Fiona and Band Akaroa 6th FebAfter a stinking hot day at work (28deg Celsius) I left for Akaroa at 3:45pm.After the long climb up the hill to get to the Akaroa harbour I could see Paradise lol.
I arrived in Akaroa at 5pm and it was still hot and calm. There was a cruise ship in the harbour which later left at 7pm.
Pacific Jewel
Akaroa Village
I went to the L'Hotel for dinner and a nice glass of wine. I had the catch of the day which was Groper and it was lovely.
Gaiety Hall
The Gaiety Hall is a typical small Town Hall and has you can see by the following photo you could bring your own drinks and food.
So I had a small bottle of white wine and a packet of LeSnaks (crackers and dip) with me
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Inside the hall they had laid out tables so we could eat our food on.
I guessed there were close to 100 people in the audience tonight.
Sitting at my table were two couples plus the wife of the guitarist, Mike Ferrar, and also Ian's mother who was going back to Scotland the next day
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Unfortunately there was no Double Bass player tonight as Peter Fleming had hurt his hand just before the concert. Ian said luckily he could do a lot of the bass on his keyboard.
At 7:30pm the concert started with Fiona in a lovely red dress and of course no shoes lol.
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They started with
Tangissimo but tonight they played a lot of new songs all of which were worthy of a new album (hopefully lol). So besides the usual favourites I will just list the new songs.
Gershwin's
Bess, You Is My Woman Now (I think this was the song) was played because this was the song Mike the guitarist played at the wedding while they signed the register.
A new song which Fiona wrote while she was by herself in a Japanese hotel was called
Feeling. This was a sad lonely song but lovely at the same time.
Another new song called
James was a much more happier, lively and fast paced song. I loved it.
This Land was played by Fiona and Mike and was a country orientated song much like what you would hear in Australia and New Zealand.
Before you knew it the interval arrived and a chance for fresh air (still a warm evening). I got to talk with fellow member John (who does an excellent job with the lighting etc). He and the band loved the review you gave Nicola, and they love your website as well
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In the second half Fiona came on in a green gown (she said she was glad she brought 2 dresses as it was hot on the stage). Fiona and Ian opened the second half with
Moment Of Memory which was about their wedding, it was a romantic classical.
Another new song which I think was called
Nelson but it might have no title yet was about playing in the Nelson Jazz Festival and it was great.
Of course we had to have
Memories Of Martin and Mary which most of the audience clapped along to it
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My favourite tune of tonight was
Cathedral Tango which was about playing in the Christchurch Cathedral. It was great just watching Fiona using all the different techniques of getting sound out of a violin. This would be great on a CD with an orchestra.
The last song was
Tchavolo Swing but of course we got Fiona back for an encore.
i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gifFor the encore they played
Dark Eyes (Otchi Tchornya) which was fantastic with us clapping along near the end.
Of course we gave the band a standing ovation. I think I was on my feet just as the last sound came out of the violin.
This had to be the best I have seen the band play with all the new songs plus the usual favourites.
Later I met Ian and Fiona. I congratulated them on the great concert which they enjoyed playing at.
Since I didn't get to meet Fiona at the Blackbarn concert I asked if she got the wedding card OK. She said she had to dry it out from all the rain we got lol. She thanked us all for the card
i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif. I said me and Belinda will hopefully see them again in 2 weeks time at the Harbour Light Theatre.
Then since it was about 10pm it was time to head back to Christchurch and I was back in bed by 11:30pm with work waiting again for me on Sunday again
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