Tuesday 4 March 2014

Embracing Brasilia!

I woke up feeling so much more refreshed, more relaxed after a good night's sleep. By now it was lunch time and Gilmar took me out to lunch locally which was an interesting walk through his local community. We went to a self-service restaurant where a big range of Brazilian food is laid out and you help yourself to whatever you want and then the plate is weighed to determine cost. It was a good way to try a broad range of things and made sure I got a good meal inside me. After that we went off to the second rehearsal which was in the early afternoon,

After gathering with the band again we run though the outstanding numbers we didn't get to do last time and then, once that was done, I inquired why Newtown People was not ready to be attempted and Caio told me that it was simply that they did not have an MP3 or anything of the track. I told them of the importance of the track in the set, how it adds light and shade and gives the band a bit of a break from all the fast energetic numbers. So I ask if we could at least give it a go. I start the song's intro and to my surprise, out came an almost fully formed song, and because it was done without reference to the original, it came out more original, different, good. So we run through it a few times and then all the numbers we had done the night before and then we were done. The songs had come a long way and the band was now ready, they were not perfect but they were ready to gig and tomorrow we will see.

After we had finished Caio offered to show me around the spectacular sites of central Brasilia. Unlike Britain it is not considered bad to walk around drinking beer even around national monuments so we had a little mobile party as I was taken around the stunning architecture of the centre. Some of it looked like it came straight out of a science fiction movie and on top of that; the whole city is built on the land in the shape of a massive aeroplane.

It was built new where there had previously been no town previously much like Harlow New Town was, and there you can see how I was engrossed in this amazing city, Newtown People, Newtown Pioneers, they were all here, waiting for me, and like brothers and sisters separated for some time, we embraced. Near the Brasilia National Museum we met up with Caio's brother and the three of us walked round discussing the form and architecture and how this area was good for making out with your girlfriend. Being amorous around government buildings, sound like a great way to brighten up Brasilia politics.
 
We finish up at a bar area overlooking Brasilia's newest bridge which spans a gigantic man-made lake and  we drink and talk about life in general and I am quizzed about mine to which I was made to realise how lucky I was. When we finally called it a night, I stayed at Caio's house instead of going to the Arts Centre.

Tomorrow was to be our first gig together and I was beginning to really look forward to it.


2 comments:

Unknown said...

Hey, Mr. Drewett!

Nice walk around Brasilia monuments that day. Unfortunately, it was a little bit fast (also late) and we could not enter the National Congress. During daylight we could also go into the "Fuck you Tower" and watch the incredible view of Brasilia.

Well, maybe next time when you come back, right?

Best regards!

Guilhermo (Caio's brother)

Unknown said...

Hy Stewe,

Just a little explanation!

The format of Brasília is based on a butterfly and not a airplane, as most think. The urban planner Lucio Costa, who designed the city, made ​​reference to his wife who was nicknamed Leleta. (Butterfly in portuguese is borboleta)