Tao Seeger sings down memory lane. Picture by Rashbehari Das

Even the rain thought better. As the drizzle took a break from playing spoilsport, umbrellas went back into the canvas bags, mashimas beat a hasty retreat to the muddy grounds and the music started all over again. At the final Calcutta performance of Pete Seeger?s grandson, only melody and emotion could have mattered.

As Tao Rodriguez-Seeger and legendary Irish folk artist Tommy Sands along with other performers from Ireland, India, America and Bangladesh took the stage, played their banjos, guitars, tablas, harmoniums, flutes, fiddles and dhols, Calcuttans played on their heart-strings, clapping, swaying and humming.

With a T-shirt depicting the map and flag of Bangladesh, mass singer Fakir Alamgir carried his country close to his heart. Bhalobaashi, bhalobaashi Dhaka had an enthusiastic audience on its feet, with hardcore Calcuttans like Aloke Kaazi and his band of friends singing along with gusto.

Alamgir, on his part, treated the crowd to an energetic performance, singing from among the audience, where he asked Tao?s friend and co-performer, American fiddler Pierce Woodwards, to join him. As Alamgir belted out his version of Pete Seeger?s John Henry, Woodwards held the crooner?s hand and did a little jig himself to the beat of soulful Bangal music.

But for most, the best was yet to come. Bipadtaran Das, a student of international relations, sat quietly in the front row. Helped to his feet by his friend, the blind young man said, ?I have always loved the sound of mass music. Pete Seeger was my favourite and I just couldn?t miss Tao?s performance.?

As Tao and company joined city singer Ranjan Prasad for his transcreated version of Pete Seeger?s Step by Step, even the staunchest babu converged near the stage to lend his voice to the music of freedom. As Supriyo Mitra, group theatre activist, put it, ?Pete Seeger was our hero, he stood for our ideals and gave it a different dimension in music. It is thrilling to see Tao carrying the tradition on his young shoulders.?

The show ended with Tao?s covers of his grandfather?s immortal John Henry and We shall overcome. The moment carried the crowd away, as everybody stood up to be a part of the anthem.

Long after Tao had said goodbye, the We shall live in peace hum lingered on in the compound ? in six-year-old Piyasha, trundling off homewards with her parents, or in Rana and girlfriend Pratibha, headed off for a rainswept cuppa.

The music over, the skies had opened up again.