Post by thomas on Sept 4, 2007 17:37:36 GMT
Hi all!
It took so long to read all the posts in this thread that I hardly found any time to write my review. But ... well, here it is. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif
The day began like the most of my Hayley concert tours with a 2am wake up call (European time) reminding me to get out of my warm and comfortable bed and to head to the airport. There are later flights as well but if one can avoid any rush hour when travelling early I prefer to do so.
After arriving in London I got out of the tube at Shephers Bush to check the area where we all planned to meet later. The place was quite empty at the early hour but at least I was sure to be at the correct venue. I dropped my little suitcase at the hotel and went through London. I planned a trip with the London Eye but when I arrived the queue was already too long to make it in time back to Shepherds Bush. There was no sunshine anyway for good photos.
When I arrived back at the venue there was already a little HWI gathering. I met Stephany for the first time as well as Caitlin, Paul (Comet) and Joyce with her husband Hendrick. Richard, Grant and Tim have already been there as well. Later Jim and his wife Irene joined us as well as Roger and Mark did. We had something to eat at O'Neills after finding out that the Walkabout haven't had enough tables for us to sit at. Roger came a few minutes later to O'Neills because he coincidentally met Fiona and Ian on their arrival telling them that there will be a big group of HWI around this evening.
After lunch we kept on waiting outside the Empire. Suddenly Paul disappeared but he came back soon with a big grin telling us he could hear Hayley doing her soundcheck. Joyce, Grant and I followed Paul to the door from where he heard Hayley's voice and she was still singing. It was "Something Good" what I realised later during the concert. It must have been the end of the soundcheck maybe because when Joyce went there again with Stephany nobody was to hear anymore.
The Hayter twins and our new member James joined us later in the afternoon and soon it was time for me to go back to the hotel in Paddington to do the check-in which wasn't possible in the morning when I was there for the first time. I was already late when I was on my way back, I reached the tube at Paddington and listened to the announcement that the next Hammersmith & City Line was expected in a quarter of an hour due to technical problems.
Thanks God the train wasn't more delayed so I made it to Shepherds Bush 30 minutes before the doors opened. There was already a queue but was HWI in the front. Martin and Chris have joined our group meanwhile. Unfortuneately I was too late for the wine Stephany brought from France but I wasn't too late for Caitlin's pre-concert. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif You can already listen to Caitlin's voice on the videos she had posted but live her voice is sooooo much better. 
Very well done Caite!
The doors opened and we occupied the front left side at the stage. Stephany, of course, was standing at the fence in the front and had the best place in the whole venue. She deserved it so much! The excitement was rising and suddenly the lights were switched off letting us know that the show begins. The concert itself has already been descirbed very detailed so that I won't repeat everything. Just a few mentions from me.
Hayley came on stage singing "Pokarekare Ana". Actually we could "only" hear her voice in the beginning, then she stepped out of the darkness wearing the red dress. She was absolutely amazing and everybody was completely westenwowed from the very first second.
The beginning reminded me of my first Hayley concert with Il Divo where Hayley started the same way, first there was only the voice and the she appeared singing "She Moves Through The Fair". My first Hayley concert was only 16 months ago and I asked myself when I will see her again ... well, altogether this was my 8th concert last Friday, and not the last one for this year.
I was always wondering how long it will take until I hear "The Mummers' Dance" sang live by Hayley when she suddenly introduced this song. This was one of many highlights that night.
The absolutely best moment of the concert was Hayley singing "Sonny" and playing the piano. That was fabulous!!! Playing the piano is difficult enough but playing and singing at the same time is way more difficult to handle the timing of the piano and the lyrics simultaneously. Hayley did so well!!! I hope she liked the experience as well and will play the piano again in her concerts.
In the interval Joyce came to us showing Fiona's CD that she has just bought. I was a bit afraid not being back in time for the second half of the concert when I go to buy that CD. But Joyce said the CD's are sold just next door. She showed me where it was and so I got my copy as well. Stephany was also interested in Fiona's CD and I went with her back to the table where the CDs where sold. She got her copy and we arrived just in time for the second half.
Most of the audience came for Dave Dobbyn. It was the same last year during the Toast NZ in Regent's Park so I didn't expect it to be different on Friday. I like Dave Dobbyn, not every song but there are some nice ones. He doesn't have the voice of a classical singer but as a pop/rock singer he doensn't need to. The audience was loud but that is a must on a rock concert what it temporarily was, and so it was ok. Somewhen during the concert Hayley mentioned that there are many non-Kiwis in the audience and looked down to Stephany. That was so nice she did that.
Fioana played so well again and also the duets with Hayley and Dave were nice and so different to one of her normal concerts.
"6 Months In A Leaky Boat" and "God Defend New Zealand" were some other hightlights of the evening.
After the concert has come to an end we dicussed our impressions when suddenly Roger said that we all have to go NOW! We all followed him what could only mean one thing: We're going to see Hayley! On the way upstairs I saw Steve Abbott. I said "hello" to him and he even remembered I'm from Germany. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif
We didn't have to wait long to meet Hayley. She was quite impressed to see a big group like ours and I think she was as happy to meet Stephany as happy Stephany was to meet Hayley. I talked a few words in German with Hayley and she responded very well. Time flew by so fast and after maybe half an hour it was time to say good-bye again. I got my "Memories of Home" signed by Fiona and talked a little with Ian Tilley for the first time. I mentioned the missing beard. He was laughing about it and told me that Hayley made him to grow it. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif
After we were again outside the Empire and almost on our way home. Steve Abbott joined us and invited us for a drink in the Walkabout next door. We spend there almost one hour before it was closed and we had to go. Steve thanked us for coming and said that we make a big difference to the concerts. It was very noisy in the Walkabout and I didn't understand everything but Steve's e-mail to Roger show that I understood it right despite the loud music.
Thank you so much Steve! It was a fantastic evening and a pleasure to come over to London.
Thank you also to Fiona as the musical director for organising such a great event!
Thomas
It took so long to read all the posts in this thread that I hardly found any time to write my review. But ... well, here it is. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif
The day began like the most of my Hayley concert tours with a 2am wake up call (European time) reminding me to get out of my warm and comfortable bed and to head to the airport. There are later flights as well but if one can avoid any rush hour when travelling early I prefer to do so.
After arriving in London I got out of the tube at Shephers Bush to check the area where we all planned to meet later. The place was quite empty at the early hour but at least I was sure to be at the correct venue. I dropped my little suitcase at the hotel and went through London. I planned a trip with the London Eye but when I arrived the queue was already too long to make it in time back to Shepherds Bush. There was no sunshine anyway for good photos.
When I arrived back at the venue there was already a little HWI gathering. I met Stephany for the first time as well as Caitlin, Paul (Comet) and Joyce with her husband Hendrick. Richard, Grant and Tim have already been there as well. Later Jim and his wife Irene joined us as well as Roger and Mark did. We had something to eat at O'Neills after finding out that the Walkabout haven't had enough tables for us to sit at. Roger came a few minutes later to O'Neills because he coincidentally met Fiona and Ian on their arrival telling them that there will be a big group of HWI around this evening.
After lunch we kept on waiting outside the Empire. Suddenly Paul disappeared but he came back soon with a big grin telling us he could hear Hayley doing her soundcheck. Joyce, Grant and I followed Paul to the door from where he heard Hayley's voice and she was still singing. It was "Something Good" what I realised later during the concert. It must have been the end of the soundcheck maybe because when Joyce went there again with Stephany nobody was to hear anymore.
The Hayter twins and our new member James joined us later in the afternoon and soon it was time for me to go back to the hotel in Paddington to do the check-in which wasn't possible in the morning when I was there for the first time. I was already late when I was on my way back, I reached the tube at Paddington and listened to the announcement that the next Hammersmith & City Line was expected in a quarter of an hour due to technical problems.
Thanks God the train wasn't more delayed so I made it to Shepherds Bush 30 minutes before the doors opened. There was already a queue but was HWI in the front. Martin and Chris have joined our group meanwhile. Unfortuneately I was too late for the wine Stephany brought from France but I wasn't too late for Caitlin's pre-concert. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif You can already listen to Caitlin's voice on the videos she had posted but live her voice is sooooo much better. 
Very well done Caite!The doors opened and we occupied the front left side at the stage. Stephany, of course, was standing at the fence in the front and had the best place in the whole venue.
She deserved it so much! The excitement was rising and suddenly the lights were switched off letting us know that the show begins. The concert itself has already been descirbed very detailed so that I won't repeat everything. Just a few mentions from me.Hayley came on stage singing "Pokarekare Ana". Actually we could "only" hear her voice in the beginning, then she stepped out of the darkness wearing the red dress. She was absolutely amazing and everybody was completely westenwowed from the very first second.
The beginning reminded me of my first Hayley concert with Il Divo where Hayley started the same way, first there was only the voice and the she appeared singing "She Moves Through The Fair". My first Hayley concert was only 16 months ago and I asked myself when I will see her again ... well, altogether this was my 8th concert last Friday, and not the last one for this year.
I was always wondering how long it will take until I hear "The Mummers' Dance" sang live by Hayley when she suddenly introduced this song. This was one of many highlights that night.
The absolutely best moment of the concert was Hayley singing "Sonny" and playing the piano. That was fabulous!!! Playing the piano is difficult enough but playing and singing at the same time is way more difficult to handle the timing of the piano and the lyrics simultaneously.
Hayley did so well!!! I hope she liked the experience as well and will play the piano again in her concerts. In the interval Joyce came to us showing Fiona's CD that she has just bought. I was a bit afraid not being back in time for the second half of the concert when I go to buy that CD. But Joyce said the CD's are sold just next door. She showed me where it was and so I got my copy as well. Stephany was also interested in Fiona's CD and I went with her back to the table where the CDs where sold. She got her copy and we arrived just in time for the second half.
Most of the audience came for Dave Dobbyn. It was the same last year during the Toast NZ in Regent's Park so I didn't expect it to be different on Friday. I like Dave Dobbyn, not every song but there are some nice ones. He doesn't have the voice of a classical singer but as a pop/rock singer he doensn't need to. The audience was loud but that is a must on a rock concert what it temporarily was, and so it was ok. Somewhen during the concert Hayley mentioned that there are many non-Kiwis in the audience and looked down to Stephany. That was so nice she did that.
Fioana played so well again and also the duets with Hayley and Dave were nice and so different to one of her normal concerts.
"6 Months In A Leaky Boat" and "God Defend New Zealand" were some other hightlights of the evening.
After the concert has come to an end we dicussed our impressions when suddenly Roger said that we all have to go NOW! We all followed him what could only mean one thing: We're going to see Hayley!
On the way upstairs I saw Steve Abbott. I said "hello" to him and he even remembered I'm from Germany. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifWe didn't have to wait long to meet Hayley. She was quite impressed to see a big group like ours and I think she was as happy to meet Stephany as happy Stephany was to meet Hayley.
I talked a few words in German with Hayley and she responded very well. Time flew by so fast and after maybe half an hour it was time to say good-bye again. I got my "Memories of Home" signed by Fiona and talked a little with Ian Tilley for the first time. I mentioned the missing beard. He was laughing about it and told me that Hayley made him to grow it. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifAfter we were again outside the Empire and almost on our way home. Steve Abbott joined us and invited us for a drink in the Walkabout next door. We spend there almost one hour before it was closed and we had to go. Steve thanked us for coming and said that we make a big difference to the concerts.
It was very noisy in the Walkabout and I didn't understand everything but Steve's e-mail to Roger show that I understood it right despite the loud music.Thank you so much Steve! It was a fantastic evening and a pleasure to come over to London.
Thank you also to Fiona as the musical director for organising such a great event!
Thomas
