Sunday, February 26, 2006

Sunday afternoon diversion

Imagine that you're on the subway, or the commuter train. Standing near the door is a middle-aged professional looking fellow, with his mp3 player going. Whatever the music is, the guy's deeply, deeply into it, and before long--although he's so totally in the groove that he's the only one on the car who doesn't realize it--he's playing air guitar. Then air drums. Air piano, too.

Little by little, eyes closed, face in deep concentration, he gives himself over to every 15-year-old's rock-and-roll fantasy performance. Chuck Berry. Eric Clapton. Jerry Lee Lewis-- whoever it is, he's wailin'. And none of the other passengers wants to interrupt him, because it'll break the spell and they're all dying to see how it finishes up.

Now imagine that instead of playing air guitar on the subway, he's juggling on stage.

I've seen a lot of jugglers in my time, and this guy's technique is dazzling, but conceptually he's just in a whole 'nother place. Shout out to James the Elder for sending me the link.

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