Pianist plays through Eruption

So Ruapehu erupted again, scaring a few tourists and skiiers, hurting one guy caught in a Laha. The media’s alight with the story, demanding to know there was no warning - after all, scientists are supposed to be monitoring the mountain, given the amount of use it gets and the nearby settlements.

It was similar to eruptions in 1969 and 1975, but smaller than those in 1995 and 1996.

Most ski lodges on the mountain, full of people because of the school holidays, were evacuated.

Many ended up at the Chateau hotel, where the main lounge filled with people wearing skisuits and carrying tired children - while a pianist played Eric Clapton’s Wonderful Tonight.

Hold on, what? The author feels the need to comment on the music? I bet the evacuees loved that aspect of the story.

“Oh look, he mentioned what song was playing.”
“Huh. Didn’t notice it at the time, what with all the evacuating I was doing and all. Didn’t seem all that important.”
“Yeah, well it is. It’s in the paper, see?”

Still, good to see that the Pianist kept their wits about them.

Not only did they show extraordinary taste in music, but also a fine sense of Irony - how ‘wonderful’ do you really think the evacuees looked? Not hot, that’s for sure.

I just hope he followed it with something like “Another One Bites the Dust” or “Burning Ring of Fire”

September 26, 2007 | Filed Under Humour 

Comments

3 Responses to “Pianist plays through Eruption”

  1. jayne d'Arcy on September 27th, 2007 7:39 am
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    Music calms the frightened; that’s what the Nazis thought as they often had musicians playing the classics as new prisoners arrived to the death camps.

    I think it’s presumptuous of them to demand why there was no warning before the eruption. Science has advanced pretty far, but it’s still lacks on predicting an eruption or an earthquake.

  2. Ben on September 27th, 2007 10:12 am
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    Music definitely has a calming effect, I was just surprised the artist / title / instrument made it into the article.

    Unfortunately, todays world always wants someone to blame for everything. Obviously the Eruption is not a natural occurance but GNS Science’s fault. Because they’re only human using human technology.

    It is slightly disconcerting however that there would be no warning - in the past the build up of activity has usually been reported, giving way to evacuation.

  3. Romi on September 30th, 2007 4:10 am
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    Yeah….”artist and title” was definitely an interesting addition to the article; I wonder how that affected iTunes sales….

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