Football Night, la la la.

Today is our 5^th day here and for me the most important part of our agenda is the Barcelona/Arsenal game tonight. I know its not exactly conducive to my work here, but non the less it is important to me as we could progress to the next round if we beat them tonight.  After all they (Barcelona) are the best team in the world by a mile. We have booked a table in one of the "restaurants" here for the game. The restaurant is owned by an artist who has gone to town on his place, which also doubles up as his home. I will post pictures when I get back so you can see what I mean…

Yesterday, after writing the Blog, we went to visit the new school building that we helped to design on our last trip. This is the place that will be the base of our education program so is very important. At the moment it is half built, but we can see how it is going to shape up when it is finished. It was great walking through. It really gave me a sense of what we are doing here is coming to fruition and will be a success. To meet all the people who we are going to work with in the school, wo are also very excited, gave us a massive lift and really makes me want to do more. I can’t wait to fill this building with equipment and start teaching in it.

Back to the big match day, which perhaps more importantly is also International Women’s Day. Whilst the rest of our group began with a long series of meetings, I went with Hamdi to visit a mechanic friend of his called Cori. I met Cori on my last trip and he gave me a lot of photo’s of the occupied territories that I posted lat time.

After a little while fixing the front suspension a load of musicians turned up with Bebbe from the band Tiris. It seems that they all want to record music when our van finally arrives. All of a sudden all of these musicians are mechanics and get involved with the fixing of the car although it soon becomes apparent that none of them are actually mechanics and just get in the way.

The young guys who work for Cori and I have a good laugh about the fact that everyone is a mechanic here or at least think they are. It turns out that they are checking the car out for a possible purchase and it is shocking to hear that the car is worth up to 2500 Euros. Back home this car would sell for £2-300 at the scrap yard: the front window is completely smashed, all the suspension is shot, one of the rear doors doesn't open from the outside and one guys thinks he knows the solution and adjusts the child safety latch within the door and seems very proud that he has potentially fixed the problem. However, once he shuts the door it becomes evident that he hasn't as the door will no longer open from inside either so he shrugs his shoulder and blames the car. It doesn't start without you opening the bonnet and attaching a wire, its what we would call a Wreck…

So I headed off to the first of the International Women’s Day events to do some filming and check up on the state of their audio equipment. Immediately I could tell that it wasn’t too good as the system has no top end and the voices are completely muffled and virtually inaudible. Combine this with the chatter from the crowd and I could here nothing of what was being said. So I headed off to buy some water from a local shop and ended up spending an amusing time buying souvenirs. Basically we spent a long time haggling and discussing the international exchange rate but, thanks to some persistence and a fair bit of other party intervention –of course everyone suddenly becomes an accountant -, I walked away with the souvenirs for a fair price to me and the shop keeper.

Late afternoon we went to the large hall that was to house the evening’s event. Nick and I leant a hand to Selmu to set up the equipment. When we got there Selmu had already set up the sound system and was setting up the stage. We were there to help but decided to observe exactly what their skill levels are to have a better idea of how much work we need to do.

We noticed that Selmu was using two mixing desks, which at first we were impressed with as we thought that he was using one for monitors and one for FOH, but we were shocked to find that he was using one for mic's and the other instruments. This just meant twice the headache, so we explained that there was no need for this and we re-patched everything to the better desk. Once we had changed a few mics and cables that were not working we were ready for sound check, which turned out to be ok and, as long as he didn't fiddle too much, the night would be fine. However, this wasn't the case and soon the volume crept up and up and we were back to the screeching mid-hi's that I have heard from all the PAs here. Not wanting to completely take over I gave a few bits of advice and left him to it. I couldn't stand in front of the PA any more as my ears started to hurt. There’s definitely  a lot of room for improvement here…

I headed outside for some air and ear relief and walked straight into a bunch of young kids who, when realising I was English, gave me their best English which consisted of swear words that the had clearly learnt from gangster rap. I wasn't impressed and soon got bored of it and moved on.

Time was ticking and I realised that it was getting close to kick off time. So, myself, nick and a young man I met last time I was here, Whalie, headed off to find the restaurant we had "booked" a table in. Upon arrival we saw that there were many young Barca fans also waiting for the game, so we settled in to wait for kick off with a plate of chicken n chips.

And so to kick off. For those who don't get football I’ll explain that this is a Champions League game played over two legs, home and away. We (Arsenal) won the leg at home 2-1, which is great for us but also not so bad for Barca,  as they scored an away goal which counts for a lot over two legs. Basically it means that if Barca win this leg 1-0 they win the tie with the away goal rule, but if we score an away goal too they will have to win by two goals to win.  Look it up if you want to know more after all I’m not here to teach the rules on football but sound engineering.

I couldn't help showing my frustration when Barca scored, which then alerted me to some of the men who did not want Barca to win so we bonded on that and I found out that they weren’t Arsenal fans but Real Madrid fans: the sworn enemy of Barcelona. Either way "we" Arsenal fans cheered when we pulled one back, which meant we had our away goal and that Barca now had to score two goals to win. But with the referee clearly a Barca fan and sending off our best goal scoring opportunity for nothing but a technicality, Nick leaves to head back after this and it didn't take them long to pull those two goals out of their extremely talented hat and win the game 3-1.

It was great to interact with the younger element of the camps in a non-work atmosphere and have a genuine laugh and almost cry with them. They are not very different from young people back home or anywhere else I have been, although there is no alcohol here so they are less-rowdy. I didn’t see any real arguments that you might normally see with alcohol.

After the game I headed to the back of the restaurant where Danielle, Hamdi and his wife were having dinner in the owner’s house. Soon we headed back to the house in a new car that Hamdi has borrowed. Bebbe from Tiris actually bought the Mercedes wreck we were in earlier for €2300. Yes that’s around ₤2000 for a car we would scrap if it was in the UK as it wouldn't get past the entrance of a MOT centre back home…

Birthday Cheer

Sunday (day three of the trip) was generally relaxed as Sundays should be. We spent most of the day chatting music and the Studio Live project with the members of influential local band Tiris. The meeting was great as it was important to get different viewpoints on the project, especially about the involvement of the Ministry of Culture. It was generally agreed that the Ministry have the best local knowledge and infrastructure to make the project work. We were given some food for thought by the band, and some good questions to take to our meetings the following day. After that we headed back to Hamdi’s for a bit of R and R.

Once there a guy called Sherif came round to discuss getting involved in the project. He is a local musician and businessman with a transport company in Tindouf. As soon as he heard about the delay to our van he used his connections to call the port of Oran where the van is being held. Apparently the van will be released on Friday 11^th and will be with us by the 14^th, just enough time for our recording session with Tiris.

After a dreadful night sleep, at 8am I was woken up yesterday morning by Danielle worried about having lost her camera. Worried she may have caught something from Nick we got up to look for it. Fortunately she left it in the house we were in the day before so no drama. Besides it was her birthday so I couldn’t hold a grudge.

Aside from being Danielle’s birthday, Yesterday was a huge day for us as we went to have our first big meeting with the Ministry of Culture. Unfortunately our trusty host come chauffeur driver, Hamdi, was experiencing a little difficulty with his car. By this I mean that the rear wheel on the passenger side was only just managing to somehow remain attached and the shocks had gone long ago. So we waited for a taxi… and waited… and waited… until we finally bit the bullet and piled into Hamdi’s death box. The risks we take for FairTunes huh?

The meeting with the Minister was really positive and everyone in attendance seems fired up about the collaboration. We found out that the school building that had been discussed during our last mission has nearly been completed, which is great news. Furthermore, the design of the building is largely based on the redesign that I sketched out as best I could on a piece of paper a couple of days before I left the camps last time. To say I am excited to see the school is an understatement, I can’t wait. Grand designs eat your heart out!

Along with FairTunes and Sandblast working in the school we will be joined by a team from Spain who will be dedicated to teaching music. Fantastic news! There are also three national bands from the camps that will use the school. Apart from the studio the other main area they need help with is in live music production: they need to train more engineers so that eventually each camp will have its own team and system to put on their own concerts and cultural events.

Despite all this good news the highlight of the visit came when we were led to another room where the Minister of Culture had arranged a surprise birthday cake for Danielle. We all sang the song and stuffed our faces full of cake for the blushing Danielle.

Afterwards a guy called Selmu gave us a quick look at some equipment that had been bought by the Ministry. As expected the equipment was overpriced and not the best quality, but better than they had before. Once the Van arrives we will be able to provide them with what they are missing, and with much better quality as well. Roll on the 14^th.

Bureaucracy Rules. Back to the camps.

Despite travelling with companions this time, the trip from London to the refugee camps in the Western Sahara is still long and arduous. On this occasion I am accompanied by my FairTunes collaborator Nick Minton and Danielle Smith from Sandblast. The waiting around drains you more than any work possibly could; forms followed by forms and more forms to fill out, checked and double-checked within seconds of each other. Bureaucracy rules here!

During our predictably dull four-hour wait for a flight to Tindouf in Algiers airport, Danielle called some friends to see if they were around. A couple of hours later and Simir and Towfik appeared with dinner: two whole chickens with bread, washed down with Coca Cola; a dramatic improvement on the airport fodder that Nick had just wasted his money on. Coincidently the Saharawi Minister of Culture, the very person we are working with to build the music school, is also awaiting the same plane.

Eventually we arrive in Tindouf to be collected by my old host Hamdi Tabouli, this time driving an old Mercedes Benz car, which we cram full of everything and head off to the February 27^th camp. On arrival we went straight to Hamdi’s new home. It seems since my last visit Hamdi has married and has moved out of his old bachelor pad and is now living with his in-laws. It is clear that Hamdi has stepped up to the mark – his new home is far better equipped for visitors. So, at the end of a long day in transit, we settled down for a well-deserved sleep.

The next morning Hamdi woke us early for breakfast. Unfortunately I didn’t sleep too well as the big cushions I used for a mattress were not as comfortable as they first appeared. No tea ritual either, which is strange as my last trip was one long tea break…

As yet the van we sent from London with the sound equipment hasn’t arrived due to being stuck in customs, with the rest of the 50-vehicle aid convoy, in the port of Oran in northern Algeria. We are hoping to get the van before our trip ends so we can do some recording.

We head out to find Biba and Moufid from the band Tiris who are playing a
small concert nearby for some new arrivals from the occupied territories. It
was the first time I have seen a full concert in action out here; there were around 100
people - mostly women in the tent dancing and enjoying the wonderful tones
coming out of Moufid's mouth (Moufid seems able to create any noise he wants
and is renowned for his ability to recreate any singers voice after hearing
it just the once). The musical talents of the rest of the band are top notch as well. It’s really gutting that the van hasn’t arrived as we
would be able to upgrade their sound equipment - this is the only thing
that lets their music down.

The last time I saw Moufid and Biba was on my
last trip in Sept 2010, when I dislocated my collar bone in the sand dunes
just before I left. When Moufid sees me he cannot resist mocking
me in song about my accident much to the amusement of the audience.

Despite the various other offers we left after the gig and headed back to Hamdi’s, where his wife made lunch for us. On our return Nick realized he had lost his phone so he went back to look for it. In the meantime we called it only to be answered by what sounded like a bunch of kids before they hung up. When he got back Nick cancelled the Sim.

After dinner we were treated to a traditional music performance at a local house. The music was amazing, with the voice being used as another instrument in a way that has been lost in Western music. One of the songs was a conversation between all of the instruments, which became quite comical if you observed the musicians facial expressions. Another song was about jealousy and ageing. The expressions on the female percussionists face really brought out the
meaning of the song, somehow breaking down the language barrier. I truly understood the meaning of the song.
 After a fantastic night of music it was time to call a night on our second day. The group agreed  to do a full performance again on the 7th. By then we hope to have a van full of sound equipment to be able to put it to good use.

Day 9: Saharawi Recce

Day 9 Sat 2nd Oct


We go to meet the architects and discuss the new building that Danielle and I drew up on kids drawing paper, and had a hard time explaining what a floating room was and how and why it is needed in a recording studio. I ended up pointing at rubber engine mounts to explain why it was necessary to block the noise out from the outside when recording. We got our point across and can only hope that the building comes out as we wished, we will just have to wait and see.

The rest of the day was spent resting and preparing to leave for Blighty.

Before leaving Danielle had organised going to a family’s house for dinner in their tent which I was looking forward to as I hadn’t been in one of the tents yet. On arrival we were treated to tea and a banquet of food that would not look out of place in a restaurant back home and for the first time here I fed fresh veg and fresh fruit. Not all the family was there as a lot of them are schooling elsewhere, but there were still eight or nine for dinner. This was a great way to end my trip here.

So off to the airport to meet up with the olive branch crew for our mammoth journey home via Algiers.

Hamdi comes and sees me off at the airport which was great and we were on our way.

Day 8: Saharawi Recce

Day 8 Fri 1st Oct


So tonight we are going to meet up with the Olive Branch crew and go to the sand dunes which will be great. It will be a fun night under the stars and with some local musicians from the group TiRiS who are very talented musicians and singers.

So the trip to the dunes started out well, slow but good all the same. Nothing gets done quickly here and you just have to go with the flow at times. So we first drive to Samara to pick up the Polisario guides which must escort us to the dunes as we are not allowed to go alone. On arrival we start by racing some of the other vehicles across the sand which was a good laugh and it was good to see the young people we have been staying with laugh and joke openly as there has been a lot of seriousness on this trip.  We are, after all, here on a serious mission but it was great to see them let loose a bit.

When we stop it is in front of a huge dune that we all climb and start throwing ourselves off this is where the trip took a bad turn for me as, whilst throwing myself off the dune, I dislocate my clavicle bone in my shoulder and after a bit of soldier medicine which included them trying to pop my bone back at much pain to me I opted for being taken to the local refugee hospital in Samara. There the doctor promptly patted me on the stomach and said “that wasn’t a good idea huh”. He said what we already knew and sent me to the bigger hospital in Rabuni that I had visited a few days ago and of course the director was there waiting for me. News travels fast here.

Here I get an x-ray which confirms our initial thoughts however they don’t have the drugs or materials to sort me out so the call the military hospital in Tindouf which is across the Algerian border. So, off I go in their ambulance, once I get to the border I have to wait 45mins for the military to send an escort which turned out to be two 4X4 Toyotas with fully armed escort, front and back.

Once at the hospital the French bureaucracy kicked in, and we were there for a good two hours whilst they checked and triple checked my passport; wanting to know all about everyone’s mum and dad and where we were all born. At the end they sold me some drugs and put a figure of eight bandage thing on me and sent me packing back to the Tindouf border with my armed guards... sleepless nights began from here due to the fact that I had to lay on my back and every move I make would ensure a yelp / scream from me.