Sunday 21 June 2015 - Fete de la Musique (Rita & Tony), Moissac (#119)

Every June 21st (summer solstice day) is the Fete de la Musique in many French towns, where the community gets together to make music. The Moissac event this year has been organised by our good friend Veronique Duffault, and she asked Rita and I to play some pan music at the Uvarium.

Having been rehearsing some new songs (for me) for the past 10 days, we are about ready to go. But first we have to get all the instruments from the house (where we have been rehearsing) down to the Uvarium. The first trip was easy, with the soprano pan, the two baritones and the various bits of electronic gear. But then we had to get 6 bass pans down there, and we fully realised that the Renault Scenic was much smaller than the pan bus back home. But eventually after three trips, we were set up and ready to play.

Now all we needed was an audience, since there had been some confusion in the programming about exactly when we would be playing. So we just started playing/rehearsing at the earlier advertised time, stopping to talk with people as they arrived and showing some families how the pans made music. All very informal, but enjoyable.

Eventually, more barging people, community members, Australians and then the Batucada band (that were playing later) arrived and so we moved into the concert proper, with me initially playing the baritones and then switching to the more familiar six bass.

Eventually, more barging people, community members, Australians and then the Batucada band (that were playing later) arrived and so we moved into the concert proper, with me initially playing the baritones and then switching to the more familiar six bass.