It is done! Our hypnosis show at Spring Scream
春天吶喊 (http://www.springscream.com) was scheduled for 12:10am (yes, just after midnight) but when we got there the band scheduled before us was just setting up to perform . . . things were running much later than usual. So, I apologized to Kaye who was dead on her feet but we couldn't get her back to the hotel until we'd done my set (she had a rather long, tiring, and wonderful Sweet Sixteen as she saw some amazing performances by some great bands). Well, High Tide [edit, I was really tired and put the wrong band name in here in the original post, changed after being corrected by folks whose eyes are keener than mine and whose critical faculties are less foggy] did have a great set (which we quite enjoyed) but they ran a bit long so we ended up on stage even later . . . but . . . once the volunteers were on stage we had a great time . . .

I have not sen the video yet so I don't know how it looks or if there will be any good clips from the footage – had some really interesting responses on stage that I hope are preserved. Kaye did ask me how can I use clips for youtube if there's "too much dirty language" which might be a bit of a problem as I started the gig yelling at the top of my lungs for a bunch of folks in the audience to "shut the fuck up" and the swearing did not abate – rough crowds inspire rough language, it is a music festival after all. Because of some coordination issues in terms of stools and microphones and the cleverness of not having our background music CD with us, it was an odd start and I did a more rapidfire patter than is typical without the usual background but jumped right to it with some folks. In a quarter century of professional hypnosis, the only times I've had to deal with hecklers or practical jokers slipping on stage has been with fellow waiguoren in Taiwan and there were a few of those present, being true to form . . . interestingly, Taiwanese drunks typically don't try to upstage the act or tear it down for laughs, they want to help it along.  Of course, things would have been helped a LOT if we had not left our usual CD of music and sound effects at home in Taipei (note to self, you play the high energy intro music at the beginning of a gig in order to get folks energized but also to let them know the show is starting so you don't have to yell above the din to get their attention).

In any case, we had some great responders on stage who obviously are beautiful natural high responders who can use thise stuff to great advantage if they choose to do so . . . one guy was an interesting reaction and a half in that he stood up and was ready to leave (not unusual in a show like this at a racous festival) but I had my eye on him and he was obvously well in to state so I demonstrated to him that he wasn't just tired but well hynotized with some catalepsy bits and said that as he sat back down his hands which I had stuck to the top of his head and belly would unstick and he'd close his eyes and go nice and deep . . . when he sat, he was still stuck! Someone fro the audience yelled out "ah oh, language barrier" which was right, so I had to rephrase that and he went back in (we didn't work with interpretation and I ran the whole show in English as most of the audience and participants were waiguoren and the Chinese there understood the English for the most part, obviously with a hiccup or two as I discovered. Ventriloquist Matt Brosil was at the show and I was told beforehand that he had told folks he was getting hypnotized and he's an amazing trance partner so with him I did some catalepsy, can't say your name, and my name is Tinkerbelle bits . . . after the show he had spontaneous amnesia so I promised if the footage came out, I'd be sure to tag him on facebook so he could see it. He's great. Had some other folks whoe were also great responders – some took the suggestions and ran with 'em while others were so deep into the relaxation that they became the lumpof gooey fesh that we compare responders to.

Despite a late start and some raucusness, we still had a great time and hope the audience had fun too.

We got to see some great bands and performances and at least say "howdy" to some friends who we pretty much only get to see once or twice a year at festivals – Taiwan's an island but most of us get stuck living in or own corner and don't make the trip to other parts very often – the drive from Taipei to Kenting is a long one. Honestly, now that Kaye is sixteen and in a music program, I hope we get to make the trek to more festivals . . . albeit, hopefully, not on such hilly terrain, while I've had health improvements that walk to and from the lighthouse and the festival area was a very rough one for me as I still have a partically collapsed lung which makes breathing a big problematic for me even for what should be a fairly simple stroll to others.

We will be back in Taipei late Tuesday . . . so, my internetedness will be spotty until then.  We've got house sitters so the animals will be fed and taken care of and all will be well with the world upon our return.

Our next public show will be May 9 in Taipei at the Comedy Club (http://www.comedy.com.tw).

All the best,
Brian

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Brian David Phillips, PhD, CH [brian@briandavidphillips.com] 
Hypnotist, Hypnotherapist, Intuitionist, Trance Wizard 
President, Society of Experiential Trance
Associate Professor, NCCU, Taipei, Taiwan