My dream concert

So, there is this small bar on an abandoned train station where children run around while old men drink their beer. Goats, dogs and a random chicken wonder around and bikes, motors and woman dressed in the most colourful clothes pass by, carefully balancing buckets, fruit and other impressively big items on their heads or vehicles. It is a film like, colourful and lively happening and all of this happens set against the backdrop of the Kilimanjaro. It is my absolute favourite place in Moshi and the visit of the Dutch duo Rogier Smal en Nora Mulder seemed to be the perfect occasion to finally organise my dream concert. This train station just had to be our Friday evening concert venue!

 After working with a children circus in Mambo viewpoint, Nora and Rogier joined me in Moshi for their final week in Tanzania. We played for and worked with the children in the school, explored the different coffee places in and around Moshi and finally performed together with local dance and music group Kili Wizards. The preparation process was very stressful. I am used to organise things in for example The Netherlands or London and well I can tell you now, in Tanzania things go slightly different! I had to be very patient, take risks and trust that in the end everything would be alright. It was absolutely worth it though because the concert was amazing. 

The local children were the first ones to come and check out what was going on. They followed us around to see and try our instruments. More and more people came and at the end we had an amazing mixed audience of at least 200 people! We played, danced and improvised till the sun was completely gone.
​Aaa when I think back it makes me smile again!!

Photography: Eric de Clercq