Oscar and Grammy-winning musician and composer A.R. Rahman is set to embark on a highly anticipated US tour in June to wow South Asian audiences in nine cities.
Starting with a performance at the Nassau Coliseum in New York on June 11, the “A.R. Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour” will travel to Atlantic City, New Jersey, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.
Internationally produced by Deepak Gattani and Rapport Productions, three East Coast shows promise to reach over 35,000 South Asian concert-goers, known for their usually vociferous appetite for Bollywood entertainment.
“The A.R. Rahman concerts are going to be a musical extravaganza, which concert-goers will remember in a long-time for its originality and all-encompassing entertainment value,” said Shishir Misra of Rushhi Majik, the company promoting the East Coast concerts.
Rahman’s rise to prominence in the West came when he captured the world spotlight last year with his work on the film score for Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” winning a Golden Globe, two Academy Awards and most recently two Grammy’s.
On his US tour, Rahman will collaborate with creative director Amy Tinkham, known for creating live musical concerts for a variety of pop-music icons including Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys and Mariah Carey.
“A.R. Rahman Jai Ho Concert: The Journey Home World Tour” will be a theatrical experience that will blend new technologies with powerful dance arrangements and acrobatics, the promoters said.
The concerts will keep in intact the heritage and traditions of India with a new modern presentation. The show promises to feature changing sets, large images on LED screens and a spectacular cast of musicians and dancers from across the globe.
“Through the vast tapestry of music that is A.R. Rahman, he takes us on a virtual journey through beauty, culture, and spirituality,” said Tinkhman. “This is uniquely Indian – both ancient and modern.”
The material spans throughout A.R.’s prolific career, including songs from “Slumdog Millionaire” as well as landmark Indian films “Lagaan”, “Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na”, “Dil Se”, “Rang De Basanti” and “Roja”.