Tooting for kicks

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For the uninitiated, imagine being chased by a thousand angry bees disturbed from their peaceful slumber. And for those who have been following the FIFA World Cup, the vuvuzela needs no introduction. After being raved and ranted upon, the simple wind instrument from South Africa has emerged as the hot new sound of soccer. Something that even Youtube couldn’t ignore. Go check their ball shaped icon next on red band and you will not miss the buzzing feeling that we have so gotten used to now.
These trumpets that drone are being dangled as prize attractions by the city restaurants and eateries as revellers love to blow their own mouthpiece. Vishal Kaushik from International Diner in GK admits the horns are drawing in clients. “Since we don’t allow customers to take them home, they come again and again as the feeling of blowing the vuvuzela during the match is really exciting,” he tells us.
If you hear someone tooting his/her enthusiasm on your colony road, you just might end up pinning the blame on News Café. Ryan Scheltema, the general manager of the outlet, says, “We have been getting them in batches and they have been disappearing faster than ever. Our vuvuzelas are imported regularly and many a customer wants to take them home and spread the cheer.”
But while many can’t bear the noise on the screen, how does one get around tolerating them right in the ear? Pramod Joshi, general manager for Blues, who ordered the ‘hooters’ from Venezuela, says it makes the ambience resemble that of a stadium, which people enjoy. “If one goes blowing it in an empty room, then it will be unbearable, but while the match is viewed on a big screen, and everyone is cheering, no one minds them,” he says.
Maannwi Malik, publicist for Café Morrison, where Vuvuzelas are accompanied by traditional drums like Djembe, agrees, “These instruments are a means for the audience to show their enthusiasm and cheer for their team. In fact, they have become so popular now, that we are considering them as a regular feature.”