Walking On Sunshine

At last, a proper taste of summer! Now I know for those of you who love winter and the cooler weather this is extremely bad news but you've had your turn (and to be fair went a little - okay, a lot - overtime). But for those of you that are like me and love the warmer months, happy days are ahead! 

Why do I love summer so much? For one, the sun is out. It's warm. I don't have to put on multiple layers to reach a comfortable temperature. Indoors. Forget going out. Bears have the right idea. Just sleep through the whole thing. Though somehow I don't think that's going to catch on with the human species. And I know people feel too hot to be bothered sometimes but that's it precisely! It is too hot to be bothered so let's all just find a cool spot and have a little lie down (a philosophy I find extremely appealing. Especially if I happened to have a book on me). And it's light enough and warm enough to be outdoors before and after work. Excellent for enjoying a light source that doesn't come from tubes or globes.

Summer means enjoying the outdoors. It's chatting with the neighbours in the street. It's sitting on the verandah, watching the sun go down. It's lazing by the pool or heading to the beach. It's fruit salad and icy poles. It's the buzz of cicadas that sound like the heat is a bit much for them. It's outdoor gigs that don't get cancelled. It's dresses and sandals. And suncream. It's barbeques with guest lists of five that swell to twenty. It's the radio hits that drift from open car windows. It's the classic summer tracks that mingle with fairy lights in a dark backyard. It's the concerts in the parks, the buskers in the streets, the portable speakers at the beach. Summer means Christmas is coming! (And that is the most wonderful time of the year).

On Friday, the 2nd of December you'll have the chance to combine two of the best aspects of summer - outdoor concerts and Christmas! It's always a magical evening for kids of all ages (even the really big ones better described as adults) so well worth coming along.

And if summer is a dreaded season for you, one that you loath with a passion I hope you can find one little thing to love about summer. Even if it is only when it comes to an end. 

Music on the Green

At last, third time lucky! The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and the flies were out (we could have done without those but at this point we’re not going to quibble). Yes, you are interpreting this correctly – we finally got nice weather so we didn’t have to cancel! And what a day it was. We were down in Byford so plenty of fresh air and the sky seemed to go on forever. All I can say is that when the nay-sayers were insisting the world was flat, the yay-sayers should have sent them on a quick trip down to Australia and told them to look up. That would have sorted everything out (I know there is a lot of historical inaccuracy there but you get my point. The sky was a like a giant dome. And which provides the better story? The first or the second with its overtones of Stephen King’s The Dome. Or confusion with a coffee-house chain).

But enough rambling babble! Due to limited parking we were lucky enough to be transported to the venue by Bus West. So we have to say a big thank you, it really is much appreciated. And not only that, things are always off to a good start when you head out on a road trip (albeit a very short one but you still get that on the road vibe. And immaturity from normally impeccably behaved adults. Ahem).

After getting the show on the road, we got the show started with Amparita Roca. A really great Spanish march so if any audience members were sitting in their deck chair taking a nice doze in the sun, we soon put an end to that. Up next was Hello Dolly followed by Music from the Incredibles, The Hunger Games, and Kartoon Kaleidoscope. All really popular pieces, all a lot of fun to play.

The next piece was I Am The Doctor, from Doctor Who. A great favourite with all the Whovians in the band and if you’re like me and have never seen an episode (please don’t hurt me) then it’s still a really great piece. Full of atmosphere and if you’re playing it, a lot of internal counting. Puttin’ on the Ritz, Dixieland Jam and And All That Jazz rounded out our first bracket. But instead of stopping for a break, we just powered through. Well, we couldn’t keep our audience waiting could we?

Up next was Pirates of the Caribbean which would have been a good time to be one of the kids on the playground. Could you imagine playing outdoors, letting your imagination run wild while your own personal soundtrack provided by a fifty-piece concert band played? Let’s just say I know what I’m getting myself for Christmas. And no, I’m not too old. You’re never too old to have a go on the swings (yes, they were always my favourite). You just have to make sure you get the one that’s big enough to fit an adult bottom.

Just before the final section was Billy Joel in Concert (see, we really had something for every age and every musical taste). Now this final bracket is not an official section but I can’t help but think of it as Maestro’s Bracket (even though that sounds like some kind of wall fixture). This was made up of McArthur Park, Morning Train and Super Hits of the 90s (which included the greats like The Show Must Go On, Everything I Do, Go West, Macarena – yes, really – My Heart Will Go On and Believe. Listening and playing it just makes you want to go to a 90s dance party). This is Maestro’s Bracket because she has a great, undying love for this pieces and some pretty vigorous conducting to go along with it. So as you can see, she does have pretty good taste. And a fondness for cheese. But don’t we all?

That leaves us with one more gig before we are done for another year. Get out your diaries and mark in Friday, 2nd December. That will be the City of Armadale’s Christmas Carols. There is a Toy Parade beforehand and a very special visitor part way through the evening, so perfect for the whole family. And it will be held at the amphitheatre at Memorial Park so there will be more music on the green before the year is out.