Goan singing sensation Remo Fernandes who created ripples across Indian pop charts with his songs in the 1980s and 1990s, had an almost houseful of fans swaying and dancing to almost every song he sang on Saturday night at the Shanmukhananda auditorium in Sion.
The legendary singer along with his bandmates known as the Microwave Papadums, who had Mukesh Ghatwal on keyboards, Zenia Pereira on backing vocals, Vishal Phaterpekar on tabla and Santana Carvalho on drums, had the audience rapt with attention as he belted out hit after megahit with ease, all while keeping the stage under complete control.
Mukesh Ghatwal on keyboards | Photo by Verus Ferreira
The show opened with the rendition of Ocean Queen, a song he wrote while he was lazing on the beach in Goa, when he saw a beautiful woman emerge from the ocean, “dressed in sun tan lotion”, says the singer with a tweak of humour. He followed that with O Meri Munni, which he dedicated to all the small children in the audience.
On Indian Lady from his ‘O Meri Muni’ album, he urged all women to speak up and not allow themselves to be taken for granted. The flute has always played a major role in Fernandes’ music career and we saw this when he performed the catchy The Flute Song with an added vocal technique which was insane. While he has not been making a lot of new music these days, he performed Booga Wooga, a brand new work released sometime ago.
Remo Fernandes performing with his band at the Shanmukhananda auditorium, Sion | Photo by Verus Ferreira
Remo has been associated with Bollywood since 1987 and is known for his blockbuster hits. Fans in the audience just needed an impetus to dance to some Bollywood numbers and Remo didn’t disappoint them. The evergreen Humma Humma found many takers with the audience joining in with the star singer.
Remo, whose homage to Bombay in 1987 proved prophetic, went back in time and post a short interval, he sang the iconic song that has the line “Bomb bomb bomb bomb Bombay”, a much beloved tribute to erstwhile Bombay. Dressed in green pants, a white shawl thrown around his neck and an orange kurta, Remo diffused communal harmony. “My outfit has green, white and orange, so the white is for Christians, Jains, the Parsis, and everybody else. Love one another” he said while moving on with his chartbusting film songs such as Pyaar Toh Hona Hi Tha, Jalwa.
Remo Fernandes with his band members Mukesh Ghatwal on keyboards, Zenia Pereira on backing vocals, Vishal Phaterpekar on tabla and Santana Carvalho on drums | Photo by Verus Ferreira
With the clock ticking to a fast approaching 10 pm deadline, and requests for some Konkani songs, Remo delivered it in his own style. Before playing the famous Maya Ya, he spoke on how famous this song was and how it could be sung at a party, a wedding or just about anywhere, and joked on how it could even be sung at a funeral. He hit the notes for the song with everyone joining in. Remo called on everyone in the balconies to walk down to the aisle in front of the stage to finish their set with the monstrous and everyone’s favorite Maria Pita Che which was nothing short of exhilarating.
Concluding his 2 hour concert surrounded by people who love him and his music, it was a pre birthday bash with a difference and like none that Mumbai had ever witnessed before. Goa’s favourite son turns 71 on 8th May, the organiser Nilesh Faterpekar from Kutumb Events pulled the plug and coerced everyone in the audience to sing Happy Birthday to a smiling Remo who stated that it was after many years, he was celebrating his birthday with a concert. Seconds later, a Goan group in front of the stage wished the rocker in their inimitable style, and the inimitable entertainer that Remo is, showed that he knows how to celebrate by acknowledging his fans for coming to the show.
Remo Fernandes with his band members Mukesh Ghatwal on keyboards, Zenia Pereira on backing vocals, Vishal Phaterpekar on tabla and Santana Carvalho on drums | Photo by Verus Ferreira
Given his age, I was slightly dubious of how his vocals would hold up in a live setting, but as it turned out, he managed to effortlessly switch between his distorted lows to high pitched squeals.
Remo, who divides his time between his ancestral home in Siolim, Goa and Porto in Portugal, was literally mobbed backstage, with his fans making their way for photo ops and seeking autographs from the legend.
Vishal Phaterpekar on tabla | Photo by Verus Ferreira
Performing before his fans, many who have followed his footsteps all along and with whom many had grown up listening to, the show turned out to be a complete entertainer.
