If you are reading this, that means you are going through our “memorial” issue! Why is it called “memorial”? I think because they let me write in it! Well, they didn't really… I snuck to the press and hid this article in the middle of the good materials my colleagues wrote, hoping that no one would notice. Now it's published! Anyway, HAPPY 130th BIRTHDAY OUR DEAR EGYPTIAN GAZETTE. Standing the test of time must be wonderful and so is being a very special publication throughout the years. I remember when the first issue came out and I couldn't read it without my glasses and… never mind. Old papers lead us to old instruments like… guitars. I don't think I'm the only who knows that the guitar is the most popular instrument all over the world. The diversity it offers makes it very special" in addition to the acoustic classic and folk guitars, we also have electric ones. You can use classical guitar in classical music as well as jazz, pop or even rock if you want to add a very soft touch to the track. As for folk guitar" in case the name isn't enough to explain" it is used in folk music, country and western, as well as rock when an acoustic flavor is needed. Needless to say, electric guitars are used in all kinds of rock and other genres too. It's hard to mention all kinds of music, so that was just a brief about guitars. I have to remind you that bass guitar is a totally different instrument. In modern numbers it plays the same role the contrabass plays in classical music. The most common guitars are six-string ones, but some have 18 strings. As for the bass, four-string ones are used more than five and six-string basses. When it comes to size, bass guitars are bigger and also heavier, which makes the best to use in beating people up, in case you don't have a baseball bat. This is a very handy instrument to use when you deal with burgers… I mean burglars, outlaws, in laws and of course spouses. Out of the fight and back to the article, although I know that some might enjoy being in fights more than reading my column. Still that will never stop me from writing to tell you about a totally different genre" flamenco. As you might know, it requires a different playing technique. On Sunday, April 11, I attended a concert by talented guitarist Emad Hamdy. It was held at Cairo Opera House's Small Hall. Although I've known Emad for years, I've never had the chance to attend any of his performances. However, I watched some of his recorded performances on television and on a CD he gave me a couple of years ago. I found them quite impressive. I know that many people do as well and that's why his concerts are relatively crowded. Through the years, this very active guitarist has performed with many renowned artists. He is famous for his pop and classical concerts in which he excels. After last week's concert he told me that this flamenco programme was new to him and that explains a lot. I have to say that an artist who goes on stage to perform a whole concert with one instrument is a very confident one because most probably monotony will be the common factor. Luckily, this concert wasn't boring. Carrying his guitar and music sheets, Emad went on stage at seven past eight. After saluting the audience he started the first set of this very short concert with a rumba track. That was a good choice because it's a famous one, which was enough to draw attention. This number was popularised in the 1970s by a Lebanese pop singer and that's why it was quite familiar to many. Some clapped along and everyone applauded earnestly when it was finished. People kept coming in till the fourth number. After which Emad asked everybody about their favorite out of all the ones he performed. He also apologised for playing short pieces and explained that they are very hard to perform, which was obvious. Another obvious thing was the cell phone, which rang between two pieces. Members of the audience should learn how to put their phones on silent before entering concert halls, otherwise they will distract artists and also annoy other attendees. Speaking of irritating things, a noisy man kept walking in and out of the hall and talking to his young boy in the middle of the show. I was later told that he works for Nile TV and that he was there to cover the concert, which he didn't really attend! Emad was trying to break the ice by talking extensively to the crowd between numbers. Although the information he provided was quite informative and even educational, it interrupted the mood flow. The first set lasted for only 30 minutes and after a 22-minute break Emad returned to the stage to play a few more tracks and then asked the crowd which pieces would they like to listen to again? With all due respect to the audience, I was surprised that they got to choose many numbers on the spot. I noticed that Emad somehow felt uncomfortable while playing some numbers and he said that he is trying to get used to the way he was seated to play that style. He added "I've been playing the guitar for 25 years and I am used to sitting in the way that suits classical playing and not this one". Anyway, Emad is a gifted guitarist but I still believe that his points of strength are mainly classical and pop genres.
