A knife edge finish fuelled the vibe, but theoretically it would have been a win-win scenario whichever team had triumphed for SA's substantial Indian community in Durban, who needed no extra reasons to party as they also experienced history with the New Age Friendship Celebration Concert.
This visual extravaganza of spectacular proportions was the first ever such post cricket match entertainment event, with the additional resonance of celebrating the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Indians in Africa.
The concert was conceived and produced by Katija Ali of AA Media for match organisers Cricket South Africa (CSA). Ali asked Gearhouse South Africa - with whom she has worked on many previous projects - to deliver a production design and all the required technical elements to make the show - starring Indian megastar Shah Rukh Khan and a host of other top talent from India and South Africa - something very special.
The stage, set, visual and lighting design was created by Gearhouse's Tim Dunn - a carefully crafted and somewhat fabulous fusion of classic architectural shapes and cultural symbols from India and Africa.
The production was ensconced into the bleachers at the south end of the stadium, it's striking form combined metalwork, scenic texturing and LED screen surfaces complementing the magnificent curvature of the 350m long, 105m high arch that defines the skyline of Durban's iconic visual masterpiece.
Sound was a mix of the L-Acoustics racks-and-stacks from Gearhouse Audio and the stadium's house JBL VerTec system, for which FOH and monitor engineer Cyril "Rasta" Sewela and his team of four liaised with house sound designer Alex Janfillippo.
(Jim Evans)
