Grassington Festival 29 June 2007

[Steve H]

Over to Stephany to describe Hayley's leaving outfit!

Camera police were sharp last night, but not that sharp i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif The lighting was not great either!

Hayley shows of 'Her Rose' courtesy of Drew.

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Steve H

[Steve H]

tinky3344 said:

did she have on the same bright red shoes to match ?

Thanks Steve for your few pics so far. We'll allow you a short nap after such a terrible journey.

Best regards
Mark.

Hopefully I have just answered that one Mark!

Steve H

[grant]

Hi Steve and Stuart

Fabulous "artists impressions" you guys!! and don't you just love Hayley's casual footwear - sort of slipper pumps

I can't see that guitarist lasting if he keeps upsetting Hayley like that, especially as Mark has commented that it was the same in Porthcawl.

Wo betide him if Hayley told him about it after that and he still did it at Grassington

"Chop off his head" I say

Best wishes
Grant

[Richard]

Thanks for the wonderful reports and photographs, George and Steve! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

I hope Stuart took some photographs too!

Hayley is clearly having a great time playing her own concerts again here in the UK, so I'm not really surprised or disappointed to hear the news about Celtic Woman. As for her guitarist, I'm sure she'll soon sort him out!

Best Wishes,

Richard

[Stephany]

Hi Steve,
Thanks for the pictures!! You managed to get some great shots despite the "no photography!" policy

stevehome said:

Over to Stephany to describe Hayley's leaving outfit!

I'm afraid that my *clothes* vocabulary in English is largely insufficient to describe Hayley's outfit.
Sorry, maybe next year! Caite - over to you!

Thanks a lot George for the report & pictures.
Although I'm not surprised, it's still disappointing to hear that Hayley won't be with Celtic Woman in the UK. I was looking forward to hearing her sing "Dulaman"

Who is this guitarist? Is he new?
It's great to hear that "Sonny" was being lined up for the second encore. She probably noticed that it was very well-received in Porthcawl. Too bad she didn't have the opportunity to sing it in Grassington too

[postscript]

grant said:

Hi Steve and Stuart

...I can't see that guitarist lasting if he keeps upsetting Hayley like that, especially as Mark has commented that it was the same in Porthcawl.

Wo betide him if Hayley told him about it after that and he still did it at Grassington

"Chop off his head" I say
Best wishes
Grant

Two aspects here. First, if it happened in Porthcawl then there is no question it is either rank incompetence as a performer that he cannot master his instrument, or--and it can be necessary sometimes--damned ill-manners that he did it while she was speaking. However, it may be he lacked the self-assurance that she doesn 't that he didn't ask if he could have a moment to re-tune before they started the next song.

Grassington is something different. There is the possibility that while Hayley has an understanding of the violin she may have inadequate experience to (on the spur of the moment) appreciate the drastic effect the conditions she was performing in can have on a string instrument. It is comparatively easier to keep brass instruments warm (not applicable here) and reeds appropriately moist. There is nothing you can do about a string instrument.

I have done much open-air acting and even on a good night the difference in air quality between start and finish can wreck the tuning of string instruments. I don't know how cold it was and whether there might have been heaters in the performers' tent or the simple addition of the audience could have changed the humidity of the air. However, Fiona was there, was she not? So, if she didn't have a problem with her violin there is no excuse what ever for the guitarist--the violin is more sensitive to such conditions. Sounds like simple incompetence or just down right bad manners.

Peter S.

[Steve H]

Thanks Guys,

With the comment about photographs being made at the beginning of the concert Stuart and I decided only to take pictures during the applause and when Hayley was speaking to the audience.

Hayley talking between songs.



Hayley chatting after the concert.



Hayley with her rose again.

Steve H

[Stephany]

Fabulous pictures, Steve. Thanks!!
I love what she is wearing in her hair. Very lovely.

[drew]

Last but not least an update from the Bedfordshire reporter. (I had a little work to attend to after a long journey before HWI matters.)

Gini and I stayed overnight in Grassington and our hotel had a late breakfast policy on Saturday (09:00-09:30). We stopped off in Ilkley on the return journey to pickup some Fat Rascals (a local delicacy) from Betty's Tearooms. Then splattered through the rains on the M1.

Before departing Grassington this morning, I went down to the car to start loading the luggage only to find Hayley's car parked next to mine. (When you see a printout on the passenger seat which commences with Ave Maria, you know who sits in the passenger seat.). I left a second (Hayley Westenra) rose attached to the passenger door. I then turned round to see Mischa reading the village notice board. I greeted him and ascertained that Hayley had decided that she had done enough traveling yesterday (6 hours on the road from Porthcawl) and had opted to sleep in the village (not in our hotel) last night. I did not ask to see Mischa's P45. We chatted with Hayley's driver later, just before our departure, before Hayley was collected from the other hotel so we did not manage a second meet and greet. It had been a late night for the driver as he had ferried Fiona and Ian across to Harrogate as Fiona was to support Libera in Harrogate this evening.

Thanks to George and Hayters for the photos and reports. I confirm the comments about CW (it must have been the two months sleeping in a bunk bed on the tour bus which put HDW off CW) and look forward to receiving a copy of "The World at her Feet Volume 2" for Christmas from those members of the family who never know what to buy me.

I had promised Hayley a bunch of roses for Woburn as the two examples that I left with her were substandard (suffering from neglect and excess rain).

[Stephany]

Thanks for the great report, Drew.
Very thoughtful of you to bring Hayley roses!

[davemcc]

Great pics again. Nice thought with roses. Love Hayley talking between songs pic. Very beauitful. Thanks for those.

[postscript]

Thank you Steve, for your photographs.

Thank you Drew for your report.

Stephany. Perhaps joining us in February 2007 you are not aware of the significance of Drew's roses? Last year he planted a bush or two.. or three?

In the UK the roses are called 'Rachel'. Imported from Germany as a new variety a couple of years ago, the same rose is called in New Zealand, 'Hayley Westenra'.

Apparently they are very highly scented. Drew already has his plants established and I have been meaning to put in a bush or two outside my front door but for diverse reasons have not yet got round to it.

That is the significance of Drew's roses!

Peter S.

[Stephany]

Thank you very much, Peter!
I wasn't aware of the significance of this roses. Very well-done, Drew!

[Stuart H]

Thanks Graeme, Drew Steve - now its my turn to add to the pictorial record...

As Steve says, everyone was asked not to take pictures during the performance - so we didn't - just between the performance(s)!

Here are some form the performance.

Hayley and Fiona

Stuart

[Stuart H]

And some more...

More later folks!
Stuart