It has been a very interesting ten days here in South Africa; with extended visits to both Cape Town and Johannesburg, cities about as different as San Francisco is from Chicago. And the Trafalgar Square show in 2001 for Nelson Mandela was one of those times you always remember, but coming here has really made us appreciate it and understand it more fully–we have had quite a bit of time off for things like jetlag and gear to settle, and that has allowed us to get out and take in various aspects of the cities, the culture, the sights…all very inspiring. It is a country completely changed from only a decade ago, and it is a real experiment in a lot of ways..an experiment with a chance of succeeding; all of us have read a lot about the progress in South Africa for many years.
The shows have been intense and rocking, the crowds boisterous and appreciative, the reception gratifying from audiences, to new friends, to reviews…all in all, a very positive experience for all of us here, and I expect we will come back sometime. And one of the cool things about doing 2 shows in the same city is that the guys mix up the sets a lot, with songs like “Rockville,” “Maps and Legends,” “At My Most Beautiful,” “The Ascent of Man” getting the occasional bow.
We get up for tomorrowâs flight to Tokyo, where we arrive Sunday and again, have a few days to adjust in that incredible metropolis, probably including a “High Speed Train”….all while hoops intensity unfolds a little more than half a word away.
In progress…
-Bertis