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Melanie Hamlett

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Tag: Lyon

Got some nice press about the two solo shows I’m doing this weekend in Lyon, France

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Lyon, France last week

Legs

Among other weird stuff we came across this last weekend at the beach, this poorly parked boat was one of them .
Whenever French people think I’m exaggerating about how oh so screwed up the USA is now because the religious freaks have the the whole country in a wrestle mania choke hold, I explain the bonkers anti-abortion laws the GOP keeps passing and this gas station chicken place I stopped at years ago in Arkansas (or some bass akwards hell hole i drove through)
We learned this new song on Monday and I got it immediately, which surprised me. Because I have told myself my whole life that music isn’t my thing and I don’t understand it. . . But anyone who’s seen me dance or relentlessly play the drums on my belly would beg to differ. It was my boyfriend this weekend who told me I naturally understand rhythm and that it comes out in the way I tell stories, play air drums and sing along to the radio. He says it’s in my writing too, which I realized only then how much I craft each line based on the rhythm of the word just as much as the actual words themselves. Hell, it’s even how I speak. I always find myself using pitch and silences and crescendos to work my way around a story I’m telling on stage or to friends. It’s how I talk for Christ’s sakes. I was even in the damn church choir until I was 16 (got kicked off choir tour for smoking and drinking which my mom probably wishes I didn’t tell you). It took my bf to help me see the truth because I just assumed I don’t understand any of this shit at all simply cuz I can’t read sheet music. . . So basically a story I made up decades ago about myself kept me from pursuing or enjoying something I love. Funny how we create and believe these bullshit stories that then end up defining who we think we are, thus keeping us from doing shit we like and are sometimes even GOOD at. I nailed this song immediately and only cuz I went into drum club on Monday thinking “maybe I AM good at music” instead of “I’m just having fun at this thing I suck at.” Also, fun side note, everyone jokes about me being the energizer bunny who never runs out of gas and bounces when she drums. They find my boundless energy and enthusiasm somewhat fascinating. 😂 🥁 🥁 🐰 🥁🥁😂
This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. I left town for most of the festival this year because it’s actually a huge cluster fuck and makes Lyon people crazy. But I wanted to at least see the stuff near my flat before it ended because I had a feeling it was special. Boy was it. I put on my coat at 11:45, marched down among the millions of sheeple in town for it, and cried by myself at the sight of such beauty. I love how much they love art here. They respect it more than we do in the USA and therefore make it more accessible. I wish we invested more in public art and struggling artists they way they do in Europe. Because most artists in the USA that I know (except the ones who come from a lot of money) are thousands or tens of their dollars in debt 🙋🏻‍♀️ or barley getting by at best.

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