AfroPulse Concert Newsletter for March

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Feb 28 2002       AfroPulse Concert News      Volume 2 Issue 2
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Contents:
   Internet Problems
   Hakim and Khaled Concert
   March Touring Acts
   
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Internet Problems

Things have cleared up with our Internet connection, however,
this weekend they are changing hardware on us. We will likely
have spotty service from the afternoon of Friday, March 1
until sometime Tuesday, March 5. Check the calendar before noon
Friday if you are planning to go out this week! Zanzibar West
reopens Friday night at a new location downtown, rumors are
that there might be a soukous concert at the Hollywood Park
Casino on Saturday (but then again maybe not), the Afrikans are
Coming for their annual pilgrimmage to the Wilshire Ebell
Theatre, and Hugh Masakela is at the Conga Room.  A few choices
from now until next Wednesday.

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Hakim and Khaled

I was surprised by the number of African performances last month,
but I especially enjoyed the Desert Rose rescheduled show that
was at the Orpheum Theater downtown last Sunday.  If you ever
get a chance to see a show at the Orpheum, don't pass it by.
The theater is magnificent and there is not a bad seat in the
2000+ available spots.  The center balcony gives a nice sweeping
view and is not far from the stage. The seats are a little narrow
and the row in front is tight for even those with moderate length
legs, but everything else is perfect from the chandeliers to the
gilded trim and tapestries to the colored glass overhead lights
under the balcony area.  Best of all the sound was clear, but not
blaring like usual -- even less so than the uselessly noisy
movie theaters I've been nearly driven to walk out on lately.

We lucked out with fourth row seats, but I neglected to take my
camera opting to enjoy the music for once.  I had never heard
Hakim but Khaled is one of my favorite musicians.  I really had
fun with Hakim opening!  They call him the Lion of Egypt.  From
his stage presence and smile I would guess that big set of teeth
you constantly see helps reinforce the title.  All smiles, he
danced his way through a long set of shaabi music whipping the
Egyptian fans into a frenzy.  The security guards were hard-
pressed to keep a stern look on their faces while surrounded by
young men and women winding their waists with arms raised trying
to ply each other and the security guards into dancing.  Many
sang along with the tunes and matched Hakim's onstage antics.
On one number he popped his chest and snapped his shoulders to
the beat of the drums, a cross between a Yoruba and a belly
dancer.  Hakim played for nearly two hours and it was non-stop!

After the intermission, Khaled took the stage.  He was less
animated than Hakim, rather more rascally than a pliant dancer.
He was full of laughs and looks, robot moves and playful games
with the band.  Security had trouble holding back the crowd as
chants for "Aïcha" erupted and a large Algerian flag waved from
the balcony.  Most of the young men were motioning to the stage
with their arms and hands, grasping for the star as they swayed
to their own swoon.  Another clamoring of Arabic came as Khaled
reached out to the crowd on the side of the stage when someone
waved him over for a picture.

The show wasn't over until nearly 12:30 Monday morning.  Both
the crowd and the musicians were spent by over 3 hours of music
and everyone left quietly without requesting a single encore,
everyone present perfectly sated.

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March Touring Acts

March is starting with a roar!  This weekend the Afrikans are
Coming and then Hugh Masakela plays the Conga Room, followed
next weekend by the Mozambique National Dance Company.  The week
after that brings the Children of Uganda and then Angelique
Kidjo in a rare club performance at the Roxy.  In between, we
can see Ricardo Lemvo at his main office (The Conga Room) and
at a couple special Latin events - the Cuban celebration at
Santa Monica College and another event at the Latin American
Museum in Long Beach.  Prince Diabaté also appears for
two shows at the Getty Museum.  The Getty shows are free, so
call to make reservations and bring the kids Sunday afternoon.
You can have a picnic on the grounds and see the indoor show
afterwards.

http://www.afropulse.com/music/concerts/mar2002inx.html

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I have a feeling this is going to be another blowout summer.
Here it is March and we already have had several big names in
town.  If you are looking for something to do besides music,
drop by the Hammer Museum on Westwood and Wilshire and check
out the exhibit by Malian portrait photographers Seydou Keïta
and Malick Sidibé that is on display through May 5.

jay