Christmas Presence - Wales Millennium Ctr 2006

[thomas]

Hi Mark!

It should be easy to meet up at WMC. Just look for a guy lingering at the stage door. That could be me! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif
I'm going to be there as soon as possible after I checked in at the hotel.

Thomas

[postscript]

johnpr98 said:

Hi All

I hope to see some of you in the WMC for 'Christmas Presence', I'm seeing Katherine the night before, it's going to be quite a weekend i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Level 4 Circle

Best Wishes

John

Those will be two very interesting reports.

Peter S.

[Dave]

Hello Peter, Thomas, John and everyone!

We met the concert promoter after the Swansea event and he confirmed that ITV Wales will be recording this event at the Millennium Centre, for broadcast on Friiday 22nd December... on ITV Wales at 11pm.

He also mentioned that there is the exciting possibility that this concert will be released as a DVD for Christmas 2007. The final decision will be made by the record company, presumably when they see how Saturday's concert and subsequent broadcast goes. This will be the third concert of the series and the performance should if anything be even better than the Swansea one.. so make sure you the audience do your bit - and let's get that DVD released.

We are all depending on you!!!

Cheers, Dave

[johnpr98]

Hi Dave

My wife and daughter are also in the audience, much more photogenic than me for a DVD

Although ITV Wales News have picked on me twice in December at Katherine's signing sessions, (That stories in another place )

The weather is absolutely horrible at the moment, hopefuly the WMC will keep us dry

Many thanks for the Swansea photos.

All the best

John

[Mark]

Hi Dave & everyone

That sounds really promising Dave, thanks for the info. I will also be with my wife and daughter on the night John - perhaps a moment of fame awaits !!

Hopefully see you on Saturday

Best regards

Mark.

[thomas]

Hi everyone!

2 days to go!!!

That about the DVD sounds very good! Seems to become a promising show! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

See you at the stage door!

Thomas

[grant]

Hi Thomas, Mark and family

Welcome home from your 'Christmas Presence' experience. Hope you had as memorable a time as Teresa and I had in Sheffield - Hayley was, as ever, just a joy to be with!!

Look forward to your reports

God bless

Grant

[johnpr98]

Hi All

I enjoyed the 'Christmas Presence' concert very much indeed, accompanied by my wife and daughter.

I didn't have permission to hang on until Hayley appeared at the stage door though , I did pop round for 5 minutes, I only saw friends and family waiting for their children etc., Sorry I missed you.

I did manage some pictures of sorts from the concert though

Not as good a Dave's pictures from Swansea, all taken from the lower circle in the second half. I hope they help to set the scene.

Please feel free to host them on your own server and relink them Dave.

John

Photo links updated by Dave (thanks John )

[Martin]

Hi John
Well done on the photos - any of Hayley are appreciated here. I hadn't realized that there was to be a full orchestra and choir supporting Hayley. A total different scenario from Telford only days prior.

Best wishes
Martin

[Oksana]

Hi John! Thank you for sharing those lovely photos.

It took me a while to figure out this one, though... I though Hayley was adjusting the other guy's bowtie!

johnpr98 said:

John

Oksy

[Mark]

Hi everyone

Firstly, many thanks for thinking of us Grant. Yes, we got back from Cardiff late this afternoon. Secondly, thanks for the photo's John, I have taken some which are almost identical to yours !! It was a great concert wasn't it ? I will see if I have any that show any different views and will post them if so. I am sorry to have missed you, we were at the stage door almost as soon as the show was over and most likely bumped into you, except I don't know what you look like !

The day started early for us as we packed our bags for an overnight stay at a city centre hotel in Cardiff. However, for one reason or another we arrived to late to get to the stage door to welcome Hayley. In my limited experience, Hayley usually arrives earlier when the venue is larger and she is performing with others. In the smaller church type venues, she almost always seems to arrive between 3pm & 4pm. Therefore, we joined the thousands of Christmas shoppers in Cardiff centre for the rest of that afternoon.

After a relaxing but early meal in the hotel restaurant, we arrived at the Millennium Centre just after 7pm and made our way to our seats. I was looking around for Thomas, when suddenly he appeared to introduce himself. We had a chat about "things Hayley" until just before the performance when we took our seats. The orchestra was fantastic and so was the choir. Hayley came on at the latter part of the first half and performed 4 songs. As at Sheffield & Swansea, she was in her black dress. It was then that she concluded the first half by leading the performers and audience in the carol - O Come All Ye Fatihful.

I havn't mentioned yet that the television cameras were very much in evidence and my party of three (wife Karen & daughter Sophie) were seated in the second set of seats from the front, with a walkway infront of us. Several times already, as the audience applauded, the camera man had swept along our row with his camera. However, it was while we were ingrossed in singing along with Hayley that he was suddenly infront of us for several minutes, focasing entirely on Sophie singing !! I,m sorry to say that if a DVD is made, there is a good chance that we will be on it.

During the interval, I met up with Thomas again to catch up with his Sheffield experience the night before. Thomas, it was a real pleasure to meet you and your English is very good indeed !

The second half began with several fantastic numbers from the orchestra and choir. The stage setting was really lovely I must say. Then Hayley was back on again, with the added attraction of the angelic children in John's photo's, firstly carrying candles and then later on, teddy bears. A chair was brought onto stage for Hayley to sit down and the children gathered around her. She then sang to and with them, it was really quite moving. As we all know, she loves children and as they left the stage , she actually commented " oh, I want one". She quickly recovered the comment by saying, my brother and sister are growing up too quickly !!

Again as the end of the show was near, Hayley lead the audience in a "singalong" with Hark The Herald Angels Sing. I must say she was very good at ad libbing and had quite a joke with the host on several occasions. It was unusual to see Hayley in a less serious role but I have to say, she really did carry it off very well and it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Once the show had ended, we met up with Thomas again and headed for the stage door. After about 20 minutes, the rest of the cast appeared to have left and it all went quiet !! Thomas said that the night before, Hayley had appeared at the stage door after about 20 minutes. However, after about 40 minutes, one of the staff came to the door to ask if we were the ones waiting to see Hayley. We said that we were, she said that she had just received a telephone call from the hospitality suite to appologise to us, as Hayley was attending a post performance function and would not be able to come down to see us.

As it was freezing cold and getting rather late (for Sophie in particular) we decided to go back to our hotel. However, Thomas siad he would hang on !! Thomas, did you wait and did you manage to see Hayley in the end ? I really hope you did.

Obviously, I was a little disappointed but after all, I did see rather alot of Hayley just a week before at Telford, which was more than I could have asked for. I am glad that Grant , you got to let her know that ALL the HWI forum members wished her a great time with her family at Christmas. I was planning to say something to her along those lines if I had the chance.

In all, a fantastic performance. Something really different for us as fans and for Hayley herself. I am getting ready now for 2007 and seeing Hayley perform songs from her new album . Yes, I am getting a new camera for Christmas and would hope to be able to post photos of a decent quality on those occasions when Steve & Stuart can't be present .

Very best wishes to you all

Mark.

[roger]

Hi Mark,

Many thanks for your superb report. It is such a shame that you weren't able to meet Hayley but you never know when these post-concert functions might occur.

Your description highlights one fundamental difference between this event and the one I saw in Swansea where she did not sing with children gathered around her. I imagine that was a very touching scene.

Thanks also to John for the fine set of pictures which compliment Mark's words admirably.

Roger

[Martin]

Hi Mark
Lovely report, pity about the post performance disappointment. I'm sure you will have other opportunities next year.

Best wishes
Martin

[grant]

Great report Mark!

Seems these shows have been quite different - loved the picture with the children with their candles!

What a pity you did not get to see Hayley after the show, but how many people in her position would bother to get a message back to those waiting? I'm sure Hayley would have been just as disappointed as you all were.

Grant

[graemek]

Thanks John for your pictorial record & you Mark for your written one....Without you both the concert for us far flung ones would be merely a title.
Mark wrote:
"The second half began with several fantastic numbers from the orchestra and choir. The stage setting was really lovely I must say. Then Hayley was back on again, with the added attraction of the angelic children in John's photo's, firstly carrying candles and then later on, teddy bears. A chair was brought onto stage for Hayley to sit down and the children gathered around her. She then sang to and with them, it was really quite moving. As we all know, she loves children and as they left the stage , she actually commented "oh, I want one". "

Lots has been wriitten on how normal Hayley is.
That statement 'oh I want one' still declares that she is a normal healthy young woman who has a strong desire for a little flock of "ones" ie. her very own little charges who she's going to nurture & love to pieces. I for one would fully expect Hayley would be the 'best mother ever'.
I'm not so sure that the NZ Women's Weekly pic of Hayley with the caption 'The Children must come First' wasn't prophetic!!
Graemek