A concert with iPhones and iPads...

A concert with iPhones and iPads...

Think of a concert where all the performers are assembled on stage with nothing but iPhones and iPads. “Everybody gets confused and wonders why we are bringing our phones and tablets to the stage till we actually begin our performance,” laughs Riccha Paul, lead vocalist of the Rave iBand. And sure enough, the moment this one-time bathroom singer with over 200 ad jingles to her credit took the stage with the popular Bollywood track ‘Chammak Challo,’ the band had people swaying at Phoenix Marketcity in Kurla. “This was our first performance with a floating audience. It was scary and thrilling at the same time,” Riccha admitted. Ricky Kej, the creative genius who created and conceptualized this one-of-a-kind band in December 2011, said, “I was fiddling with a friend’s tablet and created a song within the next hour. I saw the response it evoked and realised it was a new concept that could change the way music was made and perceived.” Kej spoke at a length about the various apps they used. “We use GarageBand for piano and guitar, EZDrummer for percussion and drums, DJ Pro for scratching and mixing and Megaphone for a microphone to sing. We sparingly use Flute for shaker and sampler effects.” Riccha proudly interjected to point out how they are the only group to use this format for popular music, Riccha said, “There is a UK-based group which uses this setup for church music, but the sheer reach that Bollywood music has, has ensured we are in a niche.” The most popular track produced by the band till date is its version of the Bollywood item number ‘Sheila Ki Jawani’. Rita Shah, a resident of Goregaon who was among the crowd, said, “I always found the original song loud and irritating, but they have turned it into a soft, breezy, jazz-blues-inspired number that makes for gentle swaying.” Sung soulfully by Riccha, with Charan Raj’s melodious notes on the piano and Vanil Veigas’ perfectly-timed drumbeats, its release on YouTube in February received a huge response. “It went viral in a fortnight with over 33,000 hits,” remembers Ricky.