Time to Give

This is a video from last weekend. If you listen you will surely here the dice cups rattling:-)

Rock and Roll Shanghai Style

Two musical experiences in one day! I went to my first festival in China and followed it up by playing my first concert. And although I'm very familiar with musical extravaganzas both of these were distinct from anything I have every experienced.

Music in China is a funny thing. Right now Shanghai is trying hard to be an international, cosmopolitan city and encompass the arts and culture inherent in such status. So there is a push for art and music that has not existed in the last 50 years in China. Yet there are still forces that find musical and artistic expression a risky or possibly controversial experience. Thus concerts are often cancelled at the last second and, unfortunately, Shanghai was not able to experience the musical talents of Kanye West last month (despite much hype and anticipation.) So when the drummer in my band asked if I wanted to go to an outdoor festival I jumped at the chance.

As I set out the door to hit the festival ominous clouds loomed on the horizon. Sure enough, the rain opened up as soon as we all met up I found myself haggling over 50 cents price difference while buying an umbrella. It is amazing the number of umbrella vendors that magically appear when it rains. I wonder where they hide as they wait patiently for the skies to open. I choose a green polka dot one at the prodding of my friends. Overall there was great jazz and fun people and the rain stopped after an hour or so.

We left the show after a funky band from belgium ripped it up. They rocked the Q Chord which everyone who was on the Oleanna trip with Richard knows is the awesome quirky instrument of many pitches.

We couldn't stay too long as we were scheduled to play and international festival designed to expose Chinese locals to foreign music. We rolled into the posh club with fruit platters and mirrored walls and smiled at each other. This was sure to be interesting. After some minor glitches (like getting power to the stage) we started rocking an audience of some friends and about 5 Chinese people. As the night went on more and more Chinese people filtered in until we were playing to a pretty full house. Chinese people don't really dance (or at least I haven't seen it) so the people sat at their tables and played a dice game that involves slamming a cup full of dice on the table as loudly as possible. Yet they liked it! They applauded! That's not super normal here.

We wrapped up, got paid, and then I was interviewed by a local TV station. As I expounded upon my message to China and what I want people to take out of the music my ego started to swell to epic proportions! The bar manager quickly burst my bubble by telling me to get my stuff off the stage and move the drums over so the next act could start. Following us was a young stylish Chinese man who was clearly lip syncing and didn't look that excited about it. The Chinese people continued to loudly slam down their dice cups.

Bus Crash

My bus driver is most aggressive driver I have ever been in a car with. He darts in and out of the traffic of bikes, cars and pedestrians like he was behind the wheel of a ferarri. Except he is not driving a ferarri. He is driving a bus.

On top of his darting he also uses the size of the bus to his advantage. There is no right of way in China, the rule is simply get in front of the other person. So left hand turns crossing traffic are started by one person bravely piloting their car into oncoming traffic, forcing it to stop, and then the 15 cars behind the lead car who progressively peel into their left hand turn earlier and earlier so that oncoming traffic must let them by. My bus driver will often pass 6 stopped cars to make sure that gets in behind the courageous car that has for a moment stopped the onslaught of oncoming traffic.

Seeing as how we almost mowed down 3 bikers on friday it seemed only a matter of time before some sort of traffic altercation occurred. You must also understand that on top of most drivers behaving in exactly the same fashion their are countless bikers in the streets and these people ride RIGHT in front of these busses, expecting them to stop. Yet road rage is almost non-existent. When everyone breaks the rules, no one really cares anymore.

Today on the way home are bus clipped the side of another bus waking me sharply from my afternoon nap. I looked up to see what happened as traffic stopped both busses. My driver jumped out and proceeded to yell at the very jovial looking driver of the other bus. The other driver simply laughed and walked up to a back bus window, where someone handed him a handful of cash. The money was excepted by our driver who got back on the bus, said a few words and then started moving again with traffic. The whole exchange took less then a minute. And within two minutes we were back into city streets scattering bikers and pedestrians like flies from a watermelon.

My House

Is AWESOME! It is close to everything. Within one block I have eaten at 6 different restaurants, done my laundry, bought writing materials, got a haircut and got a massage. It is spacious and quiet. I see trees out my window. My neighbors don't complain if I'm noisy. There is a shower designed with a frosted white tropical scene (which I never knew would make me so happy.) Seriously perfect! It came furnished but I just bought a bunch of plants to start the decorating process.