performance story

The phone rang around noon on a Friday in February. I was feeling already tense because later that day I was scheduled to perform a solo in a performance at the Wise Hall in Vancouver BC. It was Farnaz on the other line asking me if I would like to join her on stage during her own solo. In my head I wanted to scream in indignation: "Are you mad! you are figuring out what you are planning to do on the same day of the performance". For my own solo, I have been practicing it and working hard on it for two months, but that is not Farnaz's style. I tried to sound as nonchalant as possible on the phone, agreeing to bring one of my palestinian dresses I got in Rammalah to wear for the performance. "Yeah! sure! I will join you, no problem, let's see what happens" I said towards the end of our conversation.

The madness continued, 1 hour before the actual show, Farnaz the guitarist and myself huddled around in a hallway at the wise hall to figure out the song, the tunes of it, the rythm, the breaks ... etc. As we talked we kept being interrupted by other people who needed to discuss one thing or another with one of us. Plus we couldn't hear each other because of background noise. I kept leaning over with my ear right next to the guitar so that I could hear it struggling to detect each note.

Then the craziest thing happened, we got up on stage. "I have no clue what I am doing" I found myself thinking. "Lets see what happens, lets just wing it"

Here it is, you judge for yourself.