I am tired of this..

The Anchor
This is the picture..of an old anchor lying by the creek..Old & rusty..uncared for..

Off-late i am feeling terrible..Excessive control over my life..Why did u drink..when & whom did u go out with..Why don't u eat home..Come back home befre 11:00 pm..I am 25 and i think i know what's right & what is wrong...

I need a break..No fone calls..no restrictions..just the cool breeze..the good music..your best bud.
Life is short..if i am to live it the way my folks want me to..i would rather start off on my own..

Hoping that things can change..

Music Room-->the best music in town

Good Music..at it's best

In my continuous hunt for places that play good live music in dubai,i can confidently say that the MUSIC ROOM @ the Majestic hotel ,Bur dubai is amongst the best.The entry is situated on the ground floor,from outside the hotel,

The good points:-
** Large spacious pub,unlike the other cramped up 1's..
** Two absolutely fabulous bands " Flipside" (Brit band-->they play really good music ranging from jazz & soul to hard rock,has a versatile guitarist and an equally good keyboardist..On numerous occassions i have enjoyed theie extended extempore solo's on songs like Hey joe & black magic woman) & "the Rock spiders"( eerie sounding name,but this pinoy band put's up a real good show..the 3 female vocalists are good,guitarist excellent,and they cover some really good songs..specially Ironmaiden & G 'n' R)
** Happy hours till 8:30 pm..
** The food a'int bad either.

The bad points:-
** WHY WHY the cover charge on thursday nights>..they started it some 4 months back,and this has turned it into a proper hooker place on weekends..!
** Dress Code..the bouncers tend to stop u if in slippers/sandals>>??..what else Is Good rock music supposed to mean.Freedom Of Expression & walking in like a Caveman right!!

Verdict :- A ++ if u want to have a couple of beers & wish to soak urself in some good live music!

Abra Snap.

The Dubai Creek..has it's own charm..and there are few things as relaxing as crossing the creek on an abra and gazing into the distance.This is just one random snap of no special significance..

FestiVal ExPress

Love..Peace & Rock & roll..

I have to admit it I like music..i am not particularly limited to one genre..Anything that sounds good to my ears..Exploring new artists & sounds has always been my passion.Featured above is FESTIVAL EXPRESS,the documentary which introduced me to some really amazing musicians of the 70's...the grateful dead,buddy guy,the band,Janis Joplin just to name a few..The best part of it was that the whole series of rock concerts featured in the documentary were done for the heck of it..the organizers knew it was going to be a financial disaster..There are numerous scenes of all the great artists jamming together inside their tour train..The whole concept was great...and i totally recommend this movie to all the 60's-70's rock & roll lovers..

Sometimes i feel that there are a whole bunch of talented musicians out there..and not many make it big..Those unknown faces,those amazing backup vocalists ,those cool session guitarists who churn out spine-chilling solos,the improvising sax player whose name u don't know..they definitely deserve respect & recognition..

Below is one relatively unknown duo(Deb Talan & Steve Tannen),"The Weepies"..their music is calm,serene,and has a tinge of emptiness..i like every single song off their album titled "Say i am you"..

The Weepies-->Nobody knows me at all

The BeiJing Blues..

The Magnificent Wall

I was in Beijing recently on a business trip..Now being there and even being short of time, i was simply tempted to visit the Great Wall...The decision was made at 8:00 pm on a Friday,and i asked my Chinese friend to help me out..

He called up many tour agents but seemingly all of them had closed down..We asked the hotel guys,even they didn't have any suitable arrangements.Finally we managed to find a small-time tour agent who fixed me up with an all - Chinese tourist group with a no-English speaking guide..That meant i was going to be alone,with sign language and broad smiles..to my rescue..

Woke up at 4:30 am with bleary eyes,after staying up late till 2:00 am,watching a Hollywood movie starring Orlando Bloom,in which he enacted the role of a failed Shoe R&D guy(i don't remember the name of the movie.),and Kirsten Dunst(she looked really pretty) plays the role of an air hostess.

The pickup time was 5:00 am...

Slept on the Bus.After a supposedly scenic drive(which was lost in sleep)..Reached the Great wall..Couldn't make out a single word that the tourist guide was saying..so just roamed around on my own..from whatever little i could understand the guide asked me to come back to the bus by 9:30 AM..

They had a trolley car system to get you from the base(where the buses were parked)..to the wall..

The weather was cool..the Wall itself was an amazing structure,the architecture was splendid and off course it was strong enough to have endured thousands of years..there seemed to be no end..it just went on & on..and i had my music with me...What more could i ask for..

After finishing the Great wall tour,the bus took us to the Emperor Ming's tomb..followed by the Museum of the Ming dynasty..Both were places of historical significance..and the tourist guide's commentary had every1 nodding their heads...and i was just trying to figure out things on my own...

The bus retunrned back to the hotel by 6:00 pm.It was raining heavily and i had to catch a train to Shanghai..That night on the train i was thinking..if only i could visit the 7 wonders in my lifetime...2 i had ...5 more to go..

Jumeirah beach on a thursday night..

<--------Sand & Feet


Smoke On the Water,Fire in the Sky---->

The plan:-
This weekend(i.e Thursday night),after a tiring day at office....i was wondering what to do...It was around 11:00 pm..a friend of mine suggested,that we ought to just go over to Jumeirah open beach just next to Burj al Arab/Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

En-route:-
We drive past(or rather they zoom past us) a gang of bikers,racing on SZR..still ahead,we drive past a group of ethusiastic clubbers...loud techno-trance music blaring and "bling-bling" makeover...i can certainly make out what they seem to be so enthu about..Yes..definitely Dubai has an awesome nightlife..and every1 knows it..

We pick up some snacks & drinks , at one of the gas stations on the way..

As far as directions to the beach are concerned,just steer your wheels towards the silhouette of Burj-Al-Arab against the night sky....the open beach is just next to it...

The Beach:-

We park our car,amongst the huge array of cars parked....

At midnight,the place was certainly bustling with activity..people were arriving,with picnic bags,beach mats,tents,all set to have a night out....People from all walks of life...shy couples,noisy teenagers,happy families,serious footballers..

On walking further down,we find many many people,playing ball in the water,swimming around..having fun,barbeque's,hookah..hey had it all planned..It was as if we were on Mamzar beach or Creek park on a Friday afternoon..except for the fact that it was close to 1:00 am..

Thoughts ...:-
As i lay down on the cold sand and stare at the night sky,and listen to the sound of the waves crashing down & people playing around...the song "Shiny happy people" by R.E.M. comes to my mind......

These were the people who must have worked really hard through the week....

I fell asleep...woke up at 4:00 am(when it got really cold!),only to find the place as lively as when we arrived,....got back home..and slept till late on friday..

Let the music heal your soul..

Evenings at PBJ
If i was asked,about the one place in dubai where i could kill time endlessly,it has to be Friday night's at Peanut Butter Jam,Wafi city rooftop..

How do you reach there:- simple catch a cab for wafi city,if you can drive back sober,or get ur sober friend to drive..then use your own car.

The actual venue:-It is not inside the main mall,but in a separate complex( i am not sure what it is called but it has some Egyptian statues in and around that place..huge pharaohs,mummies etc.)..Just enter the main gate..climb up the flight of stairs and ask someone where PBj is,it is actually a small door which leads to the open air venue on the roof.

There is a main stage,with nice comfy bean bags all around..a couple of bars,seville's is just next door..everything is just perfect..and since it is on only 6 months a year,and only on friday's(the cooler ones)..you don't have to worry about airconditioning..just feel the cool breeze on your face & sit back..listen to some great music,sip a beer.have some snacks..whatever..

The music:- The bands are cool,in fact the best part is they are just a bunch of great musicians intermingling,playing their music under the stars..No strict rules apply.the bassist for one band plays a set for another one..the vocalists change bands..yeah that's the best part of it..

The music is varied..just this friday we had a duo playing Pink floyd(which was unusual)..usually they will be jaming,with some nice peppy & easy going numbers..bryan adams,james morrison,4 non blondes,some self compositions..A duo plays some great flamenco guitar(instrumental)..

The last set is usually done by a band called Frankei & the boys..headed by a talented vocalist with a great range & a great supporting team..a ukranian sax player..a british(probably british!) trumpet player..filipino bassist..the team is amazing and they do impromptu jamming with there own solos thrown in..

The crowd:- Just like the music..every1 is relaxed & hanging around with their friends..ust having there own thing and feeling the music,the stars,the breeze..

Timings :- 8:00 pm - 12:00 pm(yeah they close down early).

Verdict:- A place to be..on friday nights..

There was a time

There..was a time,when i thought that the environment was the one thing...that every1 ought to conserve..i used to think a lot about..global warming,deforestation,acid rain,erosion etc etc(i.e. all stuff taught to us in science & geography)..

I used to think..where is the world going at..maybe in a couple of years..all natural resources are gonna be depleted.

the cars which run on air,the bio-fuels..when was all that gonna happen...I read about these things in paper(as a matter of fact i still do).Over the years,as i have grown up..these issues have taken a back seat..there are other priorities in life..like making a decent career,settling down..and hundreds of other things,which i fail to recall now..

Conclusion :- Priorities change..