Random Play by Graham Reid

Because I always travel cheap I usually forget that not everyone does. Sure I've stayed in some of the world's most luxurious and most private hotels -- but that's what happens unfortunately when you win travel writing awards sponsored by the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group.

But mostly I end up in places where a mosquito coil seems like an extravagence and "mini-bar" means that bottle-shop two doors down below the brothel.

But my trip to Seoul -- I write this from the business centre of the Hyatt Grand where my 12th floor room has a sweeping view of the Han River -- has been a very different experience right from the start.

I have only twice been in that comfy part of the plane behind the pilot -- once because I arrived just as they were closing the door and said "sit anywhere" so I turned left and enjoyed a lazyboy settee for five hours across America. (Good tip folks.)

So as usual at Mangere yesterday I glanced at my ticket (seat 9D) and just waited to be among the last called. When I got on I realised I was actually among the first beckoned: those who need assistance, have children or a rilly rilly rich and ride in comfort.

I was among the latter, just me and some Korean men and their wives who read the business sections of whatever all those papers were.

The menu came, the meal deserved to be photographed and although I knew I would be missing Stars in Their Eyes this week at home I decided to make the best of it.

I scanned the channels and clicked on to a Steve Carrell movie -- Dan in Real Life, not much cop -- and the first words I heard were a woman saying, "my perfect day would start with me going to country where people speak a language I don't know . . . ." Or words to that effect.

That is what I love about travel: those strange and sometimes welcome disjunctions, odd coincidences and the unexpected.

Later I flicked around and saw something alarming about North Korea and nuclear issues, and a major story about mad cow disease fears in ROK (Republic of Korea, the south where I was headed) and how infected beef may have been imported from the US.

Then I saw Will Smith as the sole survivor of some holocaust (mad cow disease? nuclear war?) and living alone in New York.

Another strange disjunction.

Seoul of course was far from deserted when I arrived from Incheon in the rain and darkness. People were scurrying into restaurants (why do restaurants in homogeneous Korea advertise themselves as" Korean restaurant"?) and there seemed to be an astonishing number of families with young kids in the hotel when I arrived. Some special offer I was told as happy but well-behaved children ran politely amock in the lobby.

I love Seoul, have done since I first came here a decade ago and on this, my fourth visit, I have a very full agenda.

This is a high-wired city (I believe over 90% of homes have internet and having your own webpage is a big deal here) and broadband is everywhere.

But it is also going somewhere architecturally and has been named the World Design City 2010. I have interviews about that and am asking how Seoul will be challanging Shanghai and Beijing in the region with its innovative urban planning and new architecture.

Seoul is an impressive city (population 10 million and rising) and visitors cannot help but be struck by dozen after dozen, into the hundreds, of 10, 20 and 30 storey apartment blocks that ring and penetrate the city.

They might be unglamorous -- they are, but impressive by number -- but they do provide housing in this country which, just over 50 years ago, was largely in ashes.

Once I came here with some returning New Zealand soldiers wo had fought in that forgotten war (the one after World War II and before Vietnam) and many had tears in their eyes when they saw the arcs of motorways and the highrise development. They remembered the country as shell-blasted and with nothing over a single storey standing. Barely a stick standing around here half a century ago.

South Korea's achievements (and yes, they have come at some social costs) are impressive. I'm glad to be here asking questions and listening.

I am ready for the task, I pushed one zero too many at the ATM at the airport and now have 100,000 won in my possession (about $NZ1300 I think) but I don't intend to spend it all in the same shop.

And I do have to shop. A priority today before I go to various museums, the art gallery down the hill and to see some archircture, is to buy a couple of snappy shirts.

In my haste to pack notebooks, camera, itinerary and such I left my neatly pressed dress shirts (thank you darling) hanging on the bedroom door.

So I am off to get something to impress the mayor.

Real news will follow regularly. Meantime here I am, loaded with the folding and ready to step out into a warm clear spring day in Seoul, capital of the "Land of Morning Calm".

Graham Reid is in Seoul as a guest of the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

While I’ve never denied television’s ability to entertain and inform us I have often, usually at a dinner table after a few reds, wondered aloud about its ability to actually educate us. I cite shark docos.

Consider how many shark documentaries you may have seen -- then ask what do you actually know after all these hours of often repetitive re-enforcement viewing: that sharks are Nature’s “natural born killers“, don’t gobble as many humans as we think and . . .

Most people run out about there (I know I do) and statistics or specifics are in short supply. Which makes me wonder why I bothered to go to the preview screening of Sharkwater at the Lido earlier this week -- but I'm very glad I did.

You may have caught the young US director Rob Stewart interviewed on radio and television in the past couple of days, but the little I have heard hardly did his remarkable film justice -- and in a couple of instances passed lightly over the centrepiece and point of this often beautiful, important and quite distressing film: the barbaric trade in shark fins.

Although Sharkwater starts as a convention doco extolling the beauty of sharks and makes the point how few people are killed every year (five on average apparently, which is fewer than are killed by soft drink dispensers), it rapidly becomes advocacy journalism for the work of Sea Shepherd and through some courageous guerrilla filming uncovers the illegal and appalling Taiwanese trade in shark fins out of Costa Rica. (About 15,000 sharks killed in the 90 minutes running time of the movie. There‘s a fact. And of course it doesn‘t stop when you leave the cinema.)

As someone who grew up with a respect for what my Dad called “the law of the sea” (you help those in distress, never endanger others and so on because the sea isn’t cruel, just indifferent to you) I have always had mixed feelings about the aggressive activities of Sea Shepherd -- but now I am persuaded.

In the absence of anyone else trying to counter this disgraceful trade head-on you have to side with them.

To see these remarkable creatures being dumped back into the bloodied ocean after their fins have been sliced off is compelling in its awfulness. It kept me awake last Tuesday night.

Of course shark fins have that reputation in China of being good for virility or whatever (no evidence of course, in fact mercury levels in sharks suggest the opposite could be true) but that only reinforces what I have always believed: not everything in a culture is of value or worth retaining. Bantering “our culture” is no defence.

Some cultures have practiced slavery, others genital mutilation. Are these cultural values worth retaining? In my opinion so it is with bullfighting, shark fin soup, whale meat, women at the back of the room . . .

I commend Sharkwater to you. It is about much more than magisterial sharks, it might make you think about such wider and knotty issues.

I have previously offered a qualified commendation of this for very different reasons. Just an amusement.

And apropos of nothing: Is it just me or if you were American spy-types would you be more worried about the security at Waihopai than the actual act of sabotage carried out by three amateurs who snuck under cover of fog and used wire cutters and a sickle? Makes you wonder what real saboteurs could have achieved, huh?

Just me again or did most television news coverage really miss the significance of the Flight of the Conchords' US success? Consider this: a Kiwi golfer has been doing moderately well in British and US tournaments and then takes on the US Open. At the end of the first day he is sitting in third position beating out Tiger Woods and other big name players. Now, where do you think that story might have been placed in the 6pm news order?

More money than sense? Many years ago Geoffrey Palmer made an off-the-cuff comment about the declining intelligence of the Kiwi public. He noted that very soon we would be putting up signs saying “don’t hit people, it hurts them”. Well, that time has come long ago -- although Cancer Society advertising that it is safe to take off your summer hats really is a new low.

Chinese on the menu?: If the Dalai Lama has succeeded in exporting Tibetanism (the Tibet you have in the absence of Tibet itself) then have the recent pro-China demonstrations around the world proven that China has also exported “China-ism” through the Diaspora of its people? If so, that is something to think about. Keith starts the important and necessary discussion here.

And . . . Whether you agree or not with the removal of GST from certain basic food items isn’t it just a little depressing to hear the same reasons trotted out by those against that: that it would be too difficult? You mean the finest minds of the economics graduates in Treasury and elsewhere couldn’t think laterally and find a workable way? Just like they have in other countries? Hmmm. I’m not for it myself, but that’s a pretty lame reason.

Your input requested: I have been invited to participate in one of the roundtable discussions about the role of the Auckland War Memorial Museum and how it can have a deeper engagement with the city. Feel free to let me know your ideas via the discussion thread here or, if you wish you can make some more private comment through here.

And finally: This coming week I shall be blogging from Seoul where I am going to look at urban design and public architecture, speak with musicians young and old, go to art galleries, engage with cutting edge digital artists, and check out their media. And more. Should be fun.

Seoul (population about 10million) is a vibrant city. I have been three times and cannot lie, I am really looking forward to going again. Nice people too and of course great food. Dunno if they do shark fin soup (I’ve never seen it there) but I will perhaps politely decline bosintang if it is offered.

In my absence I have posted a lot of diverse music here and brought back some albums that other media seems to be only just getting to.

Enjoy.
(I hope those much promised electricity blackouts haven’t started by the time I get back. But if we don’t have them -- won’t you be just a teensy bit disappointed after all the advance publicity?)

Back when I was studying Chinese philosophy -- sort of Mencius to Mao in 20 easy lessons -- I also became fascinated by the arcane nature of Chinese politics. I would frequently try to engage my lecturer on how he understood the inner workings of the Party, and matters like Taiwan and Tibet.

Over the years since I have attended lectures by some of the most knowledgeable Sino-watchers around and have avidly read books such as The Writing on the Wall by Will Hutton (who spoke with density, speed and urgency at last year’s Writers and Readers Festival) and even bought the six hour China: A Century of Revolution on DVD for those times when I just want to kick back and watch mass hysteria and genocide in action.

If I am no wiser for all this I put it down to what that lecturer said to me once when I was earnestly offering my view of how things might pan out in 21st century China. He looked at me balefully and said, “When you think you know something about China and its politics you should be aware it will be exactly the opposite. And when you recognise that, it won’t even be that at all.”

Or bewildering and humbling words to that effect.

China is in the news for all kinds of reasons right now, and much as I have read and watched and thought about things I am still no wiser.

Although I am not a supporter or practitioner of Falun Gong I am always surprised by the sledgehammer approach the Chinese government has taken to the movement which, on the face of it, sells itself as a peace-loving code of spiritual and physical practice. Of course it is, being Chinese, much more complex that that -- as I wrote about for the Listener in 2006
here.

Last night we went to see the Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular at the Aotea Centre, the show which is either a Falun Gong “rally” or simply a showcase of traditional Chinese culture depending on who your read. It is actually neither and both, is my assessment.

Some comments first: although I had heard that there could be quiet protest by local Chinese students who were going to hand out anti-FG pamphlets I didn’t see any. And this year I got the impression there were many more Europeans in the audience than I saw at last year‘s performance.

I’m not good at spotting celebs or stars or politicos -- I once had a few drinks with a famous actor before I realised it was him I was supposed to be interviewing in half an hour -- so I can’t tell you whether any local mayors of city councillors or whatever turned up this time. I know they were conspicuous by their absence last year.

I do know however there was subtle if polite pressure on many not to attend. The copy of a letter I have seen apparently sent to North Shore mayor Andrew Williams* appears to be under the letterhead of the Consulate General’s office and reads in part, “the hidden purpose of the so-called Divine Performing Arts is to smear [the] Chinese government under the pretext of showing the ancient Chinese culture.”

The letter goes on to say that the consulate general’s office has been working hard to promote the spread of authentic and constructive Chinese culture and that “it looks forward to working with you to build a global harmonious society” etc etc

It ends, “Thank you very much for taking time to read this letter. We sincerely hope it will help you have a better understanding of the background. Your understanding and friendship will be highly appreciated.”

There isn’t a lot in that anyone could take offence at you might think, but of course Falun Gong and China-watchers are astute and reading what isn’t said, and what is implied. Words can be highly loaded.

Falun Gong seems a lightning rod.

For a few days about a fortnight ago there was a he said-she said running the Herald’s letters column about the merits or otherwise of the production and the idea that it was a Falun Going “rally” was quickly dismissed. One letter writer said they had seen it and it was a great production, very entertaining and so forth.

That was written by someone with perhaps a less than objective view, human rights lawyer Kerry Gore who acts for Falun Gong and whom I interviewed on Public Address Radio some weeks back. Kerry, a very nice man, was also the fellow who put me in touch with the subject of that Listener story I wrote in 2006, and who provided me with tickets to last night’s show.

We now enter that world of, “No one is innocent”, huh?

As to the show. Well, it might not be a “rally” but you can’t mistake it for anything other than being pro-Falun Gong and anti-The Party. To suggest it is simply a cultural show is being disingenuous and does Falun Going no credit. On those levels, the Consulate General’s office had a valid point.

From the first song May You Understand (“pull yourself from the whirlpool of lies”) through Truth Alone Sets You Free and on to The Power of Awareness in which a Falun Gong mother and daughter are set upon by goons in uniform (with the hammer and sickle on them) this one wears its heart on its highly decorated sleeve.

The show aims to appeal to the Chinese audience’s sense of cultural pride in the 5000 year history and suggests that the current regime is an aberration in the grand scheme of things. Which it may well be. After all wasn’t it premier Zhou Enlai who, when asked what he thought of the 1789 French Revolution replied, “It’s too early to tell”?

Some might say the same of Communism, no?

The programme also conjures up a pastoral idyll in many places and as to how authentic some of the songs are . . . Well, I’m no expert, but I doubt it.

But there is a lot to enjoy at the show outside of the dogma and many of the Chinese in the audience often clapped very loudly when political points were scored. But subtle this was not -- and it occurred to me Falun Gong adopts exactly the same bludgeoning iconography, didacticism and rhetoric as the Maoists of old.

There were times when this looked and sounded like something from a Technicolour revision of some People’s Army Ensemble: the heroic poses, the call to emotion and solidarity in the face of oppression or coercion from the opposition . . .

Nuance is ironed out in matters of Chinese propaganda, on all sides it seems. But the smallest of words and gestures can take on great meaning.

And that is what alienates Falun Gong from gaining more support in the wider New Zealand community I think: it is seen by Europeans as flaky, clumsy and dishonest about its political agenda, it is increasingly perceived as trying to impose itself in any public occasion which may get them some profile for The Epoch Times or New Tang Dynasty Television, and it is overly anxious to elicit favourable comment to put into the wider world. Last night I was asked three times if I would be interviewed, I declined each time saying I had said my piece last year -- but the people smiled and thanked me and walked away to find another European in the crowd.

I didn’t feel threatened, just slightly embarrassed for the anxious young people with tape recorders and cameras.

Of course the FG spiritual leader is down on homosexuality, and the whole “moral improvement” thing rings hollow to many people in Western society. Despite the colourful costumes, dancing and songs (and once again a wonderful erhu piece), the blunt didacticism of this show would put many people off.

But of course that is their choice and no one with a gun is forcing you to go -- although FG would be wise not to think that just because people might attend they are offering tacit support for their position or beliefs.

But what I have found interesting in talking with people about Falun Gong -- which I reiterate I neither support nor practice, just defend its right to exist -- is how many dump it in with other beliefs like Scientology for which they have little patience. People who would defend Tibetan freedom go a bit ho-hum on Falun Gong -- although no one seems to deny that they are being persecuted in China.

I find that interesting. And just another thing I don’t understand when “China” enters the discussion.

Footnote: Another Conchords track is posted at Elsewhere

* According to the North Shore mayor's office he didn't attend the show last night as he had a long-standing engagement at Massey graduation where he spent most of the day and delivered a speech last night.

Last night after watching the taping of a fascinating and eloquent discussion of political spin on Russell’s Media 7 programme (TVNZ 7, 9.30pm tonight) we went to the opening night of U23D at the Imax in Auckland.

I’ve actually seen U2 in 3D quite often -- I consider seeing them live in Sydney, Auckland three times and Phoenix counts as three dimensional -- but this movie was something else: this was the band right there on that huge screen and seemingly so close you could touch them. Believe me, U2 in 3D is astonishing 3D.

Yes, we wore plastic glasses the size of those things Elton used to sport (and sat through 80s hits by the likes of Foreigner beforehand for some reason) but there we all were: Famous Rock Musicians; people from the glamorous worlds of television, radio and PR; record shop owners and reviewers; and some civilians just to keep everybody honest.

Freeloading freelancers like me too, which somewhat lowered the tone I thought.

I’ve seen quite a few 3D movies in the past -- not the least that Michael Jackson/Frances Ford Coppola thing Captain Eo which screened at Disneyland back in the mid 80s. And one based on Shrek at Universal Studios where the Eddie Murphy donkey on screen sneezed and we were splashed with some gunk from the seat in front. Erk!

But U23D -- which screens at three theatres in Auckland and one in Wellington I understand -- is very different. You are as close to the band as it is possible to get without actually being on stage and standing right beside them.

Let me first say this about U2. I didn’t like much of their early stuff and by the time they got to Rattle and Hum I thought they were just bombastic and embarrassing. I know a lot of people enjoyed all that early stuff but I recoiled from Bono’s messianic posturing and how they shamelessly hitched themselves by association to the greats of the past by going to Sun Studios for the Elvis connection, recording in Harlem, covering Lennon, hanging on to Bob Dylan and BB King and so on.

Then they actually got interesting: I loved Achtung Baby and Zooropa, and Pop less so.

It seemed to me that here was a band that had achieved the success they had always wanted and now were going to flex some musical muscle, aim for inventiveness, and be ironic, ambitious and humorous. (And my God did they need to lighten up.)

For my money their Zoo TV stage production -- which I saw twice in a couple of days and would happily have sat in on a week straight -- redefined the potential and parameters of stadium rock. It was magisterial and questioning, ambiguous and cynical, played with the notion of television, messages and mass media -- and fired random epigrams like a less pretentious Jenny Holzer on speed. The music was also much more interesting.

At the time U2 had the money, the ambition and the vision -- and they were the only band in the world that could pull it off. They lost money on most shows, but had it to lose. I admired that about them.

I thought on the Pop Mart tour which I saw in the States and didn’t come to New Zealand that they pulled back a bit (out came the old familiar stadium-shakers and lighters-aloft moments) and frankly, much as I have listened to their last couple of albums, they have disappointed me a bit. So that’s where I come from as regards this live show in 3D.

I did however thoroughly enjoy them at Ericsson and was stunned that Bono could sing the Pavarotti part in Miss Sarajevo. (I assumed the Big pav would appear on a screen as Lou Reed had done on the ZooTV shows).

So U23D? Technically it is astounding. All those cliches about feeling you could touch the band are true, and even when you had adjusted to it there were moments when it hit you again that this was a 360 degree visual experience. You hover over Laughing Larry’s drum kit, are alongside the Edge as he peels off solos, circle Bono, and feel like you could lean on Adam’s shoulder.

Astonishing.

But . . .

Maybe it was just me -- Megan disagrees, she loved it and so did the huge crowd in Buenos Aires and the cinema audience as far as I could tell -- but there was a joylessness about the performance. Larry always looks like this is the day job and proper fun happens elsewhere (Jeez man, Charlie Watts manages a smile) and the other two are pretty leaden also. If it weren’t for Bono’s commanding stage presence -- and sometimes he looks huge, then at others is lost as this small man in a massive stadium -- there wouldn‘t be much to consider.

And for this gig Bono seemed to be back to all that earnest posing, the crumpled in a heap thing, the crucifix pose, the reaching out to heal the crowd -- and the set really favours the anthemic side of the band (New Year’s Day, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Bullet the Blue Sky, Pride, Where the Streets Have No Name, One). Yes, they do Miss Sarajevo (not quite as good as the Auckland show) and then roar back with The Fly as an encore. (The best bit for me other than those three songs at the beginning where you brain and eyes are going, “Wow!)

The importance of this film I think is -- like ZooTV -- that it is ambitious and shows a possible path for others to follow. The technology will become cheaper and I can think of many artists or bands right now I’d love to see up this close: Bjork doing what she did at the Big Day Out, the Flaming Lips in full circus mode, Iggy and the Stooges . . .

Of course there is Martin Scorsese’s Stones movie coming soon too -- but I’ve seen Keith’s ravaged and crumpled visage projected four storeys high that is scary enough. To be even closer might be too much.

My reservations aside, even if you aren’t a U2 fan the quality of this technological innovation is pretty damn unbelievable. It really is worth seeing.

In other news: tomorrow we go to the “controversial” Divine Performing Arts Chinese Spectacular at the Aotea Centre (I shall faithfully report back, we went last year too).

Add in The Quick and the Dead at Whammy Bar Friday, and An Emerald City at the Ambassador in Point Chev on Saturday it will be quite a musical week.

And all of it in living colour 3D.

Footnote: A new hilarious Conchords track is posted at Elsewhere

Final Footnote: Tonight I appear as the guest on Media Wank on ALT.TV at 8.30. I am being interviewed about being a music writer and critic, and my “brilliant career“.
The sole piece of good news for you in this is that I only appear in 2D.

Okay, this may be like the fish/barrel/gun combination but some of my journalism students were talking about the content of 6pm television news yesterday. I maintain crime and the weather are the easiest things to report: after the event, camera pointed at farmer in sodden/drought afflicted/snow-blown paddock etc -- and they provide interesting if not always illuminating footage.

I was out last evening and my wife used the marvellous MySky recorder to capture One News for me.

I make no comment on the quality of what was broadcast, just thought you might be interested to know the quantity. You can work out the ratios in your news hour. All times approximate to a few seconds.

One News, Monday April 14

Intro/Preview: Kahui case, immunisation, rain brings end of the golden weather, a successful swimmer: 35 seconds
Item Crime: Kahui case, cross live to journalist, footage of Chris Kahui arriving at court, court footage etc. 3 minutes 05 seconds.
Item Crime: Taito Philip Field facing corruption charges, cross to journalist, court footage etc. 1.55
Item Health: mass immunisation campaign ends, interviews. 2.05
Item Crime: Missing Christchurch teenager, footage. 35 seconds
Item Weather: Rain brings relief to farmers, live cross and interviews. 2.30
Item Weather: Jim (“Jimmy”) Hickey with weather update and preview. 25 seconds
Outro: “Ahead on One News”. 15 seconds

Advertisements including channel promos 4.00
Close Up promo. 20 seconds

Item Crime: Hawkes Bay murder trial, court footage etc. 1.50
Item Politics: Labour idea to use public service pamphlets quashed by PM. 2.05
Item Politics International: Zimbabwe elections. 20 seconds
Item Politics International: Olympic torch in Tanzania. 18 seconds
Item Human Interest: Weapon goes awry in USA and shrapnel falls into house. 33 seconds
Item Weather Brief: Jim Hickey and live cam images: 55 seconds
“Coming up” 20 seconds

Close Up promo 18 seconds
Advertisement including channel promos. 3.50

Item Special Report: Teens and drug rehab. 2.55
Item Crime: Manslaughter trial in Blenheim: 38 seconds
Item Obituary: Death of Dame Augusta Wallace. 20 seconds
Sharemarket report and exchange rate 35 seconds
Item Crime/interview: UK's Lord Ashcroft who posted reward for missing war medals in NZ. 1.45
Recap of headlines (Kahui, immunisation, drought broken). 35 seconds
Sport preview Tony Veitch. 45 seconds

Advertisements including channel promos 4.00

Tony Veitch with sport and magazine-style footage. 11.50

Back-announce “still to come” and cross to Paul Henry about Close Up content. 35 seconds.

Advertisements and channel promos. 3.45

Weather Jim Hickey. 4.50
Item Human Interest: Giant barbecue cook-off in Uruguay. 25 seconds

“And that is One News this Monday”
“Now over to Paul Henry with Close Up . . .”

Righto, another new and hilarious Flight of the Conchords track is posted at Elsewhere.
Enjoy.
And should anyone want to time the 3 News tonight . . .