Daniel Pearl Day of Music 2006

We haven't been on stage in a while, but we haven't been slacking off. Work on the CD is coming along, and we've got several performances coming up.

The first is the Daniel Pearl Day show at Treasure Hill in Taipei on September 30. I believe we'll be starting around 4 or 5 P.M., but come early to catch the other acts. We're at the smaller stage at the art studio/cafe.

We've taken part in the Daniel Pearl Day of Music several times now. Besides being a great chance to see live music in Taiwan, it's also a day to reflect on Daniel Pearl, a journalist and musician, who was executed in Pakistan in 2002.



Update: An email brought a copy of the flyer for this weekend's event. And here's a schedule of when the bands will be performing.

Main Stage
2pm To a God Unknown
3pm Minstral
4pm Anglers
5pm Sky Burial
6pm Sons of Pablo
7pm Crossroads
8pm Public Radio
9pm Sound Clashes

Acoustic Stage
3pm Kevin Smith
4pm Mister Green
5pm David Chen and Muddy Basin Ramblers

Lightning blues

We'd been planning to do a riverside session/gig/practice down at Bitan on Sunday, but that afternoon a thunderstorm rolled in and dumped heavy rain on Xindian. I called David; he said if the rain stopped we'd still be on. At 6 or so, it stopped, so I gathered up my stuff and went down to Athula's. I ordered a couple of delicious rohti and was just chomping into them when it started to rain again, accompanied by lightning and thunder.

Since we were all there, (except for Conor, of course), we decided to go down and find a dry place to play. We walked carefully through the lightning and thunder, carrying as we were such lightning-friendly things as a long wooden pole and a metal guitar. We ended up under the highway bridge, a massive concrete X-shaped structure looming over the river where, not too long ago, the Karaoke Bastards ruined many a night's tranquility in the area. We were about to do the same, but with better music. David had brought me a Muddy Basin Ramblers T-shirt to replace the one I misplaced at Zoe's house.

As we began to play, the rain increased in volume and strength; rivers of water streamed down the bank where we were playing. We moved our stuff around trying to find someplace dry. Amazingly, several friends showed up, despite the weather, to hear us. The sound echoed under the bridge, and I was sure everyone across the river could hear us. Occasionally a scooter or vendor would trudge by, sometimes stopping to listen. I'd brought my pocket trumpet and for some reason, possibly the weather, the valves were sticking like crazy. I managed somehow anyway, playing very deliberately. At least the tub isn't affected by the rain. It even makes a nice umbrella if need be.

We played until about 11:30, making it an early night due to the fact that everyone had work the next day. The rain turned to drizzle as I walked back home across the bridge. It was a good time. We should go down there more often.