Vicarious pleasures all over again

It's so surreal whenever I watch a performance. It's the one time I am not doing anything for self-improvement or self-education, but just showing my appreciation for somebody's talents and letting that person be in his/her element. And also you kind of wonder how people can think in those patterns, to coordinate compositions and stuff. Well, tonight was an incredible night! TO SAY THE LEAST

I finally watched Aqualung!!!!!!! After 4 years of waiting, I finally get to see him! And in the context of a promotional cafe performance that can only happen in American =D The setting was so incredibly intimate and informal, and he just talks to you about random things. Before the performance he actually went to the toilet that was not backstage or anything, so he basically walked through the dinner crowd, then he went to the bar and got a drink, like right amidst the other people at the bar table. And it wasn't weird or anything. No one was hounding him or screaming. It was just all so cool.

Kaiser Cartel opened for Matt, and for their last song they went downstage and walked in and out of the tables and sang to the diners (us!). How cool is that?! Also, I got to witness the beginnings of a rockstar trying to make her mark. I guess for a new group like KC, they had to promote their albums themselves. Like, the girl of the duo was at the table taking questions about their music, and handling the money and freebies, very very normal. And people would just go up and talk about music to them. (p.s. it's so funny to hear of a group named Kaiser Cartel. I mean, right when I'm revising for my mid-term on the Middle Ages and learning about the Frankish Emperor Charles Martell - Charlemagne's granddad for those of you who don't know)

Here's a video of KC. Aqualung himself, aka Matt Hales, is at the piano.

Aqualung was amazing :) I have video clips of him performing hits, but... they're too huge to upload.

Anyway, at the end of his performance Matt went to the table at the exit and bascially stood there forever signing autographs and taking pictures, and all of us were so obediently in a line.

He was splendid; I told him that I'm from Singapore and that we probably won't get to see him there, and that I was elated that he happened to have a show in Philadelphia where I was studying. And he replied that there were people trying to get him to perform there! Then as he was signing my poster, just as he finished his first name, he paused and decided to add a lil' sumthin':

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Basically the walk to the cafe took forever, but the walk back home went by in a flash! I bet people on the streets were staring at this psychotic girl with the largest smile ever on her face.

Well well... I know all of you are waiting for the grand finale, and I won't disappoint.

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