"The Flowers of Nicosia", David Ira Cleary

NV ASFM (Asimov’s Science Fiction) December 2008 – science fiction
<<- Asimov's Dec. 2008 cover by J.K. Potter for "The Flowers of Nicosia"

Downtown Dharma is an American rock and roll band. They are a middle-aged threesome - Dennis (vocals, guitars), Vlad (bass) and Rick (drums) - that like playing Nirvana covers. After terrorists blow up the venue they are about to play in Italy, they decide the take their music to Muslims to try to heal the rift between East and West.

They go to Cyprus, an island divided between Turkish Muslims and Greek Christians. There they meet Ali, who knows the rock scene in Nicosia and wants to be their manager. They play a club on the Greek side where they meet Shayla, who is headscarf-wearing rock chick. Shayla takes a liking to the drummer, Rick, who is a Xanax addict. Shayla and Ali were a once a couple, but now they bicker.

Downtown Dharma cross the United Nations-controlled Green Line with Ali and Shayla. Despite warnings of terrorists using a biological agent called Amanita, which causes your body to break out in colorful fungi growths, they insist on playing a club in dangerous Turkish Nicosia.

I found "The Flowers of Nicosia" to be an engaging story. It's set in the near future, with Amanita spores and heat-resistant Mylar clothing as the fantastic elements. The author relates the foreignness of the setting. The plot develops tension. The Americans in the band seems both idealistic enough and reckless enough for the story to work.

I choose to read this novella because the introduction mentioned it was inspired, in part, by R.E.M.'s "The Flowers of Guatemala", which is a cool song. And yes, I see that inspiration.