ATWAS (all the world's a stage) #3

Well, it WAS winter for a little while, but right now it feels more like early November here in Ottawa, as the temps are above normal. Yesterday it was 8C, well above the average of -3C.

And yesterday the Steve Berndt Quartet had a noon-hour gig downtown at the Clarica Centre. The centre features live music every Wednesday, and I do this gig every couple of months. It's another reason that Kyoto works so well, because I can cycle right up to the door of the building and unload.


(Kyoto gets put away for winter hibernation once the roads get salted, but they received only a light dusting with that freezing rain we had, and regular rain has since washed most of it away.)

The gig takes place in the atrium of the centre that joins the two office towers together. There is a raised area with seating, and we just set up in one corner and play to the folks eating their lunch.


One feature is a waterfall that sensibly turns off right a noon so people can hear the music. It comes on automatically at 1:00pm, so if you're still playing that rippling noise is not the sound of mass applause...


The other feature is the presence of trees on the raised area. One of which is in the middle of where we set up. So this is my view of our bassist:


Just like my summer gig at the Metropolitan, I get leaves dropping on my kit...