Written by: Sadeem Shaikh
Posted on: February 29, 2016 | 
Sara Haider sings for mental health
Food stalls of local franchises such as ‘Chai Wala’, ‘Bond Street Waffles’ and ‘HomeChef’ helped make the night even more enjoyable. A talented underground band by the name of Taraboa took stage first, delivering great renditions of English classics such as Bon Jovi’s Keep the Faith and Chris Cornell’s version of Billie Jean. Next, Sara Haider made an exciting entrance with a cover of Bruno Mars’ Locked out of Heaven. This was followed by Strings’ evergreen track Anjaanay Kyun, which brought the crowd to their feet. Jumping around on the stage with great energy, the rising star made the audience feel like they were a part of the performance as well. Adele’s Hello and Noori’s Yaara were two more covers that completed Haider’s diverse set list.
With Omran Shafique, Sara Haider and Zoe Viccaji on stage at the hour mark, it felt like a reenactment of Coke Studio, only with an amusing rendition of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk. In contrast to Haider’s jazzy vocals, Viccaji segued into a more country and folk tuning. One of her most loved tracks from Coke Studio, Ishq Kinara, was the first on her list. She next performed Jisnay Bhi Aana Hai from her first album. Her set list was as diverse and inclusive as Haider’s, including Nazia Hassan’s Aap Jesa Koi, Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock and Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’, effortlessly putting the audience in a dancing frenzy.
With the purpose of raising funds for a pressing issue demanding immediate attention, the concert drew significant numbers to The Arts Council. This goes to show that a lot of people are willing to aid in mitigating the effects of mental illness in our society. It is hoped that similar events will be held in the future as well, helping to ease the pressure on organizations such as CareForHealth, and further making a move toward an integrative, inclusive Pakistani society.
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