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Post by martindn on Oct 21, 2009 21:05:17 GMT
Well, it is a place I've never been to, so I hope to find it sometime in the afternoon. Is there are car park nearby? I'll have a look at a map I think.
Martin
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Post by grant on Oct 21, 2009 23:28:49 GMT
Hi Martin Well, it is a place I've never been to, so I hope to find it sometime in the afternoon. Is there are car park nearby? I'll have a look at a map I think.
Martin There is a multi-story car park just behind the venue. Charges vary but this one is £2.80 for up to five hours and free after 6.30. See you on Saturday! Best wishes Grant |
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Post by timj on Oct 22, 2009 3:10:22 GMT
IF everything goes right.....I'll see you Saturday,and I'm packing an umbrella!.....TimJ
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Post by martindn on Oct 22, 2009 18:20:56 GMT
Thanks for that Grant. See you Saturday.
I look forward to seeing you again too Tim.
Martin
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Post by Mark on Oct 23, 2009 20:12:41 GMT
Hi everyone
Looking forward to meeting everyone again tomorrow. I am planning to be there around 2.30 to 3pm.
Best wishes
Mark
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Post by Richard on Oct 24, 2009 7:30:10 GMT
Hello Mark and everybody!  I'll be on my way later this morning.  See you there, Richard  |
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Post by timj on Oct 24, 2009 11:02:29 GMT
I'll be at the venue by 2:30, perhaps with Joyce and company who are lost at the moment ,or perhaps I am lost, depends on your point of view...........TimJ
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Steve H
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team / Official Site Photographer & Videographer
Posts: 1,756
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Post by Steve H on Oct 24, 2009 11:19:02 GMT
Hi fellow St Albians! See you at 2:30 Cameras at the ready! Steve |
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Post by martindn on Oct 24, 2009 11:41:26 GMT
Hi All,
The weather looks a bit iffy I'm afraid. The present drizzle should clear later, but we are due another dumping late this evening I hear. You will probably need to be waterproof!
Martin
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Post by martindn on Oct 24, 2009 23:05:20 GMT
Hi All,
Weill, I'm home. This was annother fine performance by Hayley, even though she said beforehand that she had voice problems, it seems it was her speaking voice, not her singing voice.
This was very enjoyable as Hayley's concerts always are. There should be some photos to come when I and the other photographers there sort out what we have. There might be some videos too!
The song list was basically quite similar to the River of Dreams Tour, or to what it had mutated into by the end.
She wore the iTunes dress for the first half, and the new blue (Grant says it's green, so who knows) dress that was seen at Salisbury. And very nice it looks too.
I will post a full review later, hopfully tomorrow later today.
Martin
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Steve H
Global Moderator
HWI Management Team / Official Site Photographer & Videographer
Posts: 1,756
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Post by Steve H on Oct 24, 2009 23:32:44 GMT
Glad you got home safely Martin, I will post some pictures from the concert tomorrow  It was great to meet up with you all again. Steve H |
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Post by grant on Oct 24, 2009 23:43:59 GMT
Hello everyone
Been home about 30 minutes - much better drive home than the journey there. Had a sandwich and am about to start my review.
Now wondering if the computer will reset its clock whilst its switched on!
More later
Best wishes
Grant
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Post by grant on Oct 25, 2009 0:29:40 GMT
The Day Unfolds
Set off just on noon and filled up with petrol on my way to the motorway. It is dull and wet and not very nice at all. Journey down is OK but with several sets of road works there are several hold ups and it is after 2pm by the time I arrived at the venue.
I spotted Richard, Gordon, Martin and Tim by the stage door as I drove past. I saw them again as I returned, having missed the entrance to the car park, but soon sorted myself out and joined them.
Luckily there is a covered area by the stage door under which to shelter as it is still raining. Time passed and our group swelled as we are joined by Mark, Joyce and family, Abigail and her mum and dad and Steve. Eventually the rain stopped. The sun even came out for a brief spell. Funny how it never seems to rain on Hayley!
We spotted the minibus a little before 4pm and tour manager John Marco (hope I’ve spelled that right John!) was first out to tell us that Hayley wasn’t feeling too good and asked that we didn’t keep her talking for long. I had a couple of things to arrange with her so only took very few pictures before the concert.
With Hayley safely inside, we had a quick look in the Arena foyer, collected flyers and sourced posters for after the concert, then went across the road to the Wetherspoon’s for dinner. This one quite interesting inside as it is a converted seventeenth century barn!
Refreshed and watered, we returned to the Alban Arena. Now one of the things we had been trying to organise revolved around the fact that Drew had managed to secure some local poppy sellers and had had the idea that it would be nice to get some photo’s of them with Hayley but at the end of the day, John came up to tell us that Hayley was very sorry but didn’t feel up to it. Hayley said afterwards that it was her speaking voice that was affected but she was obviously and quite rightly, concerned about her performance and didn’t want to risk making things worse.
The Alban Arena looks like a typical 1960’s concrete monstrosity from the outside and the interior and its variety of levels can be quite confusing but the auditorium was light and airy and, although the stage is quite high, our front row seats are reasonably far back and should give an excellent view.
Apparently, tickets for the concert hadn't been selling well and the job had been handed to Ticketmaster. That had obviously worked as, apart from the side balcony, there were very few empty seats.
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Jillian
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Post by Jillian on Oct 25, 2009 0:37:39 GMT
Hi Grant, Thanks for the report so far.  It's a pity Hayley wasn't feeling very well -- you can only imagine how stressful the last little while must have been on her body -- the tour of Taiwan and Japan followed by an abrupt weather change and jet lag with no time to rest. I'd imagine Hayley wants her performances to be perfect and it feeling ill must worry her. Hopefully she'll be able to get back to London and have a good rest and a relax before all the touring and promotion starts again. I look forward to the rest of your report. |
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Post by grant on Oct 25, 2009 2:20:17 GMT
Hello Jillian and thank you Hi Grant, Thanks for the report so far. It's a pity Hayley wasn't feeling very well -- you can only imagine how stressful the last little while must have been on her body -- the tour of Taiwan and Japan followed by an abrupt weather change and jet lag with no time to rest. I'd imagine Hayley wants her performances to be perfect and it feeling ill must worry her. Hopefully she'll be able to get back to London and have a good rest and a relax before all the touring and promotion starts again. I look forward to the rest of your report. I think you summed up the situation perfectly. Final part of my report follows: Hayley didn’t start “Prayer” from the wings but came onto stage before she began to sing. Almost immediately I noticed her seem to catch something with her right hand. It was an earring, which she deftly returned to its rightful place whilst the band played their part. At the end of the song Hayley said “That’s never happened before – I’ve never lost an earring on stage!” That was the first of several glitches and drama’s during the first half of the concert, which Hayley said was like the beginning of a tour before passing it off with a wave and a giggle. Hayley’s first set continued with “Scarborough Fair”, “The Water Is Wide” and “Songbird” and if she was feeling ‘a bit under the weather’ it didn’t show at all. Hayley nailed every song just like she always does. After introducing the band, Hayley left the stage to Raven to do their bit. Well, Rachel’s chair came on, as did the stage weight that she uses to stop her cello sliding across the stage but John was late with the mike and they had just struck the first dramatic chord of the Vivaldi Medly when John walked onto centre stage to place it. It took Raven by surprise, that was obvious by the look on all of their faces; the audience found it funny; Raven saw the funny side, had an impromptu meeting about what to do next, the audience applauded and Raven started from the beginning again. Great stuff! Ravens pieces were exactly as for the RoD Tour so the beautiful “Gabriel’s Oboe” followed and they concluded with “Ritual Fire Dance” after which Hayley returned to stage with “Mummer’s Dance”. This is one of my favourites for a concert and I don’t know why, but it just sounded better than ever tonight but alas! Another hiccup! Rachel’s stage weight hasn’t been moved and Hayley asks that someone please remove it “ …because I’m bound to trip over it” The ever gallant Andy Moore jumped to her rescue “I can use it as a footrest” And he did! “Amazing Grace” followed, overdone for many but always a favourite of mine and again, a fantastic performance – I’m wondering that maybe by now the worry about her voice has gone and she’s just letting go. Whatever, it’s working. And so we come to “Shenandoah” and another surprise for me. Instead of saying “The doors are locked” after mentioning the 100 verses Hayley said “Don’t worry, I’m not going to sing all of them” To which I responded with, what I thought was, an almost imperceptible “Aaahh” but Hayley must have heard me and looked directly at me saying “You want me to sing them all don’t you Grant”. Can’t remember what I replied, I was too stunned at having by name mentioned from stage at consecutive concerts! The first half closed with “Danny Boy”. A twenty minute interval now and an unfolding drama! Two guys sitting next to Martin (one of whom is known to us) had been taking photo’s with compact cameras. Not only that but one had been viewing images and resetting his camera during he concert and the other had actually changed a flash card whilst Hayley was singing!! Martin had told him to turn the rear screen off but it had also disturbed several patrons behind, several of whom came to remonstrate with them which, in turn, got theatre staff involved. Well, rather that just accept the telling off, one of them got a bit stroppy which resulted in an off duty policeman laying the law down – literally. They were as quiet as mice for the second half but I am sure Hayley had noticed and could easily have been distracted. Like River of Dreams, Raven opened act 2 with “Bolero” followed by “Czardas/Godfather” before Hayley returned to stage in her ‘new’ dress. I had intended to ask Hayley at the end about the colour of it, but in the event never got the chance so all I will say is that Paddy’s performance picture at Salisbury taken under stage lighting is more accurate than Martin’s with flash which makes it look blue. It’s a gorgeous dress though and I think it is destined to become a favourite. The highlight of the concert for me is next. “I Know You By Heart” I just love this song to pieces and Hayley sings it with such feeling and I never want it to end. I think Mark feels the same about Hayley’s next song “Never Saw Blue” and Hayley probably feels a bit like that with her next song “Pokarekare Ana” as do I because the acapella opening of this song still sends shivers down my spine. “River of Dreams” followed after which Hayley left the stage to Raven and another favourite of mine “Mrs Jamieson’s Favourite”. The concert concluded with Hayley singing “Santa Lucia” “Both Sides Now” (the front row Joni Mitchell fans got an A+ not so the rest of the audience!) and an outstanding “Wuthering Heights”. Encore was Hine e Hine. The only thing we missed was Hayley at the piano but we had 16 songs from Hayley who, despite being concerned about her voice, sang, possibly, more beautifully than ever throughout. It was probably getting on for 10.30pm before Hayley appeared and, not surprisingly, they didn’t want to hang about. Whilst we were waiting for her to appear, I tried a few shots of Tim and Andy whom I regret to say I haven’t spent much time with but we had a laugh. There’s quite a gathering at stage door for Hayley but despite the ‘five minutes’ warning, Hayley was happy to chat, sign and pose for pictures. Abigail presented her with a gift of a scarf which Hayley unwrapped very carefully with Abigail looking on. She seemed very happy with it and immediately put it on. We also managed a few pictures with the Royal British legion people who seemed very happy with the evening. With that we said our goodbye’s waved them off and made our individual ways home. Best wishes Grant |
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It's a pity Hayley wasn't feeling very well -- you can only imagine how stressful the last little while must have been on her body -- the tour of Taiwan and Japan followed by an abrupt weather change and jet lag with no time to rest.