Saturday, July 11, 2009

Live Music and Ordinary People

Live Music and Ordinary People


I just got home from watching Qwela Band, one of my favourite performing groups in Uganda.  They perform every Friday night at Emin Pasha.  Lounging on a sofa with friends on the balcony listening the eclectic mix of live music as interpreted by Qwela is a great way to unwind from any week.  I’ve become a pretty regular groupie.  I first heard of the band’s Friday night gig from one of the singers, Anita, who I acted with in a play last October (September?).  However, it took me a few months before I attended a performance, but once I did, I was hooked.  My two favourite songs they perform are covers of Summertime and Ordinary People.  They have a great style, and the singers have fantastic voices.

I’m on a live music kick.  I plan to go see Maurice Kirya again tomorrow night.  I hear he’s going to be live at Lotus Mexican Cantina—Saturday night, 11th July at 7:00pm.  Join me?

I’m going to make a short post since it is so late—places to be early in the morning.  I wanted to at least post something today since I did not make one yesterday.  I dozed off on the sofa at 5:30 yesterday afternoon and woke up at 2:00am, so I just stumbled to bed and slept until 6:30 this morning.  Yes, that is 11 hours of sleep.  I was really tired; I guess I needed to catch up on a lot of sleep.

I think I’m getting too comfortable in my surroundings… and that’s not really a safe thing.  One thing I advise visitors to Kampala when they ask for safety tips is to remember that Kampala is a big city.  Treat it that way.  That’s why I got pretty frustrated with myself as I found myself walking home alone tonight up the dark hill to my flat.  What was I thinking?  I guess I wasn’t.  I mean it was pretty late and really dark.  I’ve seen people robbed on that street.  I always think it will never happen to me… until it does.  I cannot afford to be complacent about my security.  Was it complacency or curiosity that killed the cat?

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