Chapter 18: Live @ HIVE

at the foot of Phou Si Mountain on the other side from the main street, is HIVE bar, the first tourist bar in Luang Prabang since 2001. Together with the bookstore/cafe L'etranger next door, the French Canadian owner has been connecting travelers to local young minds with arts, literature and music.
On March 31st and April 1st, HIVE bar presents the disputeably first acoustic live show ever in Luang Prabang, featuring my slow, sappy, quiet and dipressing ballads.


Check, one, two, check one, two...


"First we should to take a photo, because after the show, you will be busy talking to your fans." Lek knows everything.


Here we go!


The house is packed. Isn't it nice sometimes to have such quiet music so you don't have to scream to your friend's ears over the loud discotech?


Susan Biggs joins on the second night with her flute.


"I don't have a short term memory." so we just practice quickly 20 minutes before the set. ...and she blew me away on Van Morrison cover 'Moondance'



Girls get taken away in tender ballads


while boys get drunk, yey!


Sofie sways slowly


Kevin and Cees are speechless


April 17th & 18th, returning from the 11 day trip to Nong Khiaw/Mueng Ngoy to practice and write more new songs, HIVE hosts my live shows for another two nights.


Thanks to Lek, the flyers have been distributed.


Playing standing up. Feels so much better, why didn't I do this earlier?


Bartenders trun around to see who's playing.




Fernande can't take her eyes off





Neither can Chris


Carlos bops his head


with Chilled Beer Lao the night stays slow like the flow of Meckong


Thank you very much Samuel, who let me play and drink whenever I want. I will be back!

*All the photos in this chapter are by Lek, except for the first one (wide daytime shot of the venue) is by me, 14th one (of the flyers) is by me and Lek, and the second from the last one (with Beer Lao bottle) is by Carlos Barrera