be up to his level of singing. Besides, he’s a busy man and he probably will not be able to give time to our band,” shared Adrian Pradhan of 1974 AD fame whose dream to share the microphone with Shrestha and do alaps came true that evening. After Firoze Syangden withdrew his name from the band, Pradhan isn’t just the drummer of the band, he’s also the new vocalist.
On the other side, Nirakar Yakthumba, the bassist of 1974 A.D., shared that he’ll remember performing together with Shrestha, who has always remained his favorite singer since his preteens.
Thanks to Hits FM 91.2 MHz, the organizer of the event “Hits FM and Musicology Presents Music by the Museum” for hosting the live concert in town. There had hardly been any big concert in town for a long time. Indeed, last Friday night’s performance was a recreational treat for true music enthusiasts of rock and modern genres.
Besides, it was a big day for Hits FM crew because after the ´Sounds of Spring´ * – a series of musical program it hosted years ago – “Music by the Museum” was its another big attempt.
Why Hits FM failed in giving continuation to “Sounds of Strings” still remains unanswered. Even the program coordinator Mandira Dhungel was unsure of why Hits FM couldn’t keep up with “Sounds of Strings.” However, she assured that Hits FM and Musicology will continue “Music by the Museum” and will do its best to promote Nepali artistes, both popularity-wise and financially.
Now call it a coincidence or reminiscence. It’s the second time when Deep Shrestha and 1974 A.D. performed together at a Hits FM event. In 1999, both of them had made it big in the “Sounds of Strings.”
Said Shrestha, “1974 A.D. is the only band I look up to proudly in Nepal. I gel quite well with them and they can walk in line with me. I was with them during a musical tour to America in 2002. And, on July 1, I’m heading to America with them once again to perform in a program organized by Association of Nepalis in America (ANA).”
Police complaint filed against 1974 AD for not performing even...
During the first series of “Music by the Museum,” 1974 A.D. featured Deep Shrestha’s forever hits. Like always, the band also became successful in enthralling some three hundred that mainly had media persons, socialites, diplomats and entrepreneurs with their signature numbers of their assemblies of releases. In songs like “Chudaina Timro Mayale,” “Hidda Hiddai”, “Pahilo Junima” and “Yo Mann Ta Mero Nepali Ho,” the audiences didn’t miss to share the lines of the numbers.
Needless to say, Deep Shrestha’s record breakers such as “Kati Kamjor Rahechha Bhagya”, “Jhaskiyechha Mann”, “Mero Ankhama”, “Dipko Ujjyalo” and “Biteka Kurale” were the show stealers. To make his original compositions sound different, 1974 A.D. gave their own style and changed the tempo of the lineups, wherein Shrestha found it a little difficult to catch up.
“They did justify my songs and I’m very thankful to them for such a wonderful featuring and touching tributes. But the boys shouldn’t have created such fast tempos. It sounded a little like remix versions and I was a little uncomfortable,” he said.
Adrian Pradhan needs a special mention for his fantastic vocal quality during the evening. Though he made sure that he could back the band even in the absence of its lead vocalist, many faces in the crowd looked like they were still missing Firoze Syangden.
* (Corrected)
