Concert!

First let me start off by saying, I apologize for going more than 2 months between posts.  Almost 3!  But due to Internet/computer problems (and moving to a new apartment) it was out of my control.   But I'm back and hope to be able to write more consistently after this.

So, this last Saturday I was asked to run sound at a "Cultural Exchange" concert on the outskirts of Kunming.   Previously a group of musicians from Australia had passed through and held concerts near a local college.  It was a huge hit and everyone had a great time.  What makes this even more impressive is that several members of the group got sick almost right after arriving and a couple of them even had to go into the hospital to hook up to IV's to get rehydrated.  But these guys were the epitome of "the show must go on" because if they weren't in bed they performed and sometimes got up to perform and then headed straight back to bed.  They were real troopers.

The concert held last Saturday was a follow up to the earlier ones.  We are really fortunate to have some great friends here who are also professional level musicians and sound techs.  So a friend drafted a group of us and planned the concert.  As with any first time thing it was a great trouble-shooting event for us.  Helping us see what worked, what didn't and how to improve the next time.  At one point Drew, (a professional skateboarder and husband to Dee, the keyboard player) had to bring out some forgotten cymbal stands.  It was just about the time the taxi drivers take off for dinner and no one seemed to want to stop for the red-headed foreigner with his arms full of drum stands.  At one point he was literally running around the middle of the intersection trying to get someone to stop!  Oh, for a video of that moment.

We got the stage set up and the sound checked and we began.  These guys are no group of random people trying to stay on key but real quality performers.  So although when the first song began there weren't many people in the room, by the time the second song began it was standing room only.  Everyone really, REALLY enjoyed the music.  At one point a less than sober gentleman from the hotel had wandered in and very helpfully tried to assist the keyboard player and drummer.

We were received very enthusiastically by the audience and we hope to be doing more of this this year.


After the concert, we broke down the equipment, loaded it into the van and then headed off to the obligatory late-night-after-a-concert stop at McDonald's.

Until next time.  Rock on!