Irish Music Scene & Life in Northern Greece 23/2021
Sunday 14th November. Our second session went very well. Encouragingly, at least four of the ten players were Greeks under 30 years old. I say that because it is pleasing to witness people with no connections to Ireland getting into the music. The second reason is because an old schoolmate of mine, on attending a Wednesday afternoon session in Glasgow, was moved to opine, “Fuck me! I thought I was in God’s waiting room.” He is in his 60s so you can imagine how old the players were. Our Thessaloniki demographic hasn’t opened the door to God’s waiting room just yet. Four of the ten of us were under 30.
It was noticeable that the musicians were much more comfortable with the music this time round. The manager of the Dubliner now uploads a PDF file of the music to be played at least two weeks prior to a session which players can download and learn in advance. I know sheet music is a big No-No in sessions, but this session is new, several of the players are new to Irish music, and we need the crutch of sheet music to help the session get off the ground. Roll on Session #3 on 12th December.
19th November. Greece is currently undergoing a 4th wave of Covid. New cases have been over 6,000 every day this week. Today we have had 7,805 new cases, 575 in ICUs and 91 deaths. Of most concern to the government is the rising number of people in intensive care. The country is running out of beds in ICUs. Moreover, the cases are not evenly distributed throughout the land. As I have said before, Thessaloniki is the capital of the GUN, the Great Unvaccinated North, so the ICUs have maxed out up here, resulting in many intubated people in these parts being treated in normal wards ill-equipped to help them. Of course, this is a self-inflicted wound. 83% of those in intensive care are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
There were also two reports of people refusing to their last breath that the virus even exists. One checked out of hospital only to be found slumped half dead on a bench. A 51-year-old woman refused all treatment on the advice of a suspended government health official who happens to be a conspiracy theorist. She died and he is being investigated by the police. Notwithstanding this woman’s death, Covid continues to target mainly the old and the sick. Over 95% of those who died today were over 70 and/or had underlying health issues.
The government strategy is to keep the country open while imposing further restrictions on the unvaccinated. More about this next time.