- Playing
- An American in Xining (radio cut)
- From
- Andrew Parsons
Ben came to Xining, China to play keyboard in his friend's nightclub. Xining, about 800 miles from Bejing, is the last big city in China going westward and is bigger than one might think. Not used to things like foreigners, the changing face of China had expanded the city at a rapid rate in the years prior to Ben's arrival.
In many ways, Ben found himself in a struggle much bigger than himself in Xining. After confronting a man who spit at him outside a local KFC, Ben found himself locked in a car for an hour and forty minutes as hundreds of people punched, kicked, tipped and pummeled the car, even tearing off pieces. Ben recounts the decision making and thought process that he and three other friends went through during the riot.
More from Andrew Parsons
Pie Man
(00:08:35)
From: Andrew Parsons
Seven-time Moth StorySLAM champion Jim O'Grady tells a well crafted story about the start of his journalism career at Fordham University's newspaper The Ram, making things up ...
A Feathered Immigrant Story (radio cut)
(00:06:04)
From: Andrew Parsons
Join us for an urban safari in South Brooklyn to see some displaced Argentine wild animals. Here we discover wild South American birds who represent American immigrant ...
The Urban Chicken (radio cut)
(00:26:43)
From: Andrew Parsons
Stories about the upward trend of urban chicken raising in America. We talk to several urban chicken owners about chicken love, chicken life and even the history of urban ...
Death Bear and the Power of Purging
(00:04:31)
From: Andrew Parsons
Is a photo or piece of clothing from an ex haunting you? Need to purge? This is why the world has Death Bear
City Teacher, Country Learning (radio cut)
(00:16:53)
From: Andrew Parsons
A story about a teacher with no experience in the outdoors, deep in the woods of Vermont and the education of fear.
The Cube, the Sphere and the Cylinder (radio cut)
(00:04:46)
From: Andrew Parsons
Teaching Friedrich Hegel’s dialectical theory with 19th century kindergarten toys. Told by Dr. Eugene Provenzo of the University of Miami.
Steeple Jacking with Bob Richards (radio cut)
(00:12:43)
From: Andrew Parsons
The story of one man's part in the last remnants of free enterprise in the US during the summer of 1952 and some reflection on its role in that British man's very American life.
The Starting Over Stories
(00:44:22)
From: Andrew Parsons
Stories that take different perspectives on starting over, which we've all wanted to do at times. It includes a three part story from Bob Richards about starting over in ...
Stories from the Red Light
(00:37:22)
From: Andrew Parsons
The second of our "9 to 5 to Whenever" series, this episode features the story of a woman who, while in art school, decides to start stripping at a dive night club while ...
Steeplejacking with Bob Richards
(00:31:57)
From: Andrew Parsons
The story of one man's part in the last remnants of free enterprise in the US during the summer of 1952 and some reflection on its role in that British man's very American life.
Related Pieces
Piece Description
Ben came to Xining, China to play keyboard in his friend's nightclub. Xining, about 800 miles from Bejing, is the last big city in China going westward and is bigger than one might think. Not used to things like foreigners, the changing face of China had expanded the city at a rapid rate in the years prior to Ben's arrival.
In many ways, Ben found himself in a struggle much bigger than himself in Xining. After confronting a man who spit at him outside a local KFC, Ben found himself locked in a car for an hour and forty minutes as hundreds of people punched, kicked, tipped and pummeled the car, even tearing off pieces. Ben recounts the decision making and thought process that he and three other friends went through during the riot.
Broadcast History
Arts & Ideas, WGBH Boston (October 2009)
Musical Works
| Title | Artist | Album | Label | Year | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Con e con | Ben Matin | 00:00 | |||
| Losing Our Life | Ben Matin | 00:00 | |||
| Clavidel | Ben Matin | 00:00 | |||
| Clavidel | Ben Matin | 00:00 | |||
| What Do You Lose | Ben Matin | 00:00 |
Related Website
