More musical memories - Sheeran and Sonatinas

Exactly a year ago I wrote a piece about a piano concert and a rock concert. HERE  I didn't realise that my life was such a pattern of predictability as here I am twelve months later writing about the same things.

Yesterday was the annual piano concert for the pupils of a couple of local piano teachers. This is Sibs's fourth year and as usual there was an incident that we now come to associate with this concert. 

Year 1 - playing an octave or two too high

Year 2 - forgetting her music

Year 3 - the flyaway ponytail

....and then there's year 4

This year it all started well. She was pleased that she was one of the first to perform so that she could enjoy the other players. 

A few minutes into the piece there was a stray breeze and her sonatina music fluttered before dancing off the piano onto the floor! It threw her off guard for a moment but she kept going. 

So another year, another story.

there goes the music...

On the theme of music, the previous night we were at Suncorp Stadium enjoying slightly different sounds. Ed Sheeran was in Brisbane supported by Passenger and Rudimental.  I had managed to get some tickets when I was back in the UK in April and surprised Sibs with them for her birthday a few months ago.

I had heard that he was a good live performer but I was surprised how good one man and a guitar could be. It takes some guts and self-confidence to perform a stadium show with no fancy stage set up and just a guitar and a loop pedal. There were a few screens behind him, as to be fair if you were seated any distance away he would have been an ant sized spot! No-body seemed to mind this pared back look though.

I was familiar with his music but his live performance plays around with this familiarity. I was seriously impressed. His songs grew on stage with layers upon layers being added via the loop pedal and the crowd loved it. Whatever Ed asked, they obliged. It was a beautiful sight to see the sea of arms punching the air to 'Bloodstream' and then phone lights illuminating the stadium during ' The A Team'.



Here's a little clip of the 'The A Team'. (I'm not sure if it works on mobile phone view)

Every single time Ed Sheeran has performed in Brisbane it's rained and of course Saturday was no exception. It didn't deter the enjoyment though and my plastic poncho stayed in my bag so I just got a little bit wet!
He worked hard to keep us entertained and the show was over way too soon for my liking.

Sibs was seated some rows behind me with a friend and I glanced back a few times to see her on her feet with arms in the air. During the de-brief in the car on the way home I loved the fact that she has become as much a people watcher as me and had to smile when she told me all about the antics of the couple in front of her.

Great weekend of music.

Making memories.

Nostalgia

In 2010 I went to a Simply Red concert that was heralded as their farewell tour. I had been a fan since the start and as a poor student I saved up my pennies to buy their tapes. Their music was entwined with so many stories of my life and the memories that I had created over time. I was really excited to see these songs performed live.

I remember being at that concert and thinking that the other people there were all older than me. Upon reflection, they weren't. I was just in denial. It was the music that made me feel ever-young.
(Incidentally, they lied about it being a farewell tour, but I have sort of forgiven them for that...)

Last weekend I went to see Robbie Williams perform in Brisbane and the same thing happened again. I was with a friend some years younger than me and she mentioned that there were many more older people there than she expected. I didn't even consider that I was one of them!! (How conceited of me.)

You see, in my mind Robbie and I are still oh so young! I still think of him as a fresh faced prankster youngster and I'm just a few years ahead of him! (Although I have to say that close up he's not ageing quite so well....!

I lived and worked in his home town of Stoke on Trent when he was just starting out with his music career. It was when the rest of the world didn't know who he was. He was Robert back then, or Rob if you really knew him well. He was the local boy that had just signed this big record deal and was about to become famous.

It was a time when I was also starting out on my career path. I had just completed some post graduate study and I was spending a year putting into practise all the theory that I had learnt during the previous 12 months. It was my first ever regular and real paycheck job. The first time I lived totally alone in a little house in Stoke and then in a flat on the top floor of a lovely old terrace in Wolstanton in Newcastle-under Lyme. It was my year of finding resilience...making it up as I went along all by myself. More memories...

I think that this tentative connection is why I feel such a soft spot for anything Robbie Williams.
He's one of a few artists that I might have bought everything that he's released. I've just felt the need to support his success.

Like many other performers his music seems to hold me in the past. Not necessarily back to my time in The Potteries, but just over the years since then. I know that it's your sense of smell that is the most powerful in provoking memories but I can catch a bit of a song and I'm instantly transported back in time.

For me, a song or a piece of music can define an era, a year, an occasion or just a moment.

I hear Madonna's 'Crazy for you' and I'm in the little cafe in Ystalyfera drinking milky coffee...
"Sunday, Bloody Sunday" and it's a seventeenth birthday party...
 Bronski Beat's "Why?" and I'm in Dan-y-Coed on a drama residential course...
Anybody who's a Welsh speaker and who's ever been to Llangrannog will understand if I just say "Nefol Dad" and "Pan ddaw yfory"?

There's countless more that I could list but that would just be self indulgent and I wouldn't know where to stop! The power that a tune has to draw me back to another time is quite a pull.

So music is good for my soul - it makes me feel like a younger version of myself.

Thank you Robbie Williams for bouncing around on stage and belting out hits from a couple of decades ago. Thank you for taking me (and most of the crowd in Brisbane on Saturday night) back to a bit of our past.
The days after the concert I revisited so many tunes that have shaped my life, and I danced like a crazy woman in the privacy of my own kitchen....!

What songs would make it onto the playlist of your life?

One Direction v Einaudi?

Firstly thank you for the lovely and supportive comments and messages after my last blog post that came to me via Facebook, texts, email, blogger and even a couple of phone calls. I am so glad to know that I'm not the only one feeling a bit wonky with things! 

When I write something that's a little more personal I do occasionally agonize about sharing. I wrote that last post in a little slot of time between the supermarket shop and waiting for Sibs to return from school. I didn't over think it as I can sometimes do, it was just a quick release.  I have many posts that once written never go any further than the drafts folder and this was almost one of them.  Then, for whatever reason I asked Sibs to read it as she was so involved in the content and with her approval I pressed publish.  I was quite taken aback with the big virtual hug that I felt - thank you, diolch.


So now back to something a little more frivolous and a little less soul sharing - a story for the memory bank.

A couple of Wednesdays ago I had a sort of double booking - I wanted to be in two places at the same time.

Let me tell you a bit more.

Some years ago friends back in the UK introduced me to the Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi.  Unfortunately I had never had the opportunity to hear him play live, so I was rather excited to find out he was coming to Brisbane and eagerly waited for the announcement of the date of his concert.  That date however seemed rather familiar....

Ah, yes, that would be the same night that 'One Direction' were in town. The night that Sibs had etched in her brain and on her calendar and that was on a countdown on her phone!

A part of me wanted to go and sit still in the quiet of QPAC Concert Hall and be mesmerised by Einaudi. Yet, I also wanted to be witness to the sheer joy that Sibs was bound to experience whilst she screamed her way through a few hours at Suncorp Stadium.

Could I choose the noise, the craziness, the hysteria over the brilliance of the Italian maestro?

I could possibly and probably have found a chaperon to take Sibs to Suncorp but I would have missed so much...

• The excitement on the bus to the city where groups of girls and pairs of mothers and daughters were in various stages of anticipation.
• The embarrassed giggles of my 12 year old when I pulled out some ham sandwiches from my bag. ( I had to sneakily eat one hidden under my seat as she was quite mortified!)
• The funny "We love you Niall" that the two boys behind us shouted whenever the Irish one even remotely looked in our direction.
• The scream that could possibly have perforated my left eardrum when Harry the one with the lovely hair walked close by and actually waved and blew kisses.
• The little game we played to point out the best outfits. The two older ladies that had the skin tight 1D t-shirts and flashing headbands easily won, with the dad in the home decorated t-shirt a close second and the toddler in the white high heels came in third!

I have been fortunate to attend quite a few live music events and always have a good time but there is often a level of reserved enjoyment. Of course there are those who can really let it go but most hover on the side of enthusiastic toe tapping. Not long after moving to Australia one of my absolute favourite singers was touring with a farewell show. I treated myself to a good seat as this was it - the last opportunity to ever see him again....
The place was packed, the stage was ready, the music started, I got to my feet.....and I appeared to be the only one!
Seriously??
As the night went on, a few more managed to get up and join in with some rather unenthusiastic bopping, but I was less than impressed. (Sorry Mick)
There have been other bands that I have seen that have been more successful at getting the Brisbane crowds going, but I seriously doubt that any can get quite the same reaction as One Direction.

One Direction Suncop Stadium Brisbane Feb 2015

Whatever you may think of the commercialism that is the One Direction machine, their much anticipated live performances are pretty enjoyable.  Partly because of the energy that they have on stage but in the main because the audience is just happy to have a really good time.
If I'm to be a little over critical then they did appear to be slightly under rehearsed and surprisingly as this is the start of the tour they even looked a bit tired. The fun banter element between them that was in abundance in previous tours was not quite there but I suppose Suncorp Stadium is a little vast to really capture that. They did however still manage to flutter the hearts of those close to the stage with the constant waves and occasional short exchange of words.

The great thing was that they encouraged that wonderful spontaneity and lack of inhibition that we somehow lose a bit of as we age.  If the crowd felt like dancing, jumping, screaming, laughing or singing, then they just did it. No self conscious toe tapping bopping here!  Everyone lived the moment and it was hard not to get caught up in that. Ok, there was the one mum who sat down in the row in front - yes, sat in the row in front (maybe she wanted to be at the Einaudi concert?  Or maybe she was the same mum that sat with arms crossed behind me at the last 1D concert ??) but most people were on their feet. There were a few microphone and musical glitches but no-one seemed to notice and if they did, they just didn't care.

So I watched the crowd and it really made me smile. I watched Sibs and I was so happy to be next to her. So happy to be in that moment of experiencing her literally jumping for joy and just being twelve.

One Direction Suncorp Stadium Brisbane Feb 2015 

I later found out that the Einaudi concert was as I expected -  exceptionally good. There is no questioning the talent of the Italian pianist.  However, with his back almost to the people, Mr Einaudi apparently shared one mumbling "thank you Brisbane" with his audience.

Each member of One Direction thanked Brisbane and Australia over and over again. There were fireworks and streamers and laser lighting. They told their audience that they were beautiful and amazing and everyone felt the love. Us oldies even got a thank you for bringing whoever we brought to the concert. Tick!

I'm glad I made the choice that I made that night. I got to enjoy the performance for different reasons to the majority. Yes, I did appreciate the catchy songs but more than that I absolutely loved the atmosphere. I felt quite young and alive.....and happy.

A few days after the concert I was at home doing some housework and as usual I put the ipod on shuffle to help me along. Without a word of a lie out of almost 900 tracks the first track was "That's what makes you beautiful" by One Direction, but rather more disturbing was the fact that Ludovico Einaudi kept on popping up at a rather alarming regularity! It was almost as if he knew I had stood him up!
Ludovico, you'll just have to come back to Brisbane -  just make sure it's not the same day as a rather popular boy band!

From Mozart to Mick and a lot inbetween.

Isn't this a beautiful sight?

Sadly, it's not my piano, it's the one that Sibs performed on yesterday. She said she was nervous, but I couldn't tell. For the past three years she has taken part in an end of year concert where the pupils of a few local piano teachers get together and showcase a little of what they have worked on during the year.

 Year one we had 'Sugar Plum fairy'. That year I could tell that she was nervous and the little poppet played it an octave (or maybe 2?) too high. Her little fingers were almost off the side of the piano! She kept going though and asked me afterwards if I thought anyone noticed. No sweetheart, no- one at all...

Last year I had to drop her off at the concert on my way to the airport as I was away on a work trip. It was horrible.... However, I did get to see and hear her performance later that evening from short little clips on my phone. She got through 'Fur Elise' even though she had forgotten her sheet music.

There always seems to be some story to the piano concert and this year it's a hair story.

As the performers take to the stage they bow to the audience. Sibs's is unable to bend at the waist when she wears her back brace, so rather than just nod her head, she did a rather enthusiastic head and shoulder bow. Consequently her pony tail went flying and didn't quite land back where it should! This resulted in what can only be described as a bit of a punky, almost mohican look! She didn't notice.

Almost every girl that followed Sibs did a hair check when they sat down to play. One girl even checked a couple of times during her performance! We had a bit of a giggle about it when I showed Sibs the video of her playing, but she wasn't too bothered. I think she was just pleased that she had got through her piece. This year it was 'Rondo alla Turca', a piece she wanted to play after watching Pride and Prejudice.

This photo is a practise run - with well behaved hair!

In other (quite different) music news, I saw the re-scheduled Rolling Stones show in Brisbane last week.

These photos are taken on my phone whilst I was moving - it's a wonder they've come out at all!

I was lucky enough to have a bit of an inside view at this show and it was such a great experience. Mick Jagger most definitely has 'the moves' and had the audience eating out of his hand. The band had a great energy and played with no support act and no interval. 

I do wonder how many more tours or shows they'll do, so I think it was extra special to be there. 

An appreciation of different types of music is something that I am trying to instil in Sibs. I remember as a teenager my record collection was always pretty eclectic. There was the predictable Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and then Lionel Richie, Richard Clayderman on the piano or some choral work or Beethoven.

I'm still the same - my ipod is a mix of so many different styles. I don't think Richard Clayderman made it on there though! Sorry Richard. 

Sibs and I often play a game where we hear the first few notes of a song and we have to guess what it is. She's getting really good at it. Maybe because my ipod is constantly plugged in and on shuffle. It's no wonder that my twelve year old can sign along to so many different bands. 

Music creates so many memories for me. It's as powerful as a sense of smell in evoking past times. 

So as I type this, The Black Eyed Peas have just finished 'Meet me Halfway' and Dexy's are starting 'She Got a Wiggle'. 

Quite apt really, as I should probably get my wiggle on and get prepared for school pick up.

There are many, many beautiful quotes about music but one of my all time favourites is - 

"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music"

-Aldous Huxley

Happy Monday,

What's your music style?

School holiday crochet, concerts and the beach.

We are at the end of a two week school holiday here and it's just starting to feel quite Summery. The days are perfectly warm and the evenings still necessitate a cardigan....and I do love my cardigans.

These holidays we spent some time at home and some away at the beach. It's been Relaxation with a capital R. 

In anticipation of the holiday time and some crochet hours, I was lured to fill a basket with some gorgeous Merino wool in a rainbow of colours - on sale of course! I can't describe how luxurious the wool feels. I've predominantly used acrylic in my crochet to date - it's cheap and I have to admit to not having too much faith in my ability to splash out on anything more. 

I wanted to try and test myself with a project so found a pattern for a stripe blanket with a variety of stitches. Hmm, case of running before I could walk I think.  

After a while it became apparent that my stitches were increasing and then decreasing at an alarming rate. There was nothing else but to undo and start again. Oh the agony!

version 1

So armed with some prior knowledge and tips about tension I have been methodically counting to 169 at the end of every line - sometimes twice just to be sure. I think I've got it now.

version 2

In other crochet news I decided that I needed to know how to do a ripple stitch so I began to crochet away during ballet lessons and it morphed into a cushion cover!

There have been a number of pretty exciting concerts this month. The first was to see Queen with Adam Lambert. I think if anyone is going to get close to filling Freddie Mercury's shoes then Adam Lambert would have to be the man. 

It took the crowd a little while to warm to him, but he soon got everyone on side not only with his talent but his genuine appreciation of his fortune at being on stage with such great musicians. 

Then there was Andrea Bocelli. An evening of glitz and glamour and a secret competition that no-one told me about - who could wear the highest heels! - I lost.

He was joined by the lovely Delta Goodrem who charmed the audience with her solo and duet performances. The only disappointment of the evening for me is that Mr Bocelli never uttered a word. I think there was a murmur of a 'thank you' at one point, but I wanted to know the man a little more. (Blurry photos sneaked on my phone)

To round off, the charming and cheeky Robbie Williams bounced into Brisbane and boy did he entertain. 

I was so close I could read his tattoos!

These photos were taken with my phone and I was a bit caught up in the atmosphere to concentrate too much on the perfect shot. Just trust me that it was spectacular.

So after all that excitement it was time to stop and re-charge. That happened at the Sunshine Coast. 

Our first evening there, Sibs and I decided to head to the beach. We walked for miles chatting and singing away. There is something special about an empty beach, the sound of the sea and the squeak of the sand. 

During the week away we spent some time in Noosa catching up with family and we visited Eumundi early in the morning to go to the markets. Yes, I got up and I was there as it opened!

One of the days we bumped into some school friends who were staying close by and I happily watched from the comfort of my shady spot on the grass with a coffee and a great book. I enjoy the beach when it's quiet and when the sun is down. After years in Australia it's still not my favourite place to be when it's crowded.

All too soon it was home for the long weekend and the countdown to the preparation for back to school and work. We had eleven for dinner on Saturday night and it was the first time we have eaten outdoors since the Winter. Another sign that it's warming up.

There was one little lonely chocolate pot strategically hidden placed at the back of the fridge after the dinner party...

Shame for it to go to waste!

So that was a bit of a September round up and some of what we have been up to during the school holidays. 

It's now time to get a G&T and sit outside on this public holiday Monday to enjoy the scent of the last of the Jasmine flowers.

(Following on from my last post, Sibs has now got her back brace and is being a little star managing it. Thank you all who have sent lovely supportive messages. I will update soon. )

Weekend Birthday

Another year..... I won't go on about time going so fast etc, etc (but it really DOES!)

The annual breakfast in bed birthday treat happened here this weekend. She waits for me to stir and get myself out of bed and downstairs to prepare the tray with a small breakfast and a few cards and gifts. She always pretends to be asleep but the smirky smile tells me that she's been so patiently waiting....

Quick rendition of "Penblwydd Hapus" and down to the kitchen to begin a day of celebrating.

The lights are on because it's dark, which means it's early - really early! Way, way too early on a weekend morning...! We had to fit in this birthday breakfast before setting off for a school activity, but we managed - just.

No birthday can pass without cake and this year the request was marble cake. The last time I made marble cake was exactly one year ago.

The other treat for birthdays in this house is that you get to choose where or what we eat. This year it somehow lasted the whole weekend. Sibs opted to stay at home rather than choose a restaurant  and on the birthday eve it was calamari (ewww!), then the request was Cesar salad for lunch and home made ravioli for dinner. Oh, and the request for ravioli fillings? - Spinach and ricotta in some and meat in others! So in between ferrying back and fore from different weekend activities some serious work happened in the kitchen department.

Home made pasta is sooo good, but it's such a fiddle and even though there were no complaints on the taste front I have to say the presentation of the little ravioli parcels was rather questionable! The tomato sauce did its job in hiding the rather strange looking shapes!

A quick clear up and nana, Sibs and I were off out to meet up with Aunty D, Aunty L and a friend for a girls night to the city to the Tina Arena Reset Tour concert.

Sibs was amazed at the lack of screaming.  I suppose when you've experienced One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer anything else will appear subdued!

Of course there had to be the obligatory selfies.

The night was great and it was an extra special treat for Sibs to get together with Tina and the team after the concert. It did mean that it was a very late night, but a lovely ending to a packed birthday weekend.

Happy birthday to my wonderful, wonderful girl.

Hugh Laurie and The Copper Bottom Band in Brisbane

My ticket had been safely secured the second I heard that Hugh Laurie and The Copper Bottom Band were including Brisbane on their Australian tour. (Thank you QPAC)

So off I went on Friday night in the pouring rain  - me and my new shoes, to join 1599 others for a night out at the magnificent Concert Hall in South Bank.

After his opening 'Iko Iko' number and some gentle encouragement to join in the second song Mr Laurie pronounced to his adoring audience,

"You're taking a leap of faith here"

Just in case we didn't know, he shared with us that until recently he was an actor.  He gratefully acknowledged that we were allowing him to indulge in his sometimes nerdy appreciation of music and his passion for American blues and jazz sounds.

I must say that he has gathered a formidable band to indulge with...

The stage was shared with seven truly outstanding individuals who shone throughout.

Now no offence here Hugh,  (Can I call him Hugh...? Should I be more formal? Heck I was in the fourth row - we're practically best friends!) but 'Hugh Laurie and The Copper Bottom Band' could easily be just 'The Copper Bottom Band'.
I guess that without the name they may not have sold out.., but from a musical and performance point of view there was no lead on Friday night. Each musician offered his or her unique and flawless contribution.

Soul Sista Jean's dramatic rendition of 'Lectric Chair' and 'I hate a man like you' were standout moments.

There there was the equally captivating and beautiful voice of Gaby Moreno with  'The Weed Smoker's Dream', 'Bona Sera' and 'Kiss of Fire' complete with a little Tango dancing to authenticate the experience.

Everyone on stage appeared to be having a good time. They smiled and congratulated each other after solo slots. They clearly loved their jobs.
Maybe it was the whisky shots that were delivered part way through? Probably not, it seemed a genuine enjoyment.

Hugh peppered the music with slightly comic exchanges with the audience - a touch of his Blackadder genius from years ago. He deliberately avoided any references to the Dr House character and politely informed a rather enthusiastic fan who asked about the Dr that madam was at the wrong show!

The girls were on fire throughout the night and the boys got a combined moment of glory centre stage and performed 'Lazy River' around a snazzy microphone with Hugh as sole accompaniment on the guitar.

The Copper Bottom Band musicians often drew well deserved spontaneous applause. Boy they were good! Laurie knew this and praised them throughout, often looking a little sheepish and rather  amazed that he was actually part of it!

The last number brought an instantaneous standing ovation and we stayed on our feet for the encore.
We didn't want to leave.

I had forgotten quite how much I enjoyed the blues.

(All photos were taken on my phone hence the rather dodgy quality)