FLASH MOB? DOES THAT MEAN WE HAVE TO “FLASH”?

The idea to do a CC Strummers “Flash Mob” has been percolating for a long time here in the neighborhood. One of our ukulele scouts talks with folks at the local mall and reports back with their curt reply. “If we let you play, we’ll have to let anyone play.”

Undeterred and fortified with ukulele gusto, we locate a parcel of public land in the heart of downtown Culver City. It is a triangular shape of concrete with potted plants and a fountain at the pointy end that beckons young and old to get up close and personally wet. To one side of the plaza is the historical Culver Hotel. During the halcyon days of MGM Studios, which was located smack dab in the middle of Culver City, this hotel was the happening place to put up the stars. Or put up with the stars… 75 years ago in our quaint land, they filmed The Wizard of Oz and here come the Munchkins. They are booked three to a room.

Three to a room. Please take as long as you need to think this one through…

Considering the gravitas of time and place, I decide we will do a couple songs from the movie. For starters. As I’m building a setlist and getting the song arrangements together it occurs to me that perhaps I should, like, call city hall, like, and tell them this is happening so, like, no one gets arrested…

And lucky I do. Listen folks, I’m a musician. My job is to “make happy” and ignore bureaucracy for as long as humanly possible. But three pages of rules and regulations land in my email in-box. So I start making phone calls. The folks at City Hall are delightful as I explain what we are doing. They say “okay” and promise to notify the Fire Department too. (Um really?…We’re pretty good, but I don’t think we set the world on fire…yet). The sergeant in charge of movie shoots and crowd control at The Culver City Police Department gives me, my toaster-oven-size-battery-powered speaker and The CC Strummers a “thumbs-up.” Our mother ship, The Culver City Senior Center, is vigilant and appreciative at the same time.

Maria, our wild Latin Goddess, actually thinks a Flash Mob means we are going to flash. Like a body part or something. She envisions her costume, sharing the details one morning in class after we do our hand exercises. It’s a kind of flesh colored cat suit, with, was it plastic flowers or something, strategically placed. Think Gypsy Rose Lee… Oh yes, and a trench coat that she will rip open at just the right moment. “And when will that moment be?” I ask. “After the Rainbow song.” She laughs. Her dress rehearsal, which happens in the privacy of her house, does not go well, apparently, and her stripper garb is scrapped. I am only a little relieved…

Finally the big day arrives. In true Flash Mob tradition we gather in the plaza and try to look inconspicuous. With our ukuleles and music stands, inconspicuous. By the time I hit the downbeat of our first song—the signal for all to gather around—The CC Strummers are already gathered around and waiting for me.  Marilyn and her percussion section are at the starting gate and away we go.

Our favorite song in the Flash Mob set is the big hit “Happy.” We have worked on this song for weeks and weeks, learning the language of syncopation. Rhythm and Blues. Hip Hop. What can I say? We are a whole lot hipper now than we were at Easter. My husband videotapes the whole happy thing and we have posted it on YouTube for you to watch. Click here for some “feel good.”

I have learned over the years that even though I make plans and I arrive prepared, something unexpected happens anyway. I used to freak out about this, but not so much these days because…what the hell. Life is short. Stuff happens and sometimes it turns into a splendid surprise.

Well I didn’t plan an encore because this is a Flash Mob, after all. We flash in, we flash out. Done. Goodbye. Except the unexpected happens. After our last song, which is a reprise of The CC Strummers Theme Song, the audience is clapping and calling out “more.” Over and over.

“More? I am thinking to myself. “You have got to be kidding. We don’t have more. What to do? What to do?” Well I confess to everyone within earshot that we don’t have more, but we’ll play another song anyway. You see I encourage The CC Strummers to play by ear. Too. We play a song by ear every class so we have a few in the bag and we pulled out Elvis, just like that. I was so proud of them. They responded like pros and we nailed it. Watch what happens! Click here.

Finally, a toast to all those Munchkins and the song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Click here to watch the video. Maria doesn’t flash, but we have to deal with a sudden flash of wind and it’s right there, you see how kind and supportive ukulele people are. Anyone who has the good fortune to be in a ukulele group knows how quickly it turns into family, ohana. How quickly it becomes more than making music. It turns into an oasis, a safe harbor where we experience the best in ourselves. And others.