Barbican 21st Dec 2009 - Christmas with Hayley

[Martin]

Hi Jeff
I am very sorry to read your fateful journey report. However, on a positive note it could have been much worse if you had arrived after the concert had finished!

Your comment "I am still puzzled why that carol (O Holy Night) isn't on her album" is not the first. I think every HWI concert goer has asked that question. It's one of those unexplained things in life that, perhaps, we will never know the answer to. Unless of course we ask Hayley the next time we meet her!

Best wishes
Martin

[Chrissi]

Hello there! I'm new here. My name's Chrissi but it wouldn't let me register as that.

I'm a Hayley and Lee Mead fan who was at the Barbican last night. This is the first time I've seen Hayley in her own concert having seen her at Hyde Park for Andrew Lloyd Webber's 60th. I thought you might like to read some of my points from a "newbie" although I have enjoyed Hayley's voice since her Pure Album.

Veni Veni Emmanuel is one of my favourites on the album. Her voice soared around the Barbican and gave me shivers down my spine. My other highlights were The Little Drummer Boy, Ave Maria, The Little Road to Bethelehem, Sleigh Ride and Peace Shall Come.

Hayley is such a delightful woman. On stage she's sweet and funny. I thought she had a great rapport with her band and Lee Mead.

Now, I am a Lee Mead fan but I promise you all I was on my best behaviour! I loved When The Stars Go Blue.. I love the way their voices blend together. They really seem to compliment one another. From other stuff they've done this past year and a bit they seem to get on so well and that comes across on stage.

Lee's solo performances I thought were brilliant, particularly Anthem from Chess. I liked to see the fun they seemed to have with Sleigh Ride. You can't fake the chemistry they have on stage.

Finally, sorry for blabbering on a bit, but I just wanted to join this forum and tell you all what a wonderful night I had and how highly I rate Hayley as a performer. She really is spectacular. She's also so lovely (as you all probably know). She signed for me and posed for a photo which just topped off a wonderful evening.

[Richard]

Hello Chrissi, and welcome to the forum!

I'm glad you had a good time and met Hayley last night. I'd like to add that we all enjoyed Lee Mead's performance too, so I hope they will sing together again in the future.

Best Wishes,

Richard

[Mark]

Hi Jeff

So sorry to hear about your awful and very long journey to London yesterday. I always have a sense of dread that this will happen to me one day on the way to a concert, after 42 Hayley concerts, the law of averages says it will happen one day .

At least you did get to see the second half and were able to enjoy some of your favourite songs

Hope to catch up with you at a (summer) concert sometime soon.

Very best wishes

Mark

[Dave]

Dec 22, 2009 15:19:39 GMT Chrissi said:

Hello there! I'm new here. My name's Chrissi but it wouldn't let me register as that.

Hello Chrissi and a big welcome from me too. I'm glad you enjoyed the concert and hope you enjoy yout time with us.

On a technical note, you are free to change your "screen display" name to "Chrissi" if you wish... you can do it by clicking the 'Profile' button at the top, then "Modify Profile" then type your name into the "Display Name" box.

Cheers, Dave

[Mark]

Hi Chrissi

Firstly, a very warm welcome to the forum and thank-you for your lovely introduction. I am so pleased that you enjoyed the concert last night and that you got to meet Hayley too. If you are planning to see Hayley again next year, keep an eye open here for the concert dates. There is usually always a few forum members at every concert, so who knows, we may bump into each other at some point.

Anyway, I am sure that you will enjoy being a member of HWI.

Very best wishes

Mark

[Mark]

Hi Grant & Martin

Thanks very much for your reports - it does indeed sound as though it was a very special evening. I am looking forward to the rest of your report and no doubt a few photo's Grant.

Best wishes
Mark

[Dave]

Dec 22, 2009 14:56:21 GMT Jeff said:

...Given that my outward journey had taken 6 hours I thought it best not to hang around afterwards.... I missed the start and caught the end.... As I crawled into bed at 4.20am the thought was inescapable that there's no point in booking concert seats in the bleak midwinter if you're hoping to rely on public transport to get you there.

Hi Jeff, Im really sorry to read about your awful journey to London, Colin's from Southampton seemed bad enough but yours has shades of the problems faced by Channel Tunnel travellers recently. This kind of thing is exactly why I decided not to attempt it from Fareham, even though I had a ticket... though I would have risked it if I didn't still have a bad back. But my journey would have been shorter in distance and time so I was able to delay my decision until 3pm, by which time the snow and travel problems were clear for all to see. I hope you have much better luck at your next Hayley concert, wherever that may be, you deserve it. Thank goodness that at least, you made the second half!

Dec 22, 2009 14:56:21 GMT Jeff said:

and "O holy night." I am still puzzled why that carol isn't on her album.

My guess is that it is because Faryl "nabbed" it first for her "Winter" album, one of the drawbacks of having a large record company who sign many similar artists of similar styles. We have discussed this in the albums board, suffice it to say that I think with this song, no harm would have been done to either singer's sales and that Decca should have allowed, no, insisted on it being on Hayley's album. I suspect that Hayley would have grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Any follow-up on this issue (O Holy Night's absence from the album) will be best placed in the Winter Magic board hwi.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=wintermagic

Cheers, Dave

[claire]

Hello everyone!

I'm new to the forum too and I was also at the Barbican last night. I'm a Lee Mead fan and have really enjoyed all the previous work Lee has done with Hayley, but until last night I had never had the opportunity to see Hayley in concert.

I thought all the performers last night were superb and the whole evening was very enjoyable. I wasn't familiar with Hayley's repertoire until I saw her in concert, but I shall certainly be buying her latest album now that I have seen her perform live.

Lee and Hayley both appeared to be on top form and I was very glad I had made the journey from the north of England - it was well worthwhile, and the ideal way to start the Christmas holidays.

Congratulations to everyone who performed last night - they all did themselves proud.

[Chrissi]

Thank you all for the lovely welcome! I tried to change my display name but it said: You may not use chris in your display name.



Here is my photo with Hayley. Excuse me in it, I look a bit starstruck! Hayley looks lovely though!

[claire]

Hi Chrissi - that's a lovely photo! Great to see you last night. What a fabulous concert! x

[grant]

Hello everyone

Latest tweets from Hayley about 20 minutes ago

HayleyWestenra: Really enjoyed last night's show at the Barbican Thanks all for braving the snow... Big thanks to my special guests too -the fantastic

HayleyWestenra: Lee Mead and the Capital Children's Choir. Hope everyone got home ok xx

Best wishes
Grant

[postscript]

I've just tweeted her back, Grant, hoping she's in transit or at least on schedule.

Peter S.

[postscript]

Delighted to hear your opinion Claire and glad you had a good evening, welcome to HWI.

Peter S.

[grant]

A Sweet Farewell
With no ‘official’ signing but a promise that Hayley will be available ‘somewhere’ all we need to do now is find out where! This is where ‘instinct’ usually kicks in and ….. Karsten has found Gianmarco and is waving for us to join him. There’s a bit of confusion as to where we should be; we’re at the top of a flight of steps that lead down to a set of doors. Should we be down there, I ask? A familiar figure has emerged from the double doors and has a puzzled look on her face as if to say “What are you doing up there?” Hayley, still in her performance dress, beckons us to join her and we quickly do as requested.

We are in a circulating area containing a desk manned by a member of the Barbican staff beyond which is the back stage area. Hayley settles herself by the desk ready to greet her faithful followers. She seems happy to chat and sign the various items of Hayleyphernalia presented to her. Whilst there are a fair number of people around, Steve, Karsten and I make the most of the opportunity for pictures – lots of pictures! whilst listening to the various conversations. At one point, I think it was James, mentioned that he’d heard Sophie sing whilst he was in New Zealand to which Hayley replied that Sophie had moved up to Auckland. I took the opportunity to ask when we were likely to see Sophie over here for a duet to which Hayley replied that she was very busy but she felt sure that mum and dad would be over here sometime next year, so that’s something to look forward to.

I’m not going to give too much away, but I can tell you that Richard did ask Hayley about his theory regarding her appearance at the Emerald and Ivy Ball and no doubt he will reveal the outcome of that conversation in due course.

Whilst all this was going on, Tim, Andy and a couple of Raven appeared to head off for their own Christmas’s wishing everyone a Happy Christmas and sharing a hug with Hayley.

Several people seemed to have misheard Hayley talking about “Love Came Down At Christmas” and thought she had said that it was on the album and she was asked about it. Apparently, it was intended that it should have been on the album but Hayley said that she hadn’t been happy with the recording hence the reason it was left off. She also commented that other tracks had been omitted for various reasons.

Various people asked after Hayley’s health – I think there were one or two apart from Gordon and I who had been at Norwich and she talked quite openly about the reason for cancelling. Gordon had his “Winter Magic” programme signed and I told Hayley that we had made the most of it, going to see the Nativity movie and we chatted a bit about it; Gordon making Hayley laugh by telling her we sat totally alone waiting for her name to appear on the credits at the end.

By now the numbers are dwindling, having had their time with Hayley and with uncertain conditions outside – even Hayley is a little worried about her flight home - goodbyes have been said and Christmas wishes shared. With a good number of pictures secured, I packed away my camera ready for my few moments with Hayley. Peter was chatting to her and I pointed his footwear out to a rather amused Hayley. A conversation about bumpkins and pumpkins ensued and I think Richard may have to explain that one also.

So, it got to that special moment when you know you’ve got Hayley to yourself for a moment. I had my programme signed and told her that tonight’s concert had been a superb way to end my concert year. Asking her “I believe you are going to a wedding?” which she confirmed, I then asked her to be sure to pass on a big HWI greeting to Fiona and Ian on their big day and she promised that she would do so.

It has been a very special year for me and I felt I could not just let it go with a smile and a few words of festive wishes, surely it calls for a hug! I stepped a little closer and reached for her waist, and gently held her for a few precious seconds, even gave her a little kiss on the cheek. Not wishing to overdo it I began to release her, only to feel her arms tighten around me as Hayley gave me a hug. It felt very special and very unexpected, but it made the end of my Hayley year even more special than it had felt up to that point. In truth, Hayley could not have done, or said, anything that would have meant more. It was a little show of affection; of appreciation and a “thank you” and I felt very honoured to be the recipient of such a gesture.

I could now take my leave of Hayley with something to remember until the next special moment that Hayley will surely create somewhere along the way. Gianmarco was close by; he too looked a little sad that the tour was at an end. I took his hand and shook it warmly, thanking him for the support we have enjoyed from him and the team – I got the impression that he has enjoyed having us around and I hope we have not hindered the tour's progress too much with our enthusiasm.

I collected my camera and coat and stepped onto the stairs leading up to the main foyer. I looked back. “Bye Hayley, have a safe flight”. Hayley looked up from what she was doing, a last signing before slipping back through those double doors. A wave, a smile “Bye”. She was gone.

There will be pictures but they may take a day or two to appear

Best wishes
Grant