“What better way to celebrate the Quaid’s birthday than with the reunion of one of the greatest bands of all time!”
Honestly, Junoon couldn’t have made better comeback and Karachiites couldn’t have asked for an evening better than this! With 2018 drawing to an end, Peek Freans Sooper ensured that it went out with a bang!
The atmosphere on 25th December 2018 was full of immense nostalgia and excitement as over 10,000 fans thronged the Moin Khan Academy, eager to relive the magic created by their beloved Sufi-rock band, Junoon.
The concert was well-received by Karachiites, so much so, that tickets were sold out several days in advance. After many years, the city of lights had come alive and it was all thanks to Sooper. Complete with three gigantic screens and unmatched graphics, the Sooper Junoon Concert managed to exceed even international standards of event management.
All enclosures were packed before the event had even started. It had even managed to lure members of Pakistan’s glitterati including Wasim Akram, Zohaib Hassan (who flew from Dubai just to attend the concert) Ali Rehman Khan, Hareem Farooq, Ayesha Omer, Deepak Parwani and many others. No matter who they were and where they came from, everyone had come together to celebrate Junoon’s reunion as well as their passion for their country.
The event began at 6 pm with four tremendous opening acts rocking the stage; the rap ensemble Lyari Underground, instrumental greats Khumariyan, the innovative Sounds of Kolachi, and emerging talents Tamasha. Each band managed to make its own mark, but it was Junoon that everyone was waiting for.
As soon as host, Faizan Haque, announced Junoon’s entry with a countdown, the crowd went wild; people screamed at the top of their lungs as they waited to welcome their favourite band. Finally, the magical trio consisting of Ali Azmat, Salman Ahmed and Brian O’ Connell appeared on stage and man, what a power-packed entry it was! The crowd’s energy reached a fever pitch as they finally got a glimpse of the popular Sufi-rock maestros, united as one after 13 long years.
Throughout Junoon’s performance, the audience sang and swayed to the electrifying fusion of acoustics and soul-stirring lyrics. They were then treated to a captivating performance on Sayonee accompanied by an incredible light show using LED Graphics.
It was an emotional rollercoaster ride as Junoon performed Bulleya, Ghoom Taana, Neend Ati Nahin, Zamane Ke Andaaz, Chein, Khudi, Sajna, Saeen, Husn Walon, Damadum Mast Qalandar and Yaar Bina among many others. Perhaps the most tear-jerking moment came when the band decided to pay tribute to Junaid Jamshed by playing the iconic hit, Dil Dil Pakistan.
Just as the concert was coming to an end, the sky was lit with a magnificent display of fireworks followed by shiny, green confetti that was showered on stage as Pakistan’s national anthem began to play. What a great way to conclude the event! The five-hour musical event had been held to commemorate 30 years of Junoon’s music as well as the nation’s love for them.
Thank you Peek Freans Sooper for giving us a concert never-before-seen in Pakistan! This has surely marked the beginning of a new era in Pakistani music. An experience like this will definitely be remembered for many years to come. Peek Freans Sooper has helped raised the bar of concerts in Pakistan so that we get to experience world-class musical events in our own country.