'Slumdog' composer brings his music to Sears Centre Friday By Ashok Selvam <http://www.dailyherald.com/writers/?by=Ashok%20Selvam> | Daily Herald Staff Contact writer <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=388645#email> <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/image/?image=292663&id=388645>
A.R. Rahman earned two Oscars in 2009 for work on the soundtrack for "Slumdog Millionaire." CHRIS PIZZELLO <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=388645#>1 of 1 <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=388645#> <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/image/?image=292663&id=388645> Browse All Image Galleries <http://www.dailyherald.com/galleries/> [image: print story] <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/print/?id=388645> [image: email story] Published: 6/18/2010 12:01 AM (0) | read <http://www.dailyherald.com/story/comments/?id=388645> | post<http://www.dailyherald.com/story/comments/?id=388645> Buzz up!<http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=the_daily_her732&guid=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyherald.com%2Fstory%2F%3Fid%3D388645> His award-winning work on the "Slumdog Millionaire" soundtrack helped convince the editors at Time magazine to name A.R. Rahman as one the 2009's 100 most influential people. But as Rahman prepares to perform tonight at the Sears Centre, his colleagues said fame hasn't inflated his ego. "No matter what happens, I think because of his spirituality, he's always the same magical person," said BlaaZe, one of the many performers who'll share the stage on Friday. "And to work with him is a blessing for any artist." Tonight's concert will be Rahman's second appearance at the Sears Centre, with the first coming three years ago. That performance predated his Grammy and Oscar wins for scoring "Slumdog Millionaire," the 2009 Academy Award winner for best picture. The awards helped the Indian-born Rahman reach an English-speaking population. While the typical American music fan won't bat a lash at lavish pyrotechnics and elaborate sets, these trappings are new to fans of Indian music. Friday's show goes beyond the sitar and takes cues from staff who have worked on tours for Britney Spears and Mariah Carey, among others. "To define it, it's a rock show, but with Indian music," Rahman's tour manager Savio Lobo said. Rahman's 20-date world tour stops today in Hoffman Estates and concludes in July in London. Expect 3-D graphics and bright colors to dominate the stage. Lobo calls the 44-year-old Rahman the only Indian musician who has successfully crossed over to the Western audience. Rahman, born Allah Rakha Rahman has concerts which typically last for under three hours without many pauses between songs. The show will showcase his Indian heritage, including Bollywood pieces. Officials expect a crowd reaching the Hoffman Estates arena's 11,000-seat capacity. Rahman began writing music primarily in Tamil, a language native to southern India. His mainstream breakthrough work on "Slumdog Millionaire," featured the singles "Jai Ho" and "O... Saya." While other artists, including Sri Lankan rapper M.I.A., performed many of the songs, Rahman wrote most of the film's music. Lobo said BlaaZe helps demonstrate the show's willingness to blend Western and Indian styles. "BlaaZe is a rapper and rapping is very mainstream in the U.S., unlike home in India," Lobo said. "He brings the Western touch for a very typical Indian music number." BlaaZe (pronounced like "blasé") acknowledges the attention Rahman has earned, and lauded his friend's ability to inspire a diverse fan base. "When you are that focused, as he is, it doesn't matter," BlaaZe said. "At the end of the day if you love doing it, you're going to do it no matter what it is. Whether it's a Bollywood film or a Hollywood film or whatever, it's still music." For who have never seen a non-English show, BlaaZe advises to ditch preconceived notions and "come with innocence." He remembers an elderly American woman he met last week when the tour stopped in Atlantic City. The woman gushed about the show's colors, costumes and music. "That lady said, 'I didn't understand a word of this, but I loved it,'" BlaaZe said. "She was hyped up, she was excited about it." Rahman played the Sears Centre in June 2007, and now three years later, partnerships with the arena's new management firm via Comcast allowed the show to be marketed beyond the South Asian community. They're working with Shows2u, the same group that brought Bollywood's "Unforgettable Tour" last year to the arena. "Thanks to his multiple awards and mainstream successes, we're finding general interest in Rahman is much more prevalent this time around," Sears Centre General Manager Ben Gibbs said. Tickets still remain for the show at searscentre.com. That includes the $1,000 seats that encircle the stage. Promoters call the ring the "Jai Ho Circle." The arena on Thursday also released additional $100 tickets to the public.
