Salisbury Cathedral 11 Sep 2010 (RBL fundraiser)

[Mark]

Hi everyone

Thanks for your initial report and some stunning photography Karsten. I agree with John, these are some of the best photos of Hayley on stage that I have ever seen - simply fantastic.

I was half hoping to book for this concert but couldnt make it in the end, it really does feel as though it was very special.

Best wishes
Mark

[grant]

Hello everyone

many thanks for the set list; concert report and initial stunning pictures Karsten - superb quality as usual.

As Karsten has already said it was a very special and moving evening and I have long been waiting to hear Hayley sing in Salisbury Cathedral and her "Chichester Festivities" white dress looked perfect for the occasion.

Oh and Libby, I did manage to get a close up of Hayley's 'new' earings during our time with her in the cathedral after the concert i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Full report will follow later tonight!

Best wishes
Grant

[Nordly]

Hi guys,

It's a shame Hayley didn't sing Benedictus, although also to be expected.

I love finally seeing some clear photos of that lovely white dress, but I like the sound check outfit the most! Are there any full-length shots of it by any chance?

~Nordly

[martindn]

Thanks for the fantastic photos Karsten. And that white dress - gorgeous!!

Martin D

[grant]

Part 1: To Salisbury and the Sound Check
Being woken at 4.10am by a particularly unpleasant dream; and having a cold which seems determined to spoil my weekend – a long train journey and a night in a strange hotel was not at all what I felt like when the alarm finally roused me at 7am. It took a lot of effort to drag myself out of bed, I can tell you, and a dark, damp morning was never going to help either! Luckily, my trains ran well and I actually arrived in Salisbury 30 minutes earlier than expected and in a much better frame of mind.

As I can’t check into my hotel until 5pm, I decided to walk up there anyway in the hope that I might at least be able to leave my luggage – I was in luck! Now heading for the cathedral, I was surprised to find the day turning surprisingly warm and sunny, despite seeing rain as close as Andover on the journey down. By the time I had arrived at, and done a circuit of, the cathedral in search of Karsten and Mike – both proving very elusive – I was more than a little warm!

We hung around close to the public entrance for some time, unsure of where Hayley and the tour bus would arrive – we could hear the choir rehearsing and sitting in for Hayley’s sound check looks like an option. We eventually decided to go inside and almost immediately bumped into Tim who told us they had arrived about 10 minutes previously. Tim confirmed that Hayley would be sound checking with the band from about 3pm for maybe 90 minutes or so. We decided to find seats near the front to sit and wait.

Hayley arrived on stage at five to three wearing grey jeans, a frilly black top and black jacket and acknowledged our presence with a nod and a smile. Out came the cameras prompting the arrival of one of the RBL stewards who enquired of us “Are you Hayley’s people?” Satisfied with my response he returned from whence he came and we were left alone after that. Hayley spent a good hour going over most of the songs she would be singing in tonight’s concert before leaving the stage and disappearing. We hung around for a few minutes just in case she might come back to say hello, but sadly she didn’t.

It’s close on 4.30 as Karsten, Mike and I left the cathedral and, once we had been joined by Mike’s wife Alison, we headed for the nearest Wetherspoon’s for dinner. The four of us spent a quiet hour over drinks and much needed sustenance after which I left them to return to the cathedral, whilst I returned to my lodgings to freshen up and change. It has turned into a beautiful warm summer evening as I strolled back towards the cathedral with my jacket slung over my shoulder – all thoughts of my cold pushed to the back of my mind and forgotten – for now at least!

Karsten, Mike and Alison were sat on the cathedral steps enjoying the sunshine when I returned, a further exploratory walk around the cathedral having failed to reveal where the tour bus might be hidden. Now come on! We can’t have intrepid HWI’ers foiled like this!! I volunteered to go have another look – Phew! It aint ‘arf a long walk round but I DID succeed in locating the secret hiding place and NO! I’m not going to reveal it – not on a public forum anyway!

Part 2 to follow.

[grant]

Part 2: The Concert and a chat with Hayley
As 7.30 approached, a small queue began to form and the four of us joined it, ready to take our seats as soon as we are allowed inside. I have not mentioned this before, but every available space within the cathedral has been filled with seats. Three ladies sat alongside me appear to know the organisers, one of whom keeps popping by to say hello – I took the opportunity to ask if the concert is sold out and I am pleased to report that every seat had been sold – all 1200 of them!

The concert began with a short address from the Reverend Dean of the Cathedral and a moment of silent prayer after which, 4 uniformed soldiers entered the stage and raised a black drape to conceal everyone on stage and the cathedral was plunged into darkness. When the lights came back up and the drape was lowered, two ballet dancers had taken up position at centre stage and Hayley stood in the high pulpit to open the proceedings with “Prayer” which the ballet pair danced to throughout.

Hayley remained in the pulpit to lead the singing of the National Anthem. Unusually, two verses were sung, (there are actually five verses) something that rarely happens in my experience. We remained standing during the entry of the Union flag and the Standards of the RBL – Alastair Stewart then gave an address on the purpose and theme of the concert, which basically followed the conflicts from the First World War up to the current action in Iraq and Afghanistan in words, music and pictures.

You will have noticed from Karsten's pictures that there was a huge screen above the participants on stage which was used, not only to show clips of movies – “Saving Private Ryan” was one that featured – as well as actual footage from the various theatres of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, but also live video of the concert as it unfolded. I found this a little off putting at times as I frequently caught myself watching the screen and not the performers themselves. But to digress, I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see a video of the concert made available in the not too distant future!

Hayley actually sang eight songs – more than I had expected – as well as leading the ‘assembled company’ for “God Save The Queen” Hayley also joined in for “I Vow To Thee My Country” and “Guide Me O Thy Great Redeemer” during which she sang un-miked. It would have been nice to have been a bit nearer the front to hear her.

My seat was close to the sound desks so I could easily tell when Hayley was due on stage as Arnaud would come up to make sure her mike was set correctly. He would twiddle a few knobs then lean out to listen and then readjust until she sounded just right – he could obviously tell the difference but I couldn’t! Had a chat to him afterwards about the differences between Hayley on her own and with a band – interesting. Now, if I had to pick a favourite it would have to be “Danny Boy” which Hayley seemed to bounce around the cathedral to great effect – I can’t believe I used to hate that song with a passion!!

After the final hymn, we all remained standing for a prayer; Beating the Retreat; and Dismissal of the flags, after which Alastair requested we all leave the cathedral as quickly as possible to allow the staff prepare for the mornings services. By the time the four of us had regrouped, most of the 1200 members of the audience had done as requested, whilst we considered our next move. I’m inclined to wander down towards the stage area – Hayley often gets hijacked before she can escape to her dressing room after cathedral concerts and I’m hoping tonight is no exception. It isn’t! And only a small group of well wishers with her – even better!

Hayley seemed pleased to see us and I got a “Hi Grant How are you?” as she signed my programme. She chatted with us for a few minutes but it’s late, it has been a very long concert and it’s now almost 11pm as Hayley left us with a wave and we headed back through a now almost deserted cathedral, but not before securing permission to remove the now redundant posters and flyers as we departed.

Oh! and one last thing – don’t think it’s supposed to be secret, but Hayley did tell us that she would be at the Royal Albert Hall today (Sunday) to record for Songs of Praise Big Sing which is due to be shown around Christmas time.

Night night!
Grant

[grant]

Sept 12, 2010 14:28:56 GMT Nordly said:

but I like the sound check outfit the most! Are there any full-length shots of it by any chance?

Might be! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Best wishes
Grant

[Libby]

Sept 12, 2010 7:30:50 GMT Karsten said:

I love this one! Those earrings look perfect with it! Those aren't new earrings, so I don't suppose those are the ones you got close-ups of... but there are still more photos to come, now aren't there?

I love her hairstyle, too. I'm interested in which shoes she's wearing with it. Her old silver ones would look good.

[Joe]

Thanks very much Grant and Karsten, who have shared their wonderful photos and concise reports from Saturday evening.

I was particularly pleased to learn that every ticket had sold!

It must have been a very proud evening for the Royal British Legion to have such fantastic support - and with Hayley taking part - folks, it doesn't get much better than that. Well done !

Cheers,
Joe

[martindn]

Thanks for the report and photos grant.

I think the white dress was Hayley dressed as the angel, remembering that this was called "the angel and the fallen". She certainly looked the part, and no doubt sounded it too.

Martin D

[Martin]

Hi Grant
Thanks so much for your report and photos from what sounds like one of those "special" concerts involving Hayley in one of the best Cathedrals in England.

It also shows how much the RBL thinks of Hayley to involve her so much in the proceedings. It wasn't just a couple of short sets but continued involvement throughout the evening. What an honour.

Cheers
Martin

[postscript]

Well done, Karsten and Grant for the photos and reports.

I had come on to see how her short viewing with Dame Vera Lynn had been received--a lovely cameo of Hayley in that mould but also lovely extracts of her Albert Hall performance. She is obviously really blossoming and her dresses are absolutely fantastic. How does she manage to come up with such wonderful diversity and yet uniformity, uniformity in their stunning appeal and the wonderful grace with which she wears them and disports herself.

It seems as if this Salisbury was even more than the one I attended and i am sorry to have missed it, especially as the weather was far more inviting than last time but that was later in the year.

Peter S.

[reed]

Hello all!

I too attended the concert, and it was amazing! I was actually one of the local Army Cadets that attended, and seeing as it was my first time witnessing Hayley in concert, she was most probably one of the best singers I've ever heard! I'm definitely will jump at a chance to watch her perform again! Shame I couldn't rush up to the front to get a autograph, as I had to march out. (I was the very tall cadet if you was wondering who I was).

Superb night.

[grant]

Hello everyone

Finally managed to find some time to go through my pictures from Saturday. I didn't take any of the concert itself, but did take quite a lot during the sound check and some during our time with Hayley after the concert.

More later.

Best wishes
Grant

[Karsten]

Hi,

Many thanks to Grant for his great report and the pictures. As usually I've left the hard work for him.

Thanks also for your kind comments - the stage was really lit very properly this evening.


Hi, reed, welcome to the forum - looking forward to meet you at the next concert place.


I don't want to hesitate a few more pictures before the next two concert weekends will arrive.


Hayley and Tim - just after Prayer at the very beginning