Mumbai to host year-end mega music jam with singalongs, games and dance at Lower Parel

Participants sing along to a musician at a previous jam session in Mumbai. PICS COURTESY/Abhishek mishra, LETS JAM

The idea struck during a house party that went on till 4 am," says musician Abhishek Mishra. Usually, any story that opens with those words automatically has our nod. But Mishra needs a few more, at least 300, to bring his vision of a mega music jam to fruition in Mumbai. "You don't have to be a great singer to show up and have fun," he says. With that out of the way, we're all ears.

Abhishek Mishra

When the clock strikes four this evening, participants will settle into their spots and watch eight open mic acts take stage to set the ball rolling. The mic will then turn to the audience who will battle it out in quirky musical games. "People often need a push to start singing. A prompt, a friend singing along, or an incentive," Mishra points out. One of the games will have them decipher popular Bollywood tunes translated to English.

The heart of the gathering is a group singalong where amateurs, professionals, first-timers, all join in to sing their hearts out in unison. A keyboardist, guitarist and percussionist will set the tone for the night.

Vocalist Aditi Singh will join the jam

The set list for the night includes hits by Kishore Kumar, Asha Bhosle, Kailash Kher, and the talk of the town right now - Sunidhi Chauhan. "We want Mumbaikars from all walks of life and across age groups to feel at home. As a ground rule, we do not pick out people and put them in the spot to sing. They're free to find their sweet spot in the crowd," the founder reveals.

Like any good party, this one ends with dance - a whole lot of it. "It's the end of the year. That's as good a reason as any to dance our worries away," Mishra says. As the Eagles foretold in their perennially overplayed hit Hotel California, ‘some dance to remember, some dance to forget'. What's your pick?

ON December 27; 4 pm
AT antiSocial, Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel.
LOG ON TO district.in
ENTRY Rs 499

Tongue twisters

Mishra shares a peek into a few riddles from the night. Can you guess the popular Bollywood hits behind these humorous, literal English translations?
1) The bride's friend is a silken thread, she blushes secretly
2) The madman speaks the truth, don't ever fall in love
3) Now that we've started walking, these roads walk with us
4) Walk with me till the horizon

Answers

1) Banno Ki Saheli, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (2001)
2) Sach Keh Raha Hai Deewana, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein (2001)
3) Hum Jo Chalne Lage, Jab We Met (2012)
4) Falak Tak Chal, Tashan (2008)