French songstress Emilie Simon found herself in a quandary in China recently when bad weather stopped her equipment from getting through to Wuhan for her show.
All of her instruments and her stage manager Charles were stranded 400 kilometres from the gig. “It meant no computer, no ear monitors, no pedals, no tuner, no electronic ARM (BRAAH), no Tenori-on, no nothing,” she explains at her website.
Emile decided the show would go on and performed with whatever instruments she could find.
The result was a standing ovation from a packed venue.
At her website, Emile explains, “Charles and all our equipment were supposed to arrive in Wuhan yesterday afternoon but ended up landing 400km away because of bad weather. So no Charles, no gear.
“Yours truly and her dream team had to go into warrior mode for a commando mission in Wuhan. We put together a passionate semi-acoustic show in this punk club that has a vibe that is as awesome at night as it is questionable during the day time.
“Well, I was determined to continue with the show as scheduled and nothing was going to stop me; not the absence of Charles and the gear, not the incredibly small green room that didn’t have lights, running water or a mirror (but was entirely filled with graffiti and stickers), not the septic tank smell that kept us company all day, and certainly not the electrical shocks that my mic kept giving me. I had purchased a traditional Chinese flute the day before that I wanted to incorporate into the show so I quickly learned to play it, and with that we built 10 new versions of the songs just 2 hours before the show. We decided on a set list in 5 minutes and then it was time to start the concert. The place was packed, the mood was electric.
“I went on stage alone to play the first song of the set ‘To The Dancers In the Rain’ (version piano voice). When I finished that first song and looked around the room at the crowd all I could see were the sparkles in their eyes (and on their iphones) and the smiles on their faces. I was now feeling their growing warmth and total presence, and at that moment everything troublesome from the day just faded away.
“The band then joined me for an ethereal version of « Dreamland » and a Mexican take on « Des Larmes ». Everyone (Nicolas, Mathieu, and Vincent) handled the entire situation like true warriors. With calming smiles on their faces they seemed more inspired than ever. After that I pulled out the traditional flute and the whole room lit up, they seemed genuinely touched. We shared an amazingly human experience throughout the rest of the set.
“It was a relief to see Charles show up at the end of the night and share in our feelings about what an incredibly surreal and unforgettable day it had been.
Now that it’s all over I can honestly say that it’s not bad ending up naked (so-to-speak) in front of a room full of people you’ve never met when they make you feel as understood and accepted as they made me feel that night …
“But let’s not do that again ;).
From China with Love,
Emile
