Ceiling Art

I’m quite fond of Chemnitz. It’s a typical Soviet style town with wide, open streets, lots of concrete apartment blocks and, on the outskirts, obviously not too rich. But wandering around the city it’s got a laid back kind of feel and is still rebuilding itself into a ‘western’ style city, with colour, lights and modern shops. The wide streets and open plan layout make it quite easy to walk (or drive) around and there is a growing number of pleasant restaurants and cafes.

Stage set, Chemnitz

The concert hall is also basic but professionally run and always a pleasure to work with (this is our second visit). We get to play in the small hall (there is a full size concert hall next door) which doubles as a seminar room, but tonight it’s setup for a concert.

Jungle stage setting.

Singing the 'Precarious' mantras

This is the first concert where Deva has sung one of the mantras from the “Mantras for Precarious Times” CD. The CD consists of 7 mantras, each one repeated 108 times (for various esoteric reasons) and is designed as a practise CD, rather than a listening CD. She will start the second half by sitting at the front of the stage with a tamboura highlighted with a spot light. After explaining how the mantras are to be used, she’ll chant one of the mantras (‘Om Shanti Om’ tonight) 108 times, using a small mala to keep count. It goes well, with much of the audience chanting along with her and becomes a regular part of the show.

Manose with a message