The second edition of the European Songs of the Soul Tour wrapped up Monday night with a concert to a full house in a monestary in Graz, Austria.
The crowd of about 300 was among our most enthusiastic.? It was a special night because it was the last and also because things had changed a little from previous shows.? Some folks had to bow out of that concert because of it being on Monday.? Among them, I was graciously invited to play bass with Arthada’s Group.
It was good fun, in spite of having had very little rehearsal.?? I personally had a very nice experience performing, because after enough shows, I was not so nervous,? I didn’t think about what I had to play so much, and I could concentrate on making each performance an offering.
The previous was somewhat of a hometown gig for me as I have spent most of the last 2 months in Salzburg.? This was for about 550 people in what was our hippest concert hall.? We’ve played very classy and stately halls on this tour but this one was the coolest.? Amphitheater seating, brick walls and industrial ceiling.? After the concert Harald and Andrea from the Heart of Joy Caf? hosted a party for all the crew and musicians.? It was really fun to get together to relax a little without worrying about soundchecks and what not.? This is typical of the generosity of The Heart of Joy.
Pizza, Pretzels and Quiche kept coming out of the kitchen well into the evening.? On Tuesday I ran into some people who attended the concert and they thanked me profusely for a really great experience.? Always nice to hear, of course.
On Saturday in Ljubljana,? I was completely charmed by a city I knew next to nothing about.?? This was one of those halls that is extremely classy and prestigious.? Not everyone who wants to book a concert there is allowed to do so.? The city also has the kind of charm one finds in Salzburg or Heidelburg, with small pedestrian cobblestone streets and a castle up on the hill.? The welcome we received with our hosts was really great.? We felt at home in Slovenia.? I think the crowd was about 500 there also, but I forget.
I do know that over the 10 concerts in 9 days there were 6000 people who attended these concerts.? The amount of work and dedication required to put together a project like this one makes my head spin.? And I really do feel that offering spiritual music to the world at large like this (entry was free of charge for all concerts) really goes a long way to making this planet a better place to live.? I am truly grateful for having had the opportunity to participate in such a unique project.? More of theses concerts are planned for the relatively near future, so keep your eyes peeled…
Thank you for these very nice reports. I wish I could be there.