LA Grand Performances 05: Who is more american?

We played the fab outdoor stage at California Plaza and premiered the song "Naughty Schoolgirl". Some die hards got to the free stadium style outdoor seats a half hour before the show. Some asian women, some kids, it was cool to see them out there, excited to see us.

We started with Rice Rice Baby (an easy in because of the parody and humor of the song.) Me and Lyris are still nervous about starting with a musically serious or more edgy piece. We think the audience will be afraid. We feel like we have to ease an audience into this concept of Asian American girls rising up and speaking strong. We do a funny piece first because it says--it's ok to laugh. We have a sense of humor. Now watch us rant and rave about cultural politics!! Sometimes I feel like a sell out doing the funny first, to make sure the audience feels alright about it. It is a fine line between taking care of the audience so that they are open to hear these new ideas, and doing something I know is safe in order to be liked by an audience whose ears have been tuned by exclusion and fear.

Always the un-safe one, Sato went naked under the cellophane in 'Mulan'.

The best moment of the night came after the actual concert. A woman puts up her hand in the talk back and says this: "I just want to thank you, I just, I came here today and I breathed out a sigh of relief I said "FINALLY." I have served my country for 31 years. I have lived here since I was 4, from the Phillippines, and have been in the army for 31 years and am a sargeant now. But even though I am in the army, if I am not in uniform, no one treats me with respect there. They all assume I am someone's wife or mother. And they hesitate to let me on army planes or speak to me. Your songs, it is the first time I feel like someone is talking to me. And some of it is painful, the things you talk about the things you are saying and the stereotypes. But I am glad I came and I hope you keep going."

That is the SHIT everyone. And for now, we keep going.