Para Vayu set their Soul Alive

HYDERABAD: Para Vayu was in the city this Thursday as part of their Hard Rock Cafe-India tour, promoting their latest live album Soul Alive, recorded while the band performed at the Blue Frog in Mumbai, in April earlier this year. The outfit was joined by Crehyl Pereira on keys and Aditya Ashok on drums.What started of as a slumber party with only a handful of people making up the audience and even lesser enthusiasm soon turned in a pulsing crowd with quite some cheer going around. As the band progressed from one composition to another, they had the crowd with them most steps of the way. The band played compositions from their album, including Broken Brother, Flying and Fallen Angels. Popular for their Pink Floyd covers, they didn’t disappoint with a cover of Shine on You. Testimonial to Pink Floyd’s popularity, Ravi commented on how the crowd were a tad bit more receptive to Shine on You.Ravi Iyer’s guitaring and shredding were the show stealers. It only goes to show that the number of years that he’s put behind it, makes the man all that much more hard core. Plus, folks who saw him Thursday night would vouch for his shades. Aditya Ashok and Crehyl Pereira were in sync all the way, the keys and drums mutually complementing each other. Crosby Fernandes was the subtle master on bass weaving the lead guitar and percussions together. Vocalist Soumitra Bhat, who along with Ravi was the man behind the music, let the compositions do most of the talking. Or in this case, singing. And quite a singing it was!What stood the band in good stead throughout the night was their amazing timing. With percussions, lead guitar and the bass guitar coming together bang on time, the night’s line-up was definitely Soul Alive. Also, the mix of professionalism and college-kid energy blended so well, the band remained tight throughout the performance.Those of them who did make it to Hard Rock Cafe had themselves a treat. Albeit a bit of a repetitive beat.