The two-night MTV Undivided concert series of Indian and Pakistani music wrapped up on Saturday at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
On Saturday, Indian pop and playback singer Kailash Kher and Pakistani folk singer Arif Lohar performed under the same roof for the first time.
Openers, the UAE-based band Ek Tara set the mood at the start of the night with a mix of Pakistani and Indian covers. Their rendition of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's Kinna Sohna Tenu Rab Ne Banaya gathered a lot of appreciation from the crowd.
They were followed by Pakistani powerhouse Arif Lohar. Decked out in traditional attire and with his trademark chimta (a traditional Punjabi musical instrument resembling a pair of tongs) in hand, and accompanied by a dholi (performer playing a double-headed drum) as well as a regular band, Lohar delivered a dynamic set.
With the crowd not overly familiar with Lohar's traditional Punjabi repertoire, it was the energy and rhythm of the tracks that kept the audience enthralled. The appreciation turned to downright excitement when Lohar launched into his most recognisable track: Jugni (also known as Alif Allah) from Coke Studio.
Kailash Kher was next, and the most popular tracks of the evening were his Bollywood playback hit, Allah Ke Bande from the film Waisa Bhi Hota Hai, and his solo highlight, Teri Deewani from his own release Kailasa.
Both performances capped off a successful series that highlighted some of the best music coming from both India and Pakistan. Judging by the big attendance on both nights, MTV Undivided is destined to a major event of the UAE music calendar.
artslife@thenational.ae
