That famous set of Christmas songs have been on loop for nearly a month now. I say Christmas songs with impunity despite the season being rebranded “The Holiday Season” in the US of A and “Good Governance Day” back home. For one thing, in India, we don’t have a season for holidays – we have a couple of planned holidays every month and a few more unplanned days scattered here and there throughout the months. In fact, we don’t even use the term ‘holiday’ when we go out of town, we say ‘tour’ for some reason. I guess that’s why we are disdainfully known as ‘local tourists’ wherever we make a nuisance of ourselves. And Good Governance, even for a day, is a great unknown like that algebraic variable ‘X’ – which is also found mysteriously in X’Mas.
There were a lot of good old poignant Christmas songs written during the (American) wars. There were songs which got soldiers on duty dreaming of a White Christmas – a reality now that Ms Harris isn’t in the running. The songs had people sweltering in India wondering about what was probably meant, the snow-white Christmas. One of those songs promises that the singer will be home for Christmas if only in his dreams! So, the dream became a reality for me during the pandemic where we were all home for Christmas. Thereafter, I enjoyed the idea of being ‘Home Alone’, though not as Kevin McAllister of the movie series.
There were gigs to be played or shows to be emceed or good dances to attend
There were Xmas songs which got soldiers on duty dreaming of a White Christmas. The songs had people sweltering in India wondering about what was probably meant, a snow-white Christmas Shutterstock
In my youth, as an itinerant musician, there were always some gigs to be played or shows to be emceed or good dances to attend. As I watch my kids repeat the same routine, I am reminded about the family that was generally left behind on these occasions. If there were little kids at home, the mom usually got handed the job of staying home with the kids. If not, she was taken to the show as a plus one, to join the other plus ones at the Band Table. I have been informed through reliable sources, that they would while away the hours sharing stories of life on the shelf as the performers came to life on the stage. Once we liberalised our rules on same-sex dancing, you might catch a partner or two on the dance floor gyrating in circles with others of the Band Table. The vocalist, keyboard player or the lead guitarist would grab an opportunity to leap off the stage and sneak in a dance with the plus one when there was a little less work. The drummer and bassist rarely managed that since they were the whole rhythm section – eternally resigned to providing foot tapping.
Keeping up with ‘DJ music’
The DJs came to the rescue. Today, it’s rare to find a dance which hasn’t been advertised with both live band and DJs – ensuring something for everyone and ticket sales. The band members then get the chance to get their plus ones on the floor and jump up and down with fingers pointing to the ceiling – sorry to sound rude, but this seems to be the standard step that works when DJs are at the console. Anyone who went to dance school in the hope of gliding across the floor with well-oiled moves, partner in arms, chins up, elbows out, are consigned to waiting in hope for the band to get mushy once they are back. Bands, on the other hand, feel the need to keep the pace up and so they too pitch in with uptempo rock ’n roll, hip hop or whatever that pulsating sameness is called today. I know people who crave for a foxtrot, waltz, cha-cha or occasionally a salsa. The Australian or European expats generally get in a dose of “line-dancing” or they will count four and line-dance to anything that’s available. It’s all about that base country, India, learning something from the lads abroad. I’m reminded of the Australian entry for break dancing at the Olympics, our kangaroo courts were quick to convict Ray Gunn in a few short moves!
Sorry to sound rude, but pointing fingers to the ceiling seems to be the standard step that works when DJs are at the console! TT Archives
To tell you the truth, the DJs were partially responsible for my preference for staying home. Dances just got louder! Along with the production of higher powered equipment, the DJs kept pushing up the volume to a point that it became a challenge to be able to converse in the hall. And the band had to match the volume or be declared dead. My ENT specialist popped onto the scene and warned me about losing my hearing – bad news for a part-time musician. So, I’ve started avoiding political rallies and dances where possible.
As a Master of Ceremonies (emcee for short), I often found myself alone anyway but on the dance floor. From planning the event to executing it, a lot of work is done by the emcee. Working with the band to ensure they get on stage after a break, stepping in between songs to run short competitions and give away prizes, watching the floor carefully to prevent over enthusiastic dancers from carrying drinks onto the floor, … all the way to sweeping the premises clean of guests after the curfew hour. Not to mention dealing with the fairly rare loose fist brushing a jaw, or a jilted girlfriend finding her ex in the arms of another. All in a day’s work, as they say. Work that had to be carried out along with the plastered and comatose guests at 2am!
As a Master of Ceremonies, I often found myself alone anyway but on the dance floor. From planning the event to executing it, a lot of work is done by the emcee Shutterstock
So, you might ask, what is there to do at home, alone? For one thing, there’s the liquid chemistry available in the cabinet without the fear of apprehension of drink driving; for another there’s a stack of Christmas food in the refrigerator; for yet another there’s a week of baking done by my plus one, too sweet and I’m not just describing her.
For some there is Netflix, but no large screens for me. My small screen Kindle has a ton of books waiting to be read. My slightly larger screen Tab has a plethora of great music scores and accompaniment software that allows me to imagine I’m playing great music. The largest screen, of course, is the laptop on which words pour out at a pretty high rate – and we’re not talking payment here!
