Hmm... since I've been back from Queenstown I've started a new acedemic year at university, which is for the most part going okay. Australia has been (out) playing New Zealand in the cricket, and todays Warriors game wasn't that great either. As well, I've managed to attend two concerts, which is more than I can in reality afford. However, both of these concerts were worth the price.

Zakir Hussein
Held on the 6th of March, the Zakir Hussein concert was quite entertaining. I am certain Zakir and friends kept the music simple because I could actually count the timing for most of those pieces. A lot of those were in common time too. Still, the music did not lack in quality. The concert opened with a performance by an East Indian group called Manipuri Jagoi Marup. The tubby guy in the middle had remarkable time, and the other two hit their drums pretty well too. The tubby guy in the middle could also perform an impressive selection acrobatics whilst drumming.

Of the performers, I only knew Zakir's music. Others there were Zakir's brother Taufiq Qureshi (Percussion), Ganesh (Violin), and V. Selvaganesh (Kanjira). V Selvaganesh is the son of T.H. "Vikku" Vinayakram whose music I do know. This was the first time I had heard Selvaganesh or the Kanjira, and I was very impressed by both. Taufiq Qureshi provided some dazzling percussion work with a fair bit of humour. Personally, as percussion and humour go, I prefer Trilok Gurtu. Zakir excused Taufiq's percussion antics by pointing out that he was his youngest brother.

There was also some North Indian dance by someone named Antonia Minnecola. I don't understand dance, and preffered to pay more attention to the music.

It would appear that Indian audiences don't need much encouragement to start clapping (furiously) along to the music. Thankfully, the crowd was not horribly out of time.

The New Zealand Pacific percussion group Te Vaka joined Zakir and friends for a jam as the final set. In terms of percussion playing, Te Vaka were very noticibly outclassed (except for the skinny guy with the afro at the end, who had a good natural rhythm). However, the start of the tune was a well arranged ballad that fused Indian Classical music and dance, with Polynesian harmony. It was very nicely done. Excellent harmony by Te Vaka.


Joe Satriani
There is very little I can tell you about the Joe Satriani concert on the 12th of this month. I was right up there, and it was awesome. I managed to take some photographs.

Left to Right: Joe Satriani, Jeff Campitelli, Matt Bissonette, Galen Henson
My mates (two of them) and I found an open door around the back of the St. James Theatre and snuck in. The Band was doing their soundcheck (we got there about three hours before the doors were to open). They were too far away for a good photograph, so this is the best I managed to get -- whilst trying to avoid being seen..	A really bad shot of Joe leaving soundcheck.
Yeah, it was just us and the band at soundcheck.	My papparazzi shot of Joe. We got to meet him outside after soundcheck and later after the show.
The doors opened at seven pm, and the concert started eight.	More Joe.
...	Joe's Shadow.
Joe again.	Joe, Matt Bissonette and Jeff Campitelli in the background.
The legend yet again.	Joe Satriani is an Italian American guitar player from New York. He responsible for teaching guitar legend Steve Vai as well as Mettalica's Kirk Hammett to play the guitar. He was heavily influenced by the blues and in fact started playing guitar seriously the day Jimi Hendrix died. He has not looked back since, becoming the most influential rock guitarist since the great Jimi himself.
Some more photographs of Joe to follow
Matt Bissonette on the right. Check out Joe's Seven-String!	Some emotive playing...
"Satch"	The final bow (after the encore performace)
That's not just a random squiggle on my ticket there...