Classic FM Live 26th September 2013 (cancelled)

[Bamafan]

I' sorry to hear about the concert. But, my, that's a wonderful photo! I personally love low-light photos, and the lamplight casts such a nice warm glow over everything. To think if the fire hadn't happened, we wouldn't have this lovely shot ov Hayley.

-Taylor i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[Dave]

Hi again all,

Here are four more street photos from the Royal Albert Hall tonight! Valerie will be sending the photos she took of Hayley, myself and Martin, as soon as she can get them off Hayley's phone!

Back of the Royal Albert Hall tonight, after the evacuation


London Fire Brigade - Kensington station - at the RAH tonight


Firemen at the Stage Door - inside which the subjects of the next photo should have been!


Valerie and Hayley, lost (with us!) in the crowd

That's all, folks.

Cheers, Dave

[timj]

thanks for the pix Dave, sorry about the show.........TimJ

[Simba]

Bad year for Hayley, with two concerts that were supposed to happen cancelled And with already not much touring. I was looking forward to this performance. Anyway will it happen again or something or cancelled for good?

[Richard]

Hello Dave!

I'm very sorry to hear the concert was cancelled, but at least you managed to take a few photographs. I'm looking forward to seeing Valerie's too, and I've already posted a link to this thread on our Facebook page.

Richard

[Richard]

From Classic FM: www.classicfm.com/concerts-events/classic-fm-live/classic-fm-live/

Classic FM Live, 26 September 2013

Last night, we had to cancel our Classic FM Live concert at the Royal Albert Hall, on the instructions of London Fire Brigade. We know how disappointing it was for everyone there that the concert didn’t go ahead, so here’s what happened:

The Fire Brigade was called following an electrical fault in the basement of the Royal Albert Hall, which caused a lot of smoke. Following an inspection, they told us it wasn’t safe for us to carry on with the concert. Nobody was hurt – and we worked with the Royal Albert Hall to evacuate everyone from the building safely.

If you bought tickets for the concert – on the phone, or online – the Royal Albert Hall will contact you to arrange for the cost of your tickets and booking fee to be refunded to you. They’ll start calling and emailing at nine o’clock this morning (Friday, 27 September), and will carry on through the weekend until everyone has been contacted.

We’re really sorry that the concert didn’t go ahead as planned, but we hope that you understand that everyone’s safety had to be our top priority.

Thank you,

Classic FM

It looks as though there are no immediate plans to reschedule this concert.

Richard

[comet]

You guys have my sympathy on missing the event.
Most unfortunate strike by Lady Luck.
Glad to see, at least you got to meet up with Hayley and Valerie and take a few pictures.

[Jillian]

Hi all,

This was a bit unfortunate! But safety first, I guess. Afterall, imagine how much trouble the Royal Albert Hall would be in if they didn't cancel the concert and then something went wrong due the fire or the electrics!

Sorry your plans didn't work out Dave! I imagine that it would be a nightmare to reschedule. All the acts involved will probably not be available on the same date any time soon.

There are a handful of articles circulating about it. Hayley seems to have got a mention in it all...

www.3news.co.nz/Westenra-London-concert-canned-after-fire/tabid/418/articleID/314879/Default.aspx

www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/10338118/Royal-Albert-Hall-performance-cancelled-after-smoke-in-basement.html

www.standard.co.uk/news/london/92-a-ticket-and-it-all-goes-up-in-smoke-fans-evacuated-from-royal-albert-hall-after-fire-8843422.html

There's a quote from Hayley in the Evening Standard article:

Another was New Zealand singer Hayley Westenra, who told how she was 15 minutes away from going on stage when she had to leave.

The 26-year-old, who is based on London, said: “I was just doing my make up in my dressing room at about 7.15pm when I was told I had to leave the building. Everybody thought it would be a false alarm.

“After about 20 minutes waiting outside there was an announcement the show was cancelled.

“I was with young Jack and some of his family who had travelled a long way to be here.

“It’s a bit unfortunate. Thankfully everyone seems to be OK and the Royal Albert Hall seems to be okay too.

“I’ve never been in this situation before. Hopefully the show can go on at a later date.”

I wonder if Hayley really was 15 minutes before going on stage? I thought she was at the end of the running order? I would imagine that she would have had her performance dress on if she was that close to performing. But anyway, the article was written quickly, so crossed wires can happen.

Cheers,
Jillian

[Martin]

Despite the concert being cancelled I did have a programme and here are the two relevant pages:

[Martin]

Sept 27, 2013 9:41:32 GMT Jillian said:

I wonder if Hayley really was 15 minutes before going on stage? I thought she was at the end of the running order? I would imagine that she would have had her performance dress on if she was that close to performing. But anyway, the article was written quickly, so crossed wires can happen.

Cheers,
Jillian

Quite Jillian! Hayley was actually around 2.5 hrs before going on stage.

Martin

[Jillian]

Hi Martin,

Maybe it was meant that it was 15 minutes before curtain up? From the photos of Hayley that Dave took, it seems that Hayley had finished doing her make-up and was getting ready to start doing her hair.

Probably a good thing! Would have been a bit chilly standing outside in her evening gown!

Oh well, I guess the next concert is now the 18th of October.

Cheers,
Jillian

[Richard]

Hello Jillian!

The Evening Standard article says the Royal Albert Hall was evacuated at about 7:15pm. The concert should have started at 7:30pm, so Hayley wouldn't have been due on stage for quite a while. The rehearsals would have been completed much earlier judging by this tweet:

Paul Mealor ‏@paulmealor 21h
Wonderful rehearsal with @hayleywestenra & Royal Northern Sinfonia @classicfm live! @royalalberthall #gig #tonight #excited #cantyoutell

Richard

[Martin]

At least the Albert Hall has been very efficient in refunding the ticket price and fees - they have just phoned me to arrange.

[fusilier23]

Nice shots, Dave, as one fire buff to another. Thankfully the London firemen didn't have to throw Hayley over their shoulders and carry her out. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

[jimg]

A tweet from Hayley:-

Hayley Westenra ‏@hayleywestenra 2h

Truly disappointing for all that last night's show couldn't go ahead. But hey, everyone's safe n sound & RAH still standing!! Love to all, X