I Wish You Love

Danny; Cairo, Egypt

We woke up this morning and drove back to Cairo from Alexandria. Before we left, I had enough time to have breakfast at our hotel on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean sea.

We stopped halfway back at a rest stop that had some strange inhabitants.

The drive back went through an area of Egypt that is know for farm raised fish, organic farming, produce for export and wineries etc. It's a very lush area and it is the first farm land that I've seen since I've come to the Middle East.

We got back to Cairo and had enough time to rest for an hour before we had to go to the outdoor stage for our last concert in Egypt and out final concert of the Mid East
Musical Overtures tour. The outdoor concert sponsored by Mobinil
wireless, was an underground music festival featuring five Cairo alternative rock bands and us. Before we played, we had enough time to walk to a Nile river boat cafe for a snack. I wasn't sure why there was a horse in the parking area of the festival, then again it didn't surprise me after all the goats, sheep, donkeys, chickens, roosters, etc, etc, that I've seen in the streets, on this tour.

I told Johnny that he should ride the horse on to the stage;)

Eating on the Nile with Mike Hanke the US Embassy PA officer. He and Sarah took such good care of us and made our trip to Egypt so enjoyable, safe and successful. They did an amazing job!

We got back to the concert and did a couple of media interviews before taking the stage. There was a great Cairo band playing when we got there and it was great to hear the fusion of Arabic traditional instruments and modern rhythm section. Before we started, people were milling around and waiting for us to go on stage.

We got our gear set up on stage and I wondered how this young hip eclectic audience would receive us and our music?

We started to play abd the young crowd moved towards the stage and by the time we were playing our third song, Johnny had made his way off the stage and into the crowd. He had them singing along individually and as a group. People were dancing, holding up lighters. We saw a band and group of fans yelling to us, they had been at our workshop. The energy and enthusiasm of the crowed was surprising and not the same vibe I had seen during the other acts. There was so much interaction and participation. By the time we played the last tune, everyone was really dancing & rocking out. You could feel the excitement and joy of the people, like they had been waiting for a moment to dance and let loose. There has been so much happening here since the revolution and there is such a youthful positive vibe in this city. I felt very emotional watching them having fun and celebrating. Sharing the music and fun made this the most wonderful half hour! We got the biggest welcome and made so many more friends tonight. We thanked them from the stage for the honor and pleasure of being here in Cairo with them this evening. I love Egypt and the Egyptian people. I can't think of a better way to end our tour. There is so much history, culture, heart & soul in this land and I am truly changed by being here during this amazing time in their quest for freedom. Egypt, I wish you peace, stability, safety, freedom and most of all, love.

The Night Before Last

Danny; Alexandria, Egypt

Last night we played for an amazing crowd of Egyptians! It was at this old theater that is now a cultural center.

The place had the best vibe and we
had so much fun on stage. It really was one of the most exiting experiences we've had. At one point during an early rock and roll number, everything seemed black and white on stage, it seemed like we went back in time. The old theatre, the audience and the music sent everyone to a place of oneness, a single awareness, joy.

Johnny told the audience that we were honored and blessed to have come to play for the people of Egypt, of Alexandria. There is a special spirit in this city and in the hearts of it's people.

Students from the American center that is sponsored by the US Embassy and Consulate in Alexandria, did a documentary if our whole day. We told them that we came with open hearts and minds and we were changed forever by their country and their positive energy. We said our goodbyes and promised we would comeback someday.

Where Old Meets New

Danny; Alexandria, Egypt

Yesterday we played Damietta at the cultural center which sits on the bank of the Nile, where it meets the Mediterranean sea. There is a beautiful old bridge on the river that was designed by the same man who designed the Eiffel tower. It was originally in Cairo and was floated down the Nile to Damietta, where it is now a bridge museum library.

The cultural center had a small cement theater in the round, outside in their court yard. We had some great young musicians and dancers join us during the concert.

We had a great time with the crowd and made lots of friends who have since sent us pics & warm wishes on Facebook. We packed up our gear and drove 3 hours to Alexandria.

We got to Alexandria late in the evening and you could smell the fresh sir and scent of the Mediterranean. The next morning we woke up early to play at a facility in the Alexandria library.

We did a workshop for a few local young Alexandrian bands. We played
for a while and then they played for us. At the end we all played some tunes together and again we made so many new friends.

We love Alexandria, there is an amazing spirit here and it is reflected in their music. The vibe is wonderful and the people made us feel so welcome. After the workshop, we were given a private tour of the library. It sits across from the sea on a beautiful plaza and you can see young people hanging out enjoying life in this beautiful city.

The outside of the library has representations of every type of language notation from around the world. The large ball is a planetarium and there are all sorts of concert halls and antiquities museum in the facilities. The inside is so amazing that the pictures I took just can't do it justice. I suggest that you go to their website, which is one of the most interactive and amazing sites I have ever seen! See more at; Bibalex.org

We finished our mind blowing tour of the library and had time for a quick bite on peace plaza. There are 12 Palestinian olive trees planted there as a reminder of peace.