Zap 'em all!

Vidya and I hurried from the grocery store. We reached the main road.One look at the traffic and I remarked, " If I die, just tell people at work I am vacationing in Europe."

Thanks to the Lord in Heaven and the mercy of a Benz driver, I and Vidya reached the other side of the road to Landmark- our only window to culture in Gurgaon.We could hear people jamming and Vidya was furious the performance had started before time.We were there to watch parikrama perform.

Early? Was she kidding me? We were in gurgaon.The proximity we share with Delhi is no laughing matter and it is only natural Gurgaon apes Delhi in matters of punctuality. Phew, the band was just testing. Another 45 mins later when the band finally started, roomie and I glued ourselves to a comfortable spot -just in front of the speakers!

Just then a sweaty dude wormed his way ahead of us. In slow motion he began swaying his head. The strumming began. Then came the placing the left hands on the chords. Then he synced himself in unison with his friends who had already set the pace for this.Then they started coming.More of them.They trickled in from all directions and slowly they took over the place! Them and their air guitars!!!

I watched the kids in front of me with their dates slashing down their imaginary guitars and striking the virtual chords, jumping up and down, pouring their diet pepsi all over the place, mouthing " Give us some ****ing Metallica man", flashing their I love you signs. I half expected them to flash a lighter or maybe a cell phone. They missed that one out.

Vidya was plenty irritated seeing them. Why do they all have to be so wanna be she kept claiming through out the show. I just ignored them having seen plenty of them previously.I maybe even able to fish out a couple from my best friends bag! I preferred concerts of the more dreamy, poetic men with their guitars more than the metal guys.Which boy wants to be man who is a singer song writer kinds(Whoever wants to be, contact me- Right now!)

But as ever I went into my own stream of thoughts. So this was the moment. I have to do the unthinkable- I have to take a stand!

Do I like the air guitarists or not? Hmmmmmm....

Well let me begin with the thought- Can I ever be one? Oh gees. Hell No!

Just I strayed into my thoughts, the violinist came on stage. A 22 year old, he had an infectious smile. He started his melodious mischief. The virus spread. The guitarists smiled. The lead vocalist broke into a grin and soon the whole band was smiling enjoying their own performance. Well, this is the one thing I enjoy most in a concert. The musician enjoying his/her own style. Indulging themselves in every note of music. Syncing himself with everyone else. Now with so much to celebrate, how would it be if the crowd was composed of a 100 Me-s.A 100 me-s who just mechanically mouthed the lyrics of a Coldplay song. A 100 mes whose maximum amount of exhilaration was just shaking of the head, a scream at the end of the song.Horrible!

We need the air guitarists. The band needs them to pep them. We need them to entertain us. For us to laugh at them as they move about hysterically in their space.As they become a Vai in their own right!As they mouth every word with as much passion if not more than the performers.We need them to prance around trying to gaher as much attention as possible, try and steal a chance to perform with the band. After all I had been one while in school!

There I have said.I have taken a stand it!!!!!!!! Is that a tear I see in the corner of your eye?