Nats and the Coldplay concert

Illustration/Uday Mohite

As Coldplay swept out of town, Natasha aka Nats, my Gen Z neighbour swept into my home.

"Ah Nats, you seem, contented, almost happy."

"Rahul bruh, am elated… Just coming from the Coldplay concert!" (Double eye roll from me)

"I'm guessing you enjoyed the show?"

"That's obvio, bro."

"Was it a music festival, or a concert or a mela… a party, a massive get-together, a selfie sellout, a gizmo glitter glamour show?"

(Double eye roll from her)

"Ya bruh, I get your sarcasm… anyways, what's your problem with Chris Martin and Coldplay?"

"I don't like their music."

"Dude, don't be an uncle… you don't like anything cool from the last ten years!"

"Untrue, I'm quite partial to Ed Sheeran… but Chris Martin opens his mouth, and I'm asleep before the first verse is out. Also Ed Sheeran, put him on stage with one acoustic guitar and he has the crowd enthralled… but Chris Martin… overhyped a bit."

"But, he's so cuute! And he had 65,000 people on its feet like no other visiting musician."

"I don't deny that he's an inclusive frontman… he almost becomes Indian, singing in Hindi, visiting temples, but I want my international bands to be foreign, not Indian."

"Dude, five shows in India, gotta raise your hat to that…"

"Yeah, but they've made a living off three songs."

"Bruh, what does it matter if it's three songs or thirty songs, you go for the atmosphere and the aura as much as the act."

"Natasha, I've been watching foreign rock acts since I was 18, jumping over the fence at Rang Bhavan, to watch Sting and the Police belt out Roxanne - standing in the rain for Dire Straits at MMRDA - Nats, when you go to a rock show you've got to love the band and their output. Your generation goes to survey the scene and be seen- you should know more than a couple of songs right? You kids go for the sound and light show, and the fireworks… and the hype and the hoopla and the shoutouts to Shah Rukh Khan."

"Whateves," Nats shrugged.

"Actually, my bigger issue isn't the band, it's your generation and their intent."

"Excuse me," Nats challenged

"Maybe I'm old fashioned, but when I stand in a queue to get int0 a rock show, or buy tickets at a premium, it's for the songs pure and simple - I wanna hear studio songs played live. Played by my heroes.

Millenials and Gen Z, Nats, it's for social media likes, for selfies, to show off, to be seen--you don't know Coldplay's music. How many songs of theirs do you know, maybe three - Fix You, Clocks, Yellow, that Stars song…"

"Okay so?" she challenged defiantly.

"You're a wannabe."

"I'm not a wannabe, got it."

"You guys do whatever you do, just to post on social media even if it strains your budget - do you attend an event for real joy or for the ‘likes' - to click photos or to enjoy the music. I saw your Insta page. Is it all about FOMO?"

"Dude, India is changing, and the faster you adjust, the better, the fear of missing out is a real phenomenon! What's wrong in wanting to have maximum experiences."

"When I go to a music concert, a rock show, I want to play air guitar… not air kiss, got it?"

"Whateves, dude, I'm gonna bounce, I'm off to prepare for a Coldplay watch party tonight! I'm hosting."

"And what is that exactly?"

"A lot of my besties, couldn't get tickets for the three Mumbai shows. The Ahmedabad show is being live streamed tonight, we're creating our own show, at my place, we're putting up glow-in-the -dark stars, we're dressing up in Coldplay inspired outfits, were gonna wear wristbands and LED glasses, its Coldplay tonight, in Colaba."

"Am I invited?" I asked, tentatively.

"Noooo, no bruh, it's not just any party, you've really got to be a devoted fan of Coldplay to attend, gotta love their, what's the word you use, ah yes, catalogue. But you'll hear the music and see the fireworks... after all, you live next door, Rahul uncle," Nats concluded as she exited.

Rahul daCunha is an adman, theatre director/playwright, photographer and traveller. Reach him at rahul.dacunha@mid-day.com