Finally, a bar that lives up to its name. Moksh has always been a notch or two clear of what tired Thamel has to offer, and has long been a favourite of the Patan crowd. Nepalis and expats congregate gregariously on busy Tuesdays and weekends as well as on the quieter, smokier nights, in the garden, the house bar, or the two-part terrace.
But yesterday's performance by the collective ' The Night' proved yet again the old dog isn't handily placed in Pulchowk simply so Patanites can slake their thirst this side of the river. The garden performance, though marred early on by power blips the band blamed charmingly on neglecting to invite one of the musicians onstage, was such a fusion as I have rarely seen in Nepal before: a balance of talent, professionalism and restraint. It was a blessed contrast to the rather aimless jam sessions that tend to transpire of a Kathmandu evening.
The Night's 'Tribalism to Technology' gig started slowly, and stopped a little too often to earn the momentum they strove for, but when they did get going, the going was good. Initially it seemed as though their sound risked being swamped by the broad ensemble of guitars, keyboard, tabla, drums, sarangi, sitar, flute and vocals ranging from Shreeti's mezzo-soprano to Ranav's death-baritone. The Night skirted the issue by building on clear melodies derived in part from Nepali folk and interleaved by excursions into darker territory. The whole was anchored by simple, effective, trance-like percussive playing and ambient keyboard.
The conscious absence of virtuoso widdling from any of the instrumentalists left space for Shreeti's elaborations in and around threads supplied by flute, sitar, guitar and Bibhusan's mellow vocalisations. Shreeti was at her best playing within the limits of her range, and when she combined with Tashi's perfectly gauged Manangi chants, Moksh was mesmerised.
The Night: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=850042