Retrospection to ease post vacation blues: Part I

24.July.2004










Finally arrived into Cesme, a peninsula on the Aegean Sea, west of Izmir. I drove a crumbling stick shift fiat from Kusadasi, past Izmir and across the bridge to Cesme. An 80 KM drive into the sunset. The $10 discount we got on the rent-a-wreck was not only for the duct-taped side mirror but for missing a complete stereo! We had a portable radio which doesn't work when car is mobile, my friend had to hold the antenna out of the window so we could listen to a static-disturbed Nina Sky song.

The beautiful mountains of Izmir, the windmills, farms, the sun dissolving beyond Chios and finally...Cesme the city of fountains!

Small winding roads between fishermen's houses, pensions and carpet shops, a few hamams, the harbour and the many tourists boats. Cesme has strong westerly winds, attracting surfers, windsurfers and kiteboarders from all over the region. The local policeman complains that the summers disturb the peace of this quite town, students from all over Turkey come to catch some waves. I've come to Turkey for 1 reason...Moloko

The night of the concert was hectic, we had to catch the last Auto-Gar (minibus) to Kum Beach, 6 KM from city sq. Little did we know that Mustafa Sandal will be singing in the sq. for a VW promotion and over 7000 were going to cram the streets. So we ran in our dresses across the concert, I pushed and shoved my way into and out of the crowd at the bottom of Cesme Castle! (It isn't like me to do something like this, but I flew all the way from Beirut for this concert, nothing in the world is going to stop me from gettin my 1st dose of Rosin & Co.)


The Autogar driver couldn't believe that me and my friend came all the way for Moloko, many people found it hard to believe, including myself!

Kum beach (Sand beach) was packed with Turks that looked like they've just arrived from planet Moloko! I've been to many concerts before, Tokyo, London & NY but nothing is like this one, people were extremly fashionable, everything vintage/80s/moloko was their motto.

A temp lounge was built on the beach as a VIP are. +6ft supermodels gave out florecent little key chains with "80s" on them, foldable 3rd glasses which came inneat paper packets that went around the neck.




DJ U.F.U.K, the #1 DJ in Turkey played some good sets for opening (pronounced Ufuq as in Horizon, not You Fuck) Following 2 hrs of U.F.U.K, the crowd gathered closer to stage, the nifty crowds with their Tinis left the VIP area to welcome Moloko for the 2nd time to their country.

Rosin came crawlling on stage wearing a vintage dress with fox fur around her neck, you can hear her and see her shadows as she repeats "Feeling, feeling....feeling" she'd pause and do it again until she jumped on stage and began singing "Familiar Feeling", people were so feeling her and jumping and jamming to the base. Crowned with a WWI-like helmet. (Yes the same helmet she's beeing touring the world with) They followed by"Time is now" & "Sing it Back" blow by blow they drove the crowd in a frenzy and induced more halucinations then already existed by doing their redo of the acidtronica, asking everyone "Where is the what?", "Day for night", at closing, I couldn't contain my excitement when they played "Cannot Contain this". Every man in the crowd thought Rosin was singing to him "I want you". Finally, they killed me slowly with "Forever More".

Interrupted by trays of gourmet o'derves,(sun dried tomato quiche and mini chocolate mouse with white sauce) cortesy of Winston ciggerettes commemerating their 100th year into the lung cancer industry. Security guards left us uneasy as they crammed themselves into the "mosh pit" busting drunken turks and dope dealers. Rosin at one point, wrapped a Shall (Hijab) around her head, uncovering her eyes only..singing "Forever More" to a bouqet or roses which she cradled like a baby. Driving the muslim crowd into more cheers, of course I was screaming on the top of my head "Old school, more old school" which did not go further than the barracades infront of the stage and of course blew the ear drums of the blonde infront of me.


All in all, Rosin Murphey and the Moloko Crew..Rocked my world that night!

p.s. This blog is dedicated to the Haiku Priestess and my travel buddy -A