A grand piano and an upright piano were brought into Tent City Sunday for a concert performed by RJ Astor and pianist Qing Qing Ye.

RJ Astor, who came up with the idea, was a barrister in London for decades and now in retirement, travels the world bringing Mozart’s music to unusual venues where people with little to no exposure or knowledge of the classical music gather.

Sheriff Arpaio, who set up and oversees “Tent City”, has himself described the place as a concentration camp.  During the summer of 2003, when outside temperatures exceeded 110 °F, Arpaio responded to complaining inmates with “It’s 120 degrees in Iraq and the soldiers are living in tents, have to wear full body armor, and they didn’t commit any crimes, so shut your mouths.”  Of course, the vast majority of inmates within Tent City have not been convicted of a crime; rather, they are merely awaiting trial.

In regards to the concert, Arpaio said “I might expect a little heckling at first but maybe after a few numbers, an appreciation might set in. Who knows? Music education and therapy can’t be bad on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.”