19: Atlantic Times Square, Monterey Park

19: Atlantic Times Square, Monterey Park
Designed by: Peizhi, Qian Yu
Piano type: Full Upright
Playability: Good
Weather: 63°F, partly cloudy/light drizzle
How I got here: Car

You could call #19 a lesson in persistence.

With "Play Me, I'm Yours" just about 2/3 finished at this point, I had little time to waste if I wanted to complete my quest to play all 30 pianos. Of course, I've just about played 2/3 of the pianos.

After a dinner meet-up with a friend in Historic Filipinotown, I wanted to see if I could squeeze in my 19th street piano (and the fourth of the day) in before the rain set in. It was starting to sprinkle while driving down the 10, and by the time I had existed off Atlantic, my windshield was full of raindrops. Would my hopes be dashed for this one?

But once I arrived at this relatively new outdoor mixed-use mall on Atlantic and Hellman, though the ground was damp, the clouds had already started to dissipate, so I took off the small bungee cords from the hooks at the bottom of the piano, rolled back the rain cover and started to play.

Interestingly, this mall, which had people working out at the 24 Hour Fitness gym and boba-sipping young adults walk by, they seemed kind of oblivious to the piano. Maybe it was because of the video screen showing music videos that was also vying for attention, but usually people take notice of the piano and whoever's playing it. Where was the interaction present at most of the other sites? Well one dude, named Alan, stood by and snapped pics. He asked me what song I was playing and I said that it was just something I made up. He said that the music reached him even over the video screen noise. I told him some of my street piano stories and we had a short discussion about the power of music and arts, which is really the whole point of this installation, right? He told me he played some guitar, and I encouraged him to play more.

As the rain resumed its sprinkling, I closed the piano and rolled the rain cover back down...I also perused the mall and had my first Fluff Ice (Green Tea with red bean and kiwi topping) from their nearby storefront.

I did some improv stuff, and also played songs like Oleta Adams' "Get Here" and Stevie Wonder's "Lately":