Re: [Harp-L] Going to play in Lithuania!

[nonidesign@xxxxxxx]

I did an art show in 1997 in the Astronomical Observatory in the University. You are correct, there are actually a couple fo cool blues bars there (some have been around for years). Some really good musicians there. Somehow I ended-up playing harp with a Norwegian/Lithuanian metal band. They set the harp with bizarre, overprocessed effects. I've played in stranger situations...but not many.

A few general travel tips/suggestions:

I have to preface these comments by stating that it has been ten years since I was there, so I can't commnet on hos much things have changed since then.

- Check out the small bust of musican ( I call him genius) Frank Zappa located in an out of the way square in vilnius. Way cool.

- The old KGB jail is worth a visit.

-The Russians driving the only new black Hummers in the city are NOT the local ambassadors of good will. I saw a man get his arms blown off by a bomb in a box he was carrying while I was shopping in the street market by the train station.  Hardly anyone missed a beat, as if this was a rather common occurance.

-I know its been 10 years, but when I was there the McDonalds in Vilnius center was controlled by the Russians and it was not safe. You do not want to piss off anyone in the Black Market, Russians, the Belarus, or the Lithuanians. The ARE the local economy.  I know it sounds like common sense, but I was there with a bunch of artists who caused themselves trouble just by flashing cash and talking dumb. 

-Walk through the old ghetto section. There are still bullet holes in the wall from WW2.

- Be advised: it is C-O-L-D!  It is the reason the Cepeleenius (football sized potatoe stuf with meat) is their main dish.

- Speaking of cold: Polish vodka is better than Russian vodka.

- Have fun. Lithuanians are called the Italians of the Baltics because they like fun and are outgoing people (now that they don't have the Russans on their backs.

- I guess I made the whole Russian thing clear enough