Got away a bit to revive myself. With cold-ass rain in a windy night, Niagara Falls is not a bad place to be. A bottle of Alize and some Madeleine Peyroux’s tunes were all that needed to get into the mood. Was thinking of Billie Holiday, but she might make me want to jump down the Falls. So went with Peyroux instead.
While in Canada, went to a charity concert that supports the HOF (Handicapped and Orphans Fund) in Viet Nam. The repertoire featured Quang Dung, Minh Tuyet, Cat Tien, Pham Khai Tuan, and Dieu Huong. While Quang Dung and Minh Tuyet were the audience’s choice, I was more interested in Dieu Huong. She might beat around the bush with the introduction of each song before she sang; I do care to hear what inspired her to write her songs. For instance, “Minh Oi” was written when her father passed away, and she was writing the lyrics in her mother’s point of view. Until she tried to get the people to dance with her translated tunes, every song, including “Khac Khoai” and “O Lai Ta Di,” she performed with emotion and affection.
In contrast, Quang Dung showed off too much of his powerful voice. Gone were the cool-under-pressure, effortless, and suave Quang Dung who made “Hay Ve Voi Anh” way cooler than the loud-ass Phuong Thanh. His performance of “Ha Trang” and “Bac Tinh,” however, were closed to if not as vociferous as Dam Vinh Hung’s. The banquet hall was small and hearing his screamings coming out of the gigantic speakers was not so pleasing, but the crowd loved him.
During intermission, I was going to cop Tinh Khuc Cho Em, a new release from Quang Dung and Thai Ha (Y Lan’s clone), but it was twenty dollars a pop. The price is doubled just for the signature? That’s a straight jack.