Union Chapel London 18th Oct 2013

[Dave]

Oct 19, 2013 3:34:43 GMT Ross said:

Jillian I loved that song from Jonathan too. It is my favourite from his Two Hearts album.

You should have heard it live, Ross. It was mind-blowing, amazing is the right word on this occasion! Amazing in a different way to Hayley's amazing, a nice complement to her own fabulous performances tonight.

Cheers, Dave

[Libby]

Really?? She sang Talk to Me!? Wow, we've been waiting 4 years to hear it again!

The dress must be the one John H saw her wearing at the Christmas show at the RAH. Very pretty!

I like her other outfit and hairstyle, too!

Thanks for the photos, Dave! I was starting to give up until tomorrow... my tomorrow, anyway. LOL

[Jillian]

Wow -- I'd wondered if we'd ever see the day when Hayley busted out the guitar on stage! Did she sing Talk to Me with the guitar rather than the piano?

Has the arrangement of the song changed much since 2009?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQJ8NMGri4w

Cheers,
Jillian

[Bamafan]

Oct 19, 2013 4:18:18 GMT Jillian said:

Wow -- I'd wondered if we'd ever see the day when Hayley busted out the guitar on stage! Did she sing Talk to Me with the guitar rather than the piano?

Has the arrangement of the song changed much since 2009?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQJ8NMGri4w

Cheers,
Jillian

Wow, I feel awesome now! That was one of the two songs that I requested on Twitter!!!

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

[Bamafan]

Oct 19, 2013 3:33:41 GMT Dave said:

Hayley in her first half dress

Also, here's a more balenced version of Dave's lovely first pic:





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

[Libby]

If it's the same dress John H saw, he said it was off-white. But let's wait and see what other, if any photos, we see of the dress.

[hammer]

well, what a show, especially Talk to me with acoustic guitar-I love all Hayley's stuff, but this is the direction I would love to see her go down, all her own songs, played by her-ace!
What a great day, great company, great show, and I even managed to get the train back with no stress!-Thanks to everybody, and great meeting you all once again. Let's hope it's not a year before we can do it again? Mike

[Martin]

Hi All
No detailed report from me I'm afraid as my head is still spinning from what was a monumental gig with Hayley on stage for nearly two hours. Fantastic eclectic mix of songs; some old, some recent and some new. Marvellous arrangements by Tim Evans of the Carpenters' "Close to You" and the classic "Over the Rainbow" were highlights for me together with "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

At the end of this "marathon", and to a deserved standing ovation, an emotional Hayley left the stage leaving us with the question "how could this concert ever be topped?"

Martin

[Joe]

Thanks Peter, Dave, Mike and Martin for your reports, comments and photos! Dave I shared your pic of Hayley and guitar on our forum Facebook page!

I trust more wonderful posts from our member -friends are forthcoming!

[Jillian]

All the feedback seems to indicate this was something really special for attendees and Hayley herself. Probably the most hyped up show I've witnessed.

What was the special ingredient? Was it the fact that it has been the only UK concert in a while? But there's often years between Hayley's NZ concerts?

I'm just really intrigued to hear what people have to think?

Cheers,
Jillian

[Richard]

Hello folks!

It was indeed a very memorable concert, and my first ever visit to the Union Chapel. I was one of the large welcoming party when Hayley arrived courtesy of Addison Lee just before 3:00pm, and she spent about ten minutes with us before she went inside. When the minicab left I noticed the driver had a huge grin on his face, so he must have enjoyed bringing Hayley to the venue. i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

It was good to see some familiar faces in Hayley's band, including Tim Evans on piano, Kerenza Peacock on violin and Bryony James on cello. I didn't take down the set list, but the concert got off to a great start when Hayley gave a powerful performance of "You Raised Me Up", followed by "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" from 'Hushabye'. I won't go into much detail about the other songs, but "Bridge Over Troubled Water" was certainly one of the highlights in the second half. The show came to a magnificent climax when Hayley accompanied herself on the guitar while she sang "Talk To Me". She said she wrote the song for the guitar, and she decided it was time to give the original arrangement its first public performance. The standing ovation at the end was very well deserved.

Jonathan Ansell also gave a superb performance, and his duet of "Vivo Per Lei" with Hayley was another highlight.

It was great meeting up with so many HWI members, old and new, and I hope it won't be too long before Hayley plays more concerts in the UK. Meanwhile I'm looking forward to more reports and photographs in the coming days.

Richard

[Richard]

Here's a better shot of Hayley's gorgeous hairstyle after the interval:

Joanne Coleman ‏@jogretajoanne

http://instagram.com/p/fn7xI7KBpH

interval costume and hair change for @hayleywestenra xxx

Richard

[John H]

Oct 19, 2013 7:37:00 GMT Jillian said:

All the feedback seems to indicate this was something really special for attendees and Hayley herself. Probably the most hyped up show I've witnessed.

What was the special ingredient? Was it the fact that it has been the only UK concert in a while? But there's often years between Hayley's NZ concerts?

I'm just really intrigued to hear what people have to think?

Cheers,
Jillian

I think maybe what was special was that this wasn't a themed concert, nor promoting an album (As I remember, she sang only one or two songs from Hushabye).
Hayley just seemed to be enjoying herself singing songs that she liked.

[Martin]

Oct 19, 2013 7:37:00 GMT Jillian said:

What was the special ingredient?

I'm just really intrigued to hear what people have to think?

Cheers,
Jillian

I think it was simply the fact that Hayley used a guitar for the first time on stage in a concert.

Without doubt, this was a "relaxed" concert for Hayley (I prefer to use the term "gig") and it's mission was to have fun which indeed Hayley and the entire audience did! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

It had no particular theme and, perhaps, this was the key of it's success.

More please.

Martin

[John H]

Oct 19, 2013 5:54:45 GMT Libby said:

If it's the same dress John H saw, he said it was off-white. But let's wait and see what other, if any photos, we see of the dress.

I wouldn't have said this one was pure white - more of a pearl colour.
It is probably the same dress, but I can't remember enough detail and we weren't allowed to photograph the Big Sing performance. We'll find out on 22nd December

I have posted some of my photos to facebook
www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10153398773720121.1073741878.806075120&type=1&l=06088a8e59
Don't have time now to go through the photobucket thing Maybe later