Review: Bollywood at the Bowl. A Night with A.R. Rahman

So, truth be told, when I asked to review "Bollywood at the Bowl: A Night with A.R. Rahman" I somehow only saw the "A.R. Rahman" part of the listing. Being a fan of his film scores for "127 Hours" and "Slumdog Millionaire," I was down for a night of film music.
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But what I didn't expect was a completely delightful, rocking night of Rahman's greatest hits from Bollywood films and a show full of energy and movement that had myself, and the rest of the packed crowd, on their feet!
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Did I understand all of the lyrics to the songs? No. Did I know more than one song on his setlist? No. Did the music transport me in ways I didn't expect? Absolutely.

Opening with a new version of this popular "Slumdog" hit "Jai Ho," the evening started out with a blast, getting everyone moving and establishing the tone for the evening.
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He continued the night with 10 more songs from his films with additional singers accompanying him, including Ameen, Jonita, Hriday + Rackshita, Haricharan, and more.

For me, this was all new and I was loving getting a taste of the culture, observing what his fans were head-over-heels for, and finding new songs for my workout playlist.

From the flashing lights, dazzling projections, and an oversized screen that opened with a history of Rahman's career, to dizzying visuals, to various videos of special guests and more, the night played like a true electronic rock concert.

One special part of the night consisted of a medley of�ragas. Each�raga�is an array of melodic structures with musical motifs, considered in the Indian tradition to have the ability to "color the mind" and affect the emotions of the audience. Using projections of quotes to explain the feeling one gets when a particular raga was played, this part of the night had a beautiful weight that was empowering.
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Rahman continued the second half of the evening with 13 more songs, each becoming richer and more danceable than the last. In fact, for the final few numbers, he was joined onstage by the Blue13 dance company, who dazzled the crowd with energetic movements and choreographed routines.

It was an infectious night full of new music (to many of us), lights, dancing, and a communal joy that's hard to replicate. If you ever have the chance to see A.R. Rahman live, he is a must-see!
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"Bollywood at the Bowl: A Night with A.R. Rahman" was held on July 24th�at the Hollywood Bowl in Hollywood. For tickets and information about upcoming events visit�hollywoodbowl.com.