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sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

Hi all, I'm going to live in kathmandu soon and am aware there's a big expat community.
I checked the session listings here with no luck. But I know there is an irish bar in the Thamel area.
So just wondering if anyone has contacts there. Thanks, p

# Posted on July 31st 2010 by ecidralla

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

My daughter was in Kathmandu for 3 months and was there for St. Patrick's Day. There was some Irish music played and big banners and hats,etc. My advice...Ask around, you might just find some tunes.vega

# Posted on July 31st 2010 by vega

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

One of my sisters spent much of her teenage years doing the lotus and listening to Cat Stevens' song "Katmandu". She pined to go there.

Newly married, she and her husband duly went. They survived a train journey across India, but Katmandu's belly bugs absolutely wiped the floor with them. They had to be whisked back to Britain pronto.

So, take plenty of stuff to deal with the microbes!

# Posted on July 31st 2010 by nicholas

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

That's interesting, I was thinking of movng to Ulan Bator and had heard similar things about an expat community there. I'm looking forward to jamming with the lads from Huun Huur Tuu!

# Posted on July 31st 2010 by Seosamh Ui Sinan

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

It's thirty odd years since I visited Nepal but at that time every village had a good number of very young fiddle players, all with homemade fiddles. They all had only one tune - Aloutte.

# Posted on August 1st 2010 by All Moldy

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

Or just one tune you recognised?? What's the local folk music in Nepal? They must have been playing that on fiddle and other instruments to get any way good.

# Posted on August 1st 2010 by the wounded hussar

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

I think I will go to that pub when I get there and ask about, I also did hear of st patriks celebrations so there's bound to be a few musicians around. Mainly expats I would think,who would be workin in the climbing industry etc.
My best bet probably. I doubt local nepalis will be into trad but u never know...
I do hope the guinness is safe though...

# Posted on August 1st 2010 by ecidralla

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

Seosamh, just to spare you some disappointment, when you get to Ulan Bator railway station, the HHT might not be there to greet you - the Huun Huur Tu guys are from Tuva, not from Mongolia...

# Posted on August 1st 2010 by Janek

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

Thamel's not that big,you'll figure it out. By the way, the local folk musicians are very friendly and into jamming if you want to have a cultural exchange rather than sit in your ethnic bubble. You don't even have to leave Thamel as they gig in the local hotels. I sat in on a couple of gigs with my fiddle and local fiddlers. Nepalis, tourist audience and I all had fun.
The biggest audience i've ever played to was jamming with a guitarist in Durbar square to an audience of equal parts tourists and Nepalis. We made it onto several videos (pre youtube times).
Hint; if you're gonna trek, bring along a pennywhistle or other portable instrument. If you're gonna trek with a porter (the law now although easily avoided; consider donating the saved funds to an orphanage, women's shelter, potable water project) take your larger instrument.

# Posted on August 1st 2010 by fredlyr

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

Look out for representations of Joanna Lumley, now an Official Nepalese Goddess for securing the right of Gurkha veterans to settle in Britain should they wish.

See if she's got eight arms yet.

# Posted on August 1st 2010 by nicholas

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

"Or just one tune you recognised?? What's the local folk music in Nepal? They must have been playing that on fiddle and other instruments to get any way good."

The only tune I heard them play. (and I didn't say they were good :) ). These were pre-teenage boys who would race up to greet any European looking trecker with the tune.

# Posted on August 2nd 2010 by All Moldy

Re: sessions or musicians in kathmandu, Nepal

Ah, I should read more carefully!!

# Posted on August 2nd 2010 by the wounded hussar

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