Travels with Grumpus

Once a year, this town gets culture, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to miss any of the fun stuff. Since Grumpus is not a big fan of things “cultural”, he leaves me to find my own company. Shy and I saw the superfantastic Youssou N’Dour last night, and had a great time in the process.

As some of you may know, Shy helps run a safari travel agency, which Grumpus and I used to book our own trip to Africa 3 and a half years ago. She lives for her trips to Africa, which she’s been to more times than I’ve been out of Hong Kong. I on the other hand have been in search of new music to stimulate my tired and bored ear drums, and the chance to release my inner spas in a controlled environment. Mr. N’Dour was therefore a treat for both of us.

And Youssou did not disappoint. It took about 30 minutes for the crowd of lawyer and banker types to get on their feet (Lord save the blackberry-toting crowd), but once they did, we rushed forward and danced happily in the aisles. The man can wail with the best of them, but his singing was sweet and joyous and uplifting. He was ably assisted by the Super Etoile de Dakar (I don’t know if that’s suffixed by “Band” so I’m leaving the word out), of whom I named certain key members: there was Mr. Acrobat-Rubber Bones, Pajama armpit-drum guy, Jimi “M’buto” Hendrix, and Jenny, the gospel singer from Queens.

Later this week I’m seeing the Artemis Quartet, the Amadinda Percussion Group, and Julia Migenes. Yep, my dance card is full.