Essential Snobbery 101: Attend for the experience or stay at home

Acrobats from Africa

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of attending the Kalabanté Productions: Afrique En Cirque performance at the Aviva Studios, Factory International venue bordering Manchester to the northwest, courtesy of tickets from George House Trust.

This troupe from Guinea in West Africa brought to life the typical everyday life in West Africa, even though they represented themselves more as ambassadors of Africa than from a specific region.

The performance was full of African percussion and the versatility of the kora, a 21-stringed instrument common to West Africa, beyond which were dances and lots of acrobatics. Amongst the performers were two contortionists with freakish abilities that just astounded us with awe.

For me, it was a lovely, entertaining night; the innate African in me could not sit still as the percussion beats resonated, so you just had to move or rock in rhythm in your seat.

Arriving on African time

With everything African, certain African traits were presented with a surprising coincidence of our row of 16 seats in a section being populated by people seemingly of African origin.

However, my pique was with certain on my row who arrived over 30 minutes after the performance started, meaning we had to get up for them to get to their seats. The seat beside me was vacant for about an hour before the lady arrived, and the performance had hardly ended before she was the first to literally push her way through to leave. She probably should have just stayed home.

I do have my concerns about concert etiquette, though. I would attend a performance for the experience, in the moment. I might at times take notes, but I rarely do, except when I am attending for the second time, if the opportunity comes up.

The disruption of mobile phones

It has become the bane of live attendance to see many holding up their phones and recording the performance, obviously to relay to others that they were there, but I feel the quality of the experience is diminished by the distraction or concentration on their phones to ensure they get the somewhat essential elements of the performance.

The amateur recording of a performance would never meet the professional standards of a licensed recording of a performance with cameras at strategic locations and all the elements of zooming in on certain sections of the stage to highlight critical must-see actions.

Besides, in a dark theatre, the light or glare of the mobile phone recording events is both a distraction and an irritation to other members of the audience. Some concerts literally look like candlelight vigils, all phones aglow and in the line of sight of those behind trying to catch what is going on.

Come for the experience

In my view, this should be banned, you either have come for a live performance or you want to watch it on television at home. If indeed you need to encourage others to see the show, your word of mouth about the experience should suffice. If snippets of the show are necessary, the production company would probably have a professionally curated trailer of their performance to highlight what to expect; it is unlikely you can do better than them.

It might serve a purpose for you, and the best is to seek a photo opportunity with the performers after the show; that would be more unique and special than a bootlegged sneaky recording of a performance, whilst being an irritation to others. Thank you.

Opinion: Nigerians paying to suffer great indignities

It is global no matter how local

The Nigerian Twitterverse was overrun with trending topics earlier today to do with a major concert that featured international artistes at a somewhat exclusive venue in Lagos.

I will not delve into the particular for there is much more to address with regards to the general which pertains to a Nigeria we will do well to divorce ourselves from if we are to make any progress as a people and as a country.

One is concerned that many do not realise that events in Nigeria now have a global audience and are subject to global scrutiny for the better or for the worse that it is important that those who identify as Nigerians both at home and abroad need to be aware of the responsibilities they bear along with the burden of duty that comes with being worthy and commendable ambassadors of our great land.

The concert was streamed live from the venue but that did not seem to compare in any way to the experiences the patrons had.

Oversold and under-prepared

The event would have had extensive publicity and garnered much interest with the sterling list of celebrities invited to compere and perform, it would appear the exclusive tickets labelled for VIPs and VVIPs were oversubscribed and sold but no adequate provision was made to accommodate the egos that thought they had bought exclusivity, comfort and class – nothing could have been further from the truth.

The reality was that the logistics were poor for accessing the venue that the patrons had to walk kilometres to the venue only to be bustled and jostled by bouncers at entry and then having inadequate seating or basic liquid refreshment.

Not what they paid for

To add insult to injury, the host appeared to be nonchalant about the ensuing chaos and like a typical Nigerian he would have attempted to bluff his way through the inadequacies to the extent that the patrons would have grumbled but accepted the indignities meted out to them.

Besides, the internationally renowned actor who was supposed to host the event that ran for hours was apparently only on stage for a grand total of less than 30 minutes.

Things ought not be so, people who have in their quest to sate their hedonistic tendencies by shelling out fortunes for access to glitterati should expect to be treated with dignity, respect, decorum and definitely not shabbily.

The insults we tolerate

But then, it goes without saying that if you are invited to an event you are probably a Very Important Person but if you have to pay to be seen with celebrities, you are anything but a VIP – access does not confer class; you are at best an interloper seeking to belong – I am not particularly sympathetic to people who assume airs of self-importance thinking their money can buy influence and thereby entitlement.

However, that said, Nigerians are in the majority mug-fodder (for mug, Nigerians will understand mugu better) to be exploited by the unscrupulous who trade on the low self-esteem or inferiority complex of the 'successful' but serious wanting in strength of character and demeanour.

It is not so important

There probably is a salutary lesson to be learnt, you do not have to be there if you have not been asked to be there by those who can smooth all the access required for you and remove the inconvenience I dare say rich plebs and wannabes suffer.

But in a country where we all troop like a stampeding herd usually uninvited to pay homage and burnish the egos of the powerful whilst wearing the most expensive watches but are so unschooled in keeping time, only a few of those who complained and fulminated vociferously will decline the opportunity to be treated with disdain if another event is staged at twice the ticket price and even less organisational preparation – we never learn.

His banker is laughing

If however any redress can be sought for the host to first apologise publicly and then offer compensation with the promise to do better, much progress will have been made. Reputations, perception and integrity should become front and centre of public life in Nigeria – crooks and confidence tricksters have held sway for too long.

Sadly, the age-old saying still finds true as it did at the very first time it fell from the lips of the original wise head – a fool and his money are soon parted.

Coming into 2010

Sparkling fireworks

The New Year’s Day was ushered in at the residence of the neighbours I have been so blessed to have, dinner first which went down a treat but I missed desert, I was just too tired to keep up I returned home to take a 30 minute nap.

With 15 minutes to go of 2009, I returned to my neighbours and we ushered in the New Year with a good toast of champagne.

The wonder of New Year in Amsterdam was resplendent in fireworks, the sky was lit up with what someone estimated was EUR 25 million in smoke.

Looking towards the Nieuwmarkt where we have the Chinese community, it was roman candles, Catherine wheels, crackers and explosions, some rarely seen in Europe except when imported by the Chinese, but nothing to need the air raid shelter for.

My last New Year’s celebrations in Amsterdam turned in 2006 and for many others I had spent here before, within 30 minutes of midnight the air was thick with smoke, this time, the wind was so brisk, it was all blown away but one tradition still remained, the bonfire in the metal boat downstairs where Christmas trees sparkled into ashes outliving their seasonal usefulness.

I had a restful night and got up a little late but just in time for my elevenses and a breakfast of fried plantain and stew.

The Vienna Concert

I was about to miss my New Year’s Day ritual on BBC 2 [1], the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year’s Day concert conducted this year by Frenchman Georges Prêtre [2].

God willing I would get tickets to see the concert live, they are gold dust and really spoken for by the third week of January for the New Year 11 months away, it would be a fantastic pleasure.

The familiar Strauss family polkas, waltzes and marches featured with the well-known Blue Danube showing the source of the Danube River in Germany through Austria, Hungary, Serbia and its deltas in Romania into the Black Sea, It flows through 10 countries in all as the Second longest river in Europe. I think 2 other Austrian composers featured, I cannot remember their names.

Georges Prêtre a man of 85 was spritely, youthful, energetic and a joy to watch conducting the orchestra for 2 hours of fanfare, without notes, I repeat, from memory.

I am beginning to think of all professions, being a conductor takes you into old age almost like a young man, if I remember a conductor at a major BBC Proms performance the last year which lasted almost 2 hours was Sir Charles Makkeras who then was also 85 and he did not look a day over 60 in his element.

The ballet dancers from the Volksoper Ballet were arrayed in designer clothes by the Italian, Valentino, who appeared with the dancers after they had finished their repertoire.

In the end, Radejsky’s March which includes conducting the audience in regulated clapping is just so inviting you to want to be there the next time – who knows, once again, I might just be the guest of some Austrian dignitary or diplomatic personality, better than entering the lottery for a ticket.

Films and thanks

After that it was Jake with John Wayne and now the Guns of Navarone – all this film nostalgia, text messages with messages of goodwill for the new year, I am looking forward to 2010 with much confidence, hope and refreshingly new things.

Happy New Year to all my friends, well-wishers, readers, those who have followed my blog and left comments, I wish you all a prosperous and rewarding year with good health and great achievements, more importantly, may your joy be full.

Thank you for all your support, friendship and help, it is much appreciated.

Happy New Year!

Sources

[1] BBC - BBC Two Programmes - New Year's Day Concert, 2010

[2] Georges Prêtre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Viewing Vienna through New Year's music [akin.blog-city.com] Written January 2009