Le Nouveau Casino

Sorry about the delay with the other blogs. My email was down and although these blogs were written within days of the show, I didn't get around to sending them till now!

Paris feels poetic. Kind of like a romantic storybook filled with impressionistic paintings. I haven't spent long enough periods of time here to escape my fairy tale vision of this beautiful city. When we arrived to Le Nouveau Casino, I was impressed with the size and design of this cool club. Old meets new style with a good stage and sound system.

I'm so humbled and pleased to be given so much love and passion from the fans of France. They don't hold back and gave us their all. Who needs a soundcheck when there's this much love in a room? As much as I want everything to be in it's right place when we get onstage, the notion of that idealism becomes less and less critical in the face of performance. I suspect a recurring theme on my blog's about surrender. About letting go and trusting when performing. I raise the issues in order to find a way to release them.

We rolled through the full 11 song set with equal enthusiasm, bouncing off each other's energy. From the stage I remember intense light flickering and a flurry of changing colors. After catching a moment of a Youtube clip, I realize the light guy really went for it and gave us the full discotheque treatment. Brett from Kalisia helped run sound for this show and also came onstage for the death vocals on Uroboric Forms. He's a kind soul and will be coming along with us for the next couple of shows. There's an American (or English) saying "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched". For me, this is a basic spiritual truth. Meaning, let things be what they are and stay in the present. Don't be so result oriented and just let matters unfold as they should. The universe will always find a way for you even when all hope seems lost. In some ways, hope is a dangerous thing. Trying to control matters and outcomes is usually a waste of energy. It can be incredibly difficult to apply this thinking in the face of an urgent high pressure situation, but just the simple reminder is enough for me to lose a bit of the charge that can sometimes weigh heavy when life matters seem out of order. According to Viktor Frankl, in his magnificent book, 'Man's Search For Meaning', hope is sometimes what kept the Jews alive in the concentration camps. He noted that those that gave up usually died within days, while those that had something to look forward to (outside of the camp), carried on. Just before our Frankfurt show we had a couple of days off in Amsterdam, where I visited the sparse and transparent Anne Frank Museum House. For me, it was another reminder about the power of human dignity and spirit in the face of absolute madness. Finding sanity when the ground below us is crumbling is perhaps the most spiritual thing we can do. I guess these examples would be the flip-side to hope that works.

On our way out of Paris the morning after the show, I got a chance to run into The Père Lachaise cemetery and catch a glimpse of it's old grandeur. I was amazed to see how packed that place is with dramatic and large tomb stones. Over the years, I've spent a lot of time hanging around a cemetery in Glendale, Ca called Forest Lawn. It's one of my local haunts, and I usually make a point of bringing special people in my life to visit it. The cemetery is setup like a spacious park with rolling green hills. They have a private little section off one of it's high swirling roads called 'The Mystery Of Life' which contains a secret garden. At the rear of the garden is this large white statuary group with about eighteen different people. Some are communicating with each other, others are in their own 'space' looking outward or inward. The people represent the various types of personalities humans encompass. From the young couple who found the meaning of life through their first love, to the unresolved questioning philosopher deep in thought. There's also the religious person (who found meaning through God), the narcissist, the poet, the child, etc.. At the bottom of the statue there is an explanation telling the story of each of the people. At the bottom of the statue a big question is asked: Which one are you? Is life steering us or are we steering life? Is our personality formed unconsciously by our experiences are we able to form it through our own will? Undoing layers and years of life programming is no easy task. Truly changing may be the hardest thing in the world to do. Having spent time with many people in their last months, days and hours of life, I often see people go through that dilemma of wondering what their life meant, for whom it was for and who they were as people. Some humans just give of themselves their entire lives, to raise a family or take care of others. While there are those who never even consider another person throughout their life. When I hear fans telling me that Focus helped them through a difficult time, or their life is better because of it, I feel grateful for the music that saved me through my own personal process and life journey. Music belongs to everyone. I must add Forest Lawn also contains the crypt of the beloved Paramahansa Yogananda which I make a point to visit each time I go. Something about a cemetery induces reflection, humility and a sadness that opens my heart even deeper to life. Ahh, the short and precious lives that we lead.

Thanks to Steve and Charlie from Linear Sphere for making the trek from London, great to see you guys again. Also apologies to Roxane Saadati for the confusion with the guest list, hope you had a happy birthday! And to Cesar Gutierrez who came from Peru and also gave us the hats. I'd love to come to Machu Picchu sometime. Also love to Florent for coming up from Aix en Provence, and beyond many thanks to the passionate and beautiful French fans.

Ps; thanks Sweet Silence for the backline at the show!


Paul

Le Nouveau Casino set list

Veil Of Maya

Celestial Voyage

The Eagle Nature

Sentiment

I'm But A Wave To...
Evolutionary Sleeper

Textures

Uroboric Forms

Meeting Of The Spirits

Cosmos

How Could I