Small fish in a large pond

Johnny Clegg is one of the greatest South African musicians with an ability to sell out venues of thousands. He's appeared with some of thegreatest musicians on stages throughout the world. His songs have been used in movies throughout the world, from Jock of the Bushveld to George of the Jungle. He's appeared onstage with Nelson Mandela, for goodness sake. (Admittedly, he did write a song about him) And I've seen him twice in the US at venues holding 300 people. First time was at the Great American Music Hall in downtown SF, a venue with a great history of high quality acts, with a 14 piece group. The second was in the hills of Palo Alto at Montalvo Arts Center, a beautiful venue in a colonial house on a hill. This is one of the few music venues without the smell of skunk throughout, though some of the superannuated audience looked like they'd imbibed in the not to distant past. Instead of a raucous beer garden there was a wine table. And instead of hot dogs, kale. He appeared here with a smaller 5 man band and featured his talented son in an unexpectedly good opening act. And this pensioner is fitter than most people half his age, strutting within the confines of the stage with total spacial confidence. He's still touring for... I don't know why. Is it the exposure? The money? Or could it possibly be that he actually enjoys it? The audience here was not a youthful splurge, but a smattering of scatterlings. Looking at this I realize that he's been with me most of my life; from my early university days at the Free People concerts through Ellis Park concerts to the most recent ones in the US. More importantly, he's been there through South Africa's changes as a constant to look back on and help carry people through the present. He is the true gatherer of the scatterlings of Africa.

Going Postal

Countries all complain about their post including here. I mean they've gone and invented UPS/FEDEX which together have larger fleets than most air forces.

Why? Time sensitive? You can overnight it with US Post.

Safety? Registered, certified, insured, whatever.

Convenience? There's a box at the international departures in case you forgot to post your cheques.

Whenever I've had to use the FEDEX/UPS/DHL conglomerates it's been expensive to an extortionate degree, whereas the post has been safe, quick and most important, cheap.

We joined NETFLIX while here and the most impressive thing is how quickly the DVD's get back to home base. I sent one at 2pm yesterday and by this morning they'd already sent my next movie. Compared to the pilferzone that was SA mail it'sincredible. ( as is the idea of DVD's being sent by mail, but that's for another post.

Go, Postal!

The 11 best things in Vegas

An hour's flight from SFO or a mere 9 hours caffeine assisted drive; exit 1 for adult happiness.

Here's 11 of the best things to do there:

11. Pawn Stars. If you never seen the series, see it. Then take the family silver and go hock itin their tourist destination.

10. Mystere. 15 years on it still impresses.

9. More light than a resurrection.

8.Postrio's truffle gnocchi (especially with 25% off). The chref doesn't Puck around.

7.ESPN cafe wings, orange flavoured beer and 125 screens of happiness.

6. Never hearing poker face in any of the Poker rooms I haunt.

5.Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris for the best Parisian food, including Paris. The quiche.....

4. Bellagio flowers. Change every 3 months and fun for someone who enjoys vegetating more than vegetables.

3. The lifts at the Venetian. Mini chandeliers AND music from the phantom. I mean come on!

And the lifts to the parking have the numbers in braille. It's enough that they drive like they're blind.

2. Free parking! After spending hundreds in NYC/LA/DC and other parking profit centre, what a pleasure.

And number 1?...

1. The Pinball Hall of Fame. 400 machines primed and ready. And every quarter goes to the Salvation Army. Machines from the 40's to the latest Family guy one. Respect!

President's Cup

Does anyone do spectator sports like the US?

Got the best kind of tickets to see the President's Cup; free ones.

It took place at some nominally public course just to the side of the main city of SF. The Cup is a bi annual golf event to give a nominally international ( though pretty much all of them live and work on the US golf circuit) side a Ryder Cup experience. And to the delight of the US they've managed a consistent losing streak.

The crowds were phenomenal starting with queues to get into the venue, with the usual admonitions of no cellphones or, god forbid, copyright breaking cameras. Once inside there was a second queue for perhaps the coolest gadget of the year; a mobile TV/radio linked into the course coverage.

As well as being able to change between individual holes, I could also replay shots just after they were played. The advantage of living near silicon valley....

With my freebie ticket came exclusive access to an enclave within; a club within the club. All it was, was a place of longer lines with uniquely mediocre food. But like all clubs, people were trying to sneak in as it had the advantage of the unknown....Too late I saw better munchies outside.

Works pretty well until I got to the toilets. Yes, we're dealing with 50,000 people but must they truly be so utterly disgusting? The worst bogs on my African bush trips did not prepare me to stare into the filthy abyss. Made Slumdog's scenes look like a Ritz Carlton commercial. Truly revolting.

And the golf? Pretty good, all things considered, despite the conclusion being as definite as a Matthew McConnoghey/Mcconnoghy/mconnog /mcc chest exposure. And the stars did come out to play, from the ultimate Tiger to the newly re-divorced Greg Norman (a case of a conquested Norman?) sporting a newly broken arm (coincidence? Hmmmmm). Good natured, with a chatty, knowledgeable crowd; give or take an obligatory Jewish compliment. (They kept shouting " Jewde man" or something like that..)

But what was Michael Jordan doing there? He was apparently an advisory captain? On which cigar to smoke in celebration, maybe, but golf? To paraphrase Oscar Wilde "different balls, sir, different balls."

The Greek Theatre Berkeley

One of the great things about living in the US is that everywhere you turn, you see an iconic name. Driving through Silicon Valley to my monthly Backgammon I pass names like Apple, Adobe, and if I really get lost; Google.





Which brings me to the Greek. I thought I was going to the Neil Diamond one ( live concert album, etc) and even wore my spangly hommage jacket with removable tassles. Famous





Nope, this is the Berkeley one. Built by William Randolph (Citizen Kane) Hearst as an adjunct to the University it looks the same but no fame. But what the hell, it was still fun.





It's an open air theatre which means it can be lousy when the weather's cold (which is pretty much all the time in Berkekly/SF). Like any good Greek, the best way in is through the back entrance. And then you enter the arena. In keeping with the US penchant for expensive tickets, and hard, uncomfortable steep seating, the arena did not disappoint. Unlike the horrifically expensive booze ($7-10 a small plastic cup.) Goldman Sachs would be ashamed of this over charging. And then the bands started.





It was the Counting Crows augmented by Augustana( a group I'd just started hearing about on my XM). Having said that, I didn't know much about the Crows either, apart from their 3 big hits. And they rocked.





They mixed and matched their sets, helping each other out on songs, trying new ones and giving and getting a great night. They played most of what we knew of theirs except for the SHREK song (Accidentally in love. ) I guess they can't bear to play that anymore in case people chuck green underwear at the stage.....

I'd definiely go back but as the tickets say, no refunds for inclement weather. You've been warned.