Hi Jillian
Promised Ben he could post his review first. Mine is 'in production'
Where are you Ben?!!Best wishes
Grant
Here I am Grant!! Don't worry I didn't go to sleep!!
Hi folks!
Wow! To be given the privilege of writing the first report of this concert (my first ever Hayley concert!!) is a tremendous honour! Obviously I am going to miss things out, but I am relying on Grant and Karsten to fill in the blanks. Well, here goes, my extraordinary day in words:
I woke up at a not too shabby 9am, thinking ‘this is it, this is the day!’ Not being 5 minutes awake, the prospect of finally seeing my favourite singer live in concert was already waking up the butterflies in my stomach! I was catching the midday bus from Edgbaston Five Ways, which was only a 20 minute walk from my student accommodation, so I didn’t really have to wake up until later (in true student style!!), but the butterflies were persistent, so I got up, showered, ate breakfast, checked the essential equipment, like the camera, phone, money for the taxi ride home etc. I dressed in my sharpest looking shirt, and my concert trousers and shoes. I then spent the next hour and a half playing ‘Treasure’ and ‘Pure’ on my CD player (the butterflies were really dancing now!). Come 11am, I said goodbye to my severely hungover flatmates, and proceeded to walk to the bus stop, with HSJS2 in my ears.
Upon arrival at the Dudley bus station, I suddenly realised that I had not brought with me a map of Dudley! Of all the things to forget! The best solution I could think of was to walk to the town centre and explore. It was by a lucky chance that I found a tourism map detailing St. James Rd, as well as the Concert Hall. I thus proceeded with mild excitement, even though this was only 1.15pm, to the spot described. I arrived at 2pm, after a detour to the local convenience store to buy a couple of drinks (my mouth was dry!), and hung around for Grant and Karsten to arrive. The Dudley Concert Hall was very ‘out of the way’ compared to where some concert halls are situated in relation to the town. After about 10-15 minutes, I noticed a chap taking pictures on a DSLR, and was fairly confident that it was Karsten, but at that time Grant turned up, and introductions commenced. We then started the agonising task of trying to find the stage door, which involved walking all the way around the block! We thus concluded that Hayley would enter via the front entrance, as we could not find any visible stage door entrance.
We 3 waited for about 40-45 minutes for Hayley to arrive. We came across a few other concert goers in that time, but upon 3.00pm, Hayley’s van arrived. The butterflies were waking up again!! However, the van drove round to the back, and stopped by the door which we thought was the Dudley Town Hall back door. So here was the stage door! I can be quite a shy person in situations like this, but Grant was helpful in the matter, and introduced me to Hayley, who was incredibly nice (as always!!). My first impressions of her were that she is a lot shorter than I have seen in all the pictures here. I was taller than her (just!). There is a first time for everything!! We could only afford a quick hello, as there were a few wanting to meet her. The butterflies were certainly giving all they could! All this time, the clicking of Karsten’s DSLR could be heard in the background. Grant then suggested a picture of me and Hayley. I will tell you now – I do not picture well!! But the results were better than I thought (Hayley was obviously her fabulous self as always!). The natural high experienced from the adrenaline coursing through me was bigger than any high I have experienced from any of the solo concerts that I have ever done! I was on cloud Hayley!! If it hadn’t have been for my heavy bag, I would have floated off! After the meet and greet, where I managed to take a couple of pictures, Grant, Karsten and I proceeded to the Dudley Wetherspoons to have some lunch. Grant and I had a steak, Karsten had a chicken wrap. The lemonade I had made the butterflies die down a little. Whilst Karsten departed back to his hotel to change, Grant and I had a lovely chat about everything Hayley, which was very nice. When Karsten returned, he immediately started on tweaking the pre concert pictures he had taken.
After lunch, we proceeded back to the Concert Hall to await the opening of the doors. During this time, we met a lot of the Gentlemen Songsters in their suits and blue bow ties entering. They all exclaimed what an amazing and down to earth person Hayley was during the sound check earlier. That’s why we all love her – she is happy to spend time talking.
At 6.50, the doors opened, and we proceeded in to the Hall. The Hall was deceptively big, judging from the outside. We all took our seats on the front row (thanks to Dean for supplying mine!!), and waited for 7.30.
Upon 7.30, the accompanist, Neil Bolton, played the intro music for the Gentlemen Songsters, who walked on in a very choreographed way! It was at this point that I noticed the assistant accompanist to Neil was one of the Freshers studying at Birmingham! Small world! After an entertaining introduction from Michael Collie, the Songsters Vice – President, the Songsters launched into their first set of the evening, which included an arrangement of a Cole Porter medley, ‘Portrait Of My Love’,’ Softly As I Leave You’, and ‘Nothing Like A Dame’. After the notes of the final song for the set died down, Michael Collie stood up and gave us an interesting insight into the surname of ‘Westenra’. Grant was all ears to make sure that the information was correct, which it was! Hayley then walked on stage, accompanied by Tim Evans and Stephanie Benedetti from ‘Raven’, to rapturous applause. I had to pinch myself out of my ‘Hayleywowed’ state to join the clapping. Hayley then proceeded to sing a beautiful set of ‘Prayer’, ‘Scarborough Fair’, ‘The Water is Wide’, ‘Songbird’, ‘Shenandoah’, of which she mentioned there being over 100 verses, and declaring that the stage doors were securely locked! She ended her first half with ‘Danny Boy’.
One thing that I have to mention is that when I listen to beautiful music live, I tend to subconsciously close my eyes and start moving my hands to the beats of the song, like a conductor!
The second half started with the Songsters singing ‘Alexanders Ragtime Band’, ‘My Heart Will Go On’, ‘Sloop John B’, ‘Deus Salutis’ and ‘American Trilogy’. Hayley then proceeded to continue the second half, to more rapturous applause, with ‘Pokarekare Ana’, ‘Never Saw Blue’, ‘Talk to Me’, although ‘Sonny’ was on the program, ‘Both Sides Now’, and to finish her solo set: ‘Amazing Grace.’
I cannot express through words the feeling of euphoria and overwhelming happiness at finally being able to here her singing live! No CD recording, no matter how well done, can compare to how perfectly she sang – it was most easily the best evening of my Freshers Week, and definitely the whole year!!
The Songsters finished the evening with 2 pieces: ‘Amen’ and ‘African Prayer’. The finale (and what a finale!!!) involved Hayley singing ‘Hine E Hine’, accompanied by the Songsters! (just when I though the evening couldn’t get any better!!!). I was entranced. Although my eyes were shut, so I could soak in every note, I did not miss anything. Grant actually mentioned that Hayley looked at me for about 10 seconds whilst I was doing my conductor routine, looking slightly puzzled!! I felt bad for diverting her attention!
After Hayley and the Songsters finished to the loudest applause I have ever witnessed, Michael Collie presented her with a bouquet of flowers, to continuous applause as she left the stage.
After the crowd died down and people started leaving, Grant, Karsten and I hastened round the back to the stage door to wait for Hayley to emerge. After about 30 minutes, Tim Evans and Stephanie Benedetti emerged. Grant and Tim had a conversation about up coming concerts, and Hayley’s upcoming Taiwan concerts. 5 minutes later, Hayley emerged for signing and the usual chat. I apologised sincerely for possibly distracting her, but she sweetly laughed it off and asked if I was musical, my reply being that I played classical guitar at Birmingham, which she seemed quite interested in! She then spent a while signing various documents, one of which was Karsten’s ‘Walking In The Air’ cover, which she was extremely interested in!! After signing all there was to be signed by those waiting, she bid her farewells to ‘good lucks!’ for her Taiwan concerts and climbed aboard the van.
This concert forever will remain in my heart as being one of the most special and amazing events in my life, and I sincerely hope that it won’t be the last!
I was also privileged to finally meet Grant and Karsten, and I hope to meet a lot HWI’er’s at future events!
That’s all from me folks, Grant and Karsten will fill in any details that I might have missed.
Although I did take quite a few pictures, I am going to leave the picture posts to Grant and Karsten, as they took far superior ones on much better equipment!
Cheers
Ben
