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| B2 Club 
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| Searching to Meet Myself | | | By Mathew Barrett | |
As Arthur H, the charming and indeed enigmatic French poet, lyricist and of course performing artist, pondered my next question I became fully aware that this was not a man who was just showing up in Russia for the first time to say been there done that, but instead a man of real principle and drive.
Within an hour Arthur H would be performing for the first time in his quite distinguished career in front of a Russian crowd, in one of the trendiest, coziest and altogether aesthetically pleasing nightlife venues that Moscow has to offer. He told how he found Moscow to be a richly cultural city before mentioning he was impressed by the interesting Stalin inspired architecture despite the fact he had only arrived there 2 days previously.
The third floor sushi bar and restaurant of the four-floored enthralling B2 nightclub was the setting for the questions posed to Arthur H as he casually made his way through his meal while pensively reflecting upon each question. This was clearly not a new thing for him to do as he seemed un-phased by the situation before giving what appeared to be well thought responses.
How long do your tours usually last and do you still enjoy touring as much as you always have? I asked as an opening question awaiting what I thought would be a planned reply, but instead Arthur H showed just how thoughtful he is. “I tour for sometimes as long as 1 or even 2 years. Well, I love touring but it’s a lot of stress. I also love the simple life.” When asked more questions concerning both his life and himself he answered once again charismatically with typical French verve saying how “life (to him) is never very normal but I try to be normal…my life is chaotic.” He went on to describe his creative nature and how people need a curse to be creative, in which I am sure everyone can see a kind of truth.
A self confessed “searcher” looking to “free his own ecstasy”, Arthur H finds he does this by enjoying equally the writing and performing of his work and suggests they provide a “warm link” to a man with an inbuilt “personality for music.”
Having spent some time talking to the man I developed an increasing interest to see if he could not only talk the talk but to also walk the walk so to speak. I can say he didn’t disappoint. The fourth floor mini concert hall of the B2 complex set the scene for an intriguing and warmly welcomed act with the audience still arriving as the show was beginning. When he was performing Arthur H and his music indeed encompassed each other in their search for creating the “dynamic and emotional landscape” that he had earlier spoken about. The mass of people who had come to see his performance were at times unable to understand his more abstract ideas perhaps due to language barriers but did appear completely and conscientiously attuned to what Arthur H had decided to perform for them.
His style of music I feel is too difficult to label under any one category but its fair to say that there were shades of a number of Arthur H’s influences that were artfully and skillfully combined for a successfully effective show that provided proof he is as he says “searching to meet myself”.
What now for the almost philosophical Arthur H? Well, currently coming to the end of his tour he has China for a following destination before he plans to start work on a new album which is firmly on his agenda.
11.06.04 |
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