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Post by grant on Jan 9, 2023 8:53:45 GMT
Hey guys, I wanted to come on here to say hi and thank you! Appreciate you all still being here Little update just for you: Our daughter's name is Rose and she was born in September last year. She's a delight. Travis is the most amazing father and life has been pretty dreamy since the day we met. He's not in the music industry, but he's very supportive of my career and so you can expect to hear more from me in 2023! I hope you are all doing well and once again, THANK YOU so much for the support over the years. Much love. X Hayley Hello Hayley and belated congratulations to you and Travis on the birth of your daughter Rose; she sounds amazing. It is so good to hear that you have someone as special as Travis in your life and I wish the three of you a long and happy life together. The indication that we will hear more from you this year is very exciting news but please don't keep us in suspense for too long Love and best wishes to you all Grant
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Post by grant on Jul 4, 2020 9:23:49 GMT
Hello Everyone. Had a bit of luck this week. I get a daily email update of new Hayley items on Ebay - rarely anything of interest BUT when I looked early this week, I saw this. "Don't think I've got that one" I said to myself. Logged on to Ebay and couldn't believe it "Buy it now £5 including postage". DONE! IT'S MINE!!! It arrived yesterday, excellent condition too. Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 28, 2020 11:14:06 GMT
Sorry that the image hosting site that I use, postimages.org will alter its business. It will only offer its full services to paying customers. Us freeloaders will see a pixel size limit and adverts to contend with. postimages.org/plansHi Joe and all I used postimages to host the pictures of Peter that I posted recently. The adverts you mention appear as notifications and, with a bit of help from a friend, they are easy to block. Also, I don't have a shortcut to the site on my computer and the adverts have stopped. Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 17, 2020 17:52:12 GMT
Quite right Comet! Taken by Juliette using my camera. Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 17, 2020 17:50:26 GMT
Hi all I'm afraid this is the last one I have with Peter, not taken at a Hayley concert but on the occasion of Rodder's visit to the UK in July 2009. It was taken at the London Transport Museum. And - just in case you were wondering, the image was taken in front of London Tramways double deck horse car No. 284 That's all for now, but I have an idea. More about that later. Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 17, 2020 9:56:26 GMT
Morning all A few more images of Peter with Hayley. These were taken at the after show Party following the concert at the Grove Theatre, Dunstable on 17th July 2008 Hope you like them. More later Grant PS: Hope you like my new avatar. Can't remember who took the pic but it was after Hayley's concert in Cork in 2014
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Post by grant on Apr 16, 2020 13:50:23 GMT
Glad you like them Comet. Here are a few more. These were taken before Hayley's concert at Buxton Opera House on 4th April 2008. Some of you may remember this was a special year for Hayley and I seem to remember the Opera House staff being very supportive and not kicking us out. My last image of the night was taken at around 11pm! Will sort a few more out for tomorrow. Enjoy Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 16, 2020 10:12:00 GMT
Hi All The following 2 images were taken at a BBC Radio Wales concert recording in Llandaff, Cardiff on 6th June 2007 (Thanks for the help Joe. I think I've got it!) More pics to follow. Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 15, 2020 18:10:28 GMT
Hi Joe
Thanks, but I've been doing that and clicking on "copy image address" as the forum advises, but from Drop Box it hasn't worked.
I'll try hosting the pictures elsewhere and try again tomorrow.
Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 11, 2020 13:46:19 GMT
Looks like I might need a bit of help here Not posted pictures for ages and no longer use Photobucket. I've found a couple of images of Peter that I'd like to post and am hosting them in DropBox but don't seem to have got the hang of the "insert image" button. Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 10, 2020 18:05:16 GMT
Thank you for the great pictures Paddy.
I'll have a look through mine over the next few days - I've quite a lot and Peter must be on some of them!
Grant
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Post by grant on Apr 8, 2020 17:32:52 GMT
Hello everyone
Gordon kindly rang me this afternoon to pass on the sad news that Peter is no longer with us. Eccentric he definitely was but always entertaining and excellent company at the many get together's we've had over the years. I will miss him greatly.
Something Comet said in his post reminded me of an occasion quite early on when, after a concert, we were waiting to meet Hayley and getting excited at the prospect of a few words with her as she signed whatever it was we had for her. Peter was hovering and I asked him if he would like to go in front of me. "No thank you" he said "I'm just happy to be in her presence" Something I also felt as I got to know Hayley better and, like many of HWI did, waited patiently whilst the excited first timers had their special moments with Hayley.
Ahh! Those were the days.
Rest in peace Peter, you will not be forgotten.
God bless
Grant
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Post by grant on Mar 2, 2019 23:52:39 GMT
Have just seen this.
Very sad to learn of Tim's passing. Shared many happy hours with him and fellow HWI'ers waiting for Hayley both before and after concerts.
He was very knowledgeable about all things Hayley.
My condolences to his family - May he rest in peace.
God bless Grant
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Post by grant on Jan 15, 2017 16:06:17 GMT
Thinking back though, Hayley it seems to me has never been a fame junkie like many others. She enjoys singing and performing we know, but I also recall her saying that it is good to be able to walk down a street in London and not be recognised. I'm sure she values that, which is perhaps one reason why she is happy to continue at a low level. It seems she has never wanted to be the global superstar that her talent merits, and that I think might be the issue. You're quite right Martin, Hayley has always valued her freedom to move around London without being pounced on by fans. I use the underground network myself at least once a week and I've often wondered if I would recognise Hayley if she happened to get on my train. Truth is, I probably wouldn't unless she sat very close or opposite. (If she was chatting with friends that might be different though!) I think also not wanting to be a global superstar has been why we've been so lucky with the access to her we have enjoyed and I'm sure that is why she's changed little from the wonderful girl we met in those early years and why we are so fond of her today. As for what Hayley is doing right now and what her plans are for the future, I agree, we don't know, and it is frustrating for us, but it must also be frustrating for Hayley reading about our frustrations when she is not yet in a position to make her future public. Whenever I turn on my computer, Chrome opens up on Hayley's twitter page so the first thing I see is her pinned tweet. I KNOW it dates from October 6th last year but it is, I'm sure, Hayley's way of letting us know, she is still out there and working hard. We all know Hayley is a perfectionist and won't let us see or hear anything until she's happy that it is where she wants to be. "New beginnings - New songs" Pray hard, have faith and believe!!
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Post by grant on Dec 8, 2016 14:35:06 GMT
Hello everyone
I Was unsure about this one to begin with, with Bryn Terfel headlining and a ticket price tag of £39 with an overnight stay required as well. Jim and John had booked, Gordon was thinking about it and well, I haven’t seen much of Hayley recently have I? So what if we only get 3 or 4 songs? It is Hayley we’re talking about after all.
Looking back now at the events of two nights ago how gutted would I have been to have missed it?
Tuesday dawned with uncertainty however, with me having booked my usual Travelodge in Croydon and Southern trains being on strike and a possible tube strike likely on top to boot. I told myself I would head down to London to assess the situation and decide what to do then, but I don’t think I would have given up whatever I found when I got down there. As it was, I didn’t have any problems and met up with Gordon and Richard for a pre-show meal and a bit of a hang at the artists entrance “just in case”
This would be the second time I have seen Hayley perform at the Royal Festival Hall having previously seen her there in September 2009 and I remember what a splendid venue it is with deep comfy seats. Unfortunately, with this one being a sponsored event in aid of the Prince’s Trust and with tickets having been on sale for some time before HWI discovered it, we ended up in the side stalls so nowhere near as close to Hayley as we usually are. However, there are quite a few empty seats around us so we moved a couple of time until we found a spot we liked!
The orchestra opened the proceedings with The Nutcracker overture following which Bryn came onto stage to open the vocal aspect with Ombra mai fu which I have to say, I did not like one little bit. However, he followed up with Impossible Dream which I did like.
Next to venture on stage was Alma Deutscher who you have probably never heard of – believe me, you will soon. Alma is a violinist and she played the 3rd Movement of a Violin Concerto in G Minor which she wrote herself. She plays an Italian violin which dates from 1730 and she is amazing. Oh! did I forget to mention she is only 11 years old and she wrote the piece when she was 9! Her bio is incredible, so do look her up.
Now it was Hayley’s turn on stage wearing the familiar burn orange dress and black heels, opening with Across The Universe of Time, it felt so good to hear her sing on “home turf” as it were and whatever some may have though was missing in Dublin earlier in the year, she sounded amazing. This was especially so for me with her next song Amazing Grace – and a version I particularly like with a traditional opening verse followed by an orchestral verse and then the first verse again but to a new arrangement which I find quite beautiful.
The second highlight of the first half was Hayley's third song The Moon Represents My Heart which also went down very well with the concerts sponsors. A favourite of mine since I first heard it, it was fabulous to hear it sung live. Hayley then left the stage briefly whilst Bryn returned to sing Ar Hyd Y Nos – a Welsh language version of All Through The Night. As Bryn finished Hayley returned with Pokarekare Ana which Bryn joined in part way through, careful not to drown Hayley out with his powerful Baritone voice which impressed me greatly. The final song of the first half was Homeward Bound NOT the Simon and Garfunkle one but the Marta Keen Thompson one as arranged by Wilberg for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Did we have a lot to talk about in the interval? We sure did! Particularly the fact that Hayley appeared to be getting pretty much equal billing to Bryn and not what one might have expected at all.
Another piece from the Nutcracker opened the second half and then it was back to our Hayley. This time, Hayley opened with Whispers In A Dream followed by the two new ones Greener lands and Who Will Echo My Heart, both of which I really enjoy hearing more each time Hayley sings them. Hayley did comment that she had been writing for a new album which she said was taking a long time. (Don’t we know it!)
Having been wowed by her in the first half of the concert, little Alma was greeted by even louder applause from the audience as she returned to the stage to play the second movement of her violin concerto. Fascinating to watch her play with such confidence and panache her performance would have been creditable from someone twice or three times her age.
Bryn now returned to stage with a Hayley favourite (remember her saying “This song has 100 verses and the doors are locked”?) yes, you do I’m sure. Shenandoah, then another Welsh one Anfonaf Angel.
As the concert moved into it’s final phase, Hayley returned once again to give us a Christmassy one with Silent Night which Bryn followed with Guide Me O Thou Great Redeemer and the final one of the evening World In Union with both Hayley and Bryn on vocals and Alma with her violin. This was another superb highlight of what had been one of the most memorable of the 81 times I have now seen Hayley perform. But the evening is not quite over yet………..
By the volume of the applause from the almost capacity audience, everyone must have been totally wowed the way we had been throughout the evening. Having been presented with large bouquets Hayley, Bryn and Alma left the stage to shouts of MORE!! (well, you have to don’t you?)
Returning moments later, for an encore the choice was Hark The Herald Angels with young Alma also joining in on vocals once Hayley had ducked around Bryn to help her detach her microphone from its stand, and proving that she is not only a superb violinist but a remarkable singer too.
We left the auditorium to go our separate ways clear in the knowledge that we had been part of something very special and, totting up, we had had 10 songs from Hayley, more than twice the maximum we had expected or hoped for. We had witnessed something very special in young Alma Deutscher and Bryn who had headlined the concert but had, at no time, attempted to steal the show (we all know who did that!)
A truly great night and I am so glad I WAS THERE!
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