MARCH UPDATE

March began with appalling singing and ended with joyous singing!

Our lovely twitter group had a Tweet Up at The Gallipoli Club Karaoke night. I’ve been singing on and off all my life, so I was kinda excited. But Karaoke is a much difference experience to real singing and coupled with my usual nerves, I was pretty bad. Yet, refusing to be defeated, I gave it three shots and improved marginally as the night progressed. But I guess the whole thing about Karaoke is, it’s not meant to be pretty. Having said that, there were some great performers within our group, and it was such a fun night.

I have been looking for an appropriate for me choir for years now and mid month one finally turned up. A great mix of popular, gospel, and world music with an emphasis on fun, and being casual, this was just what I was looking for. Also a lovely group of singers. It is a great leveller, beautiful for the soul, and just simply the most joyous thing I do!

I also attended my first Civic Theatre subscription for , the superb production of Jasper Jones. Having recently read the book, some of the more impacting scenes lost their edge a little, but it was still great storytelling and acting. The staging was simple but clever and worked so very much for this complex story.

At work I was flat chat and enjoying the cooler weather, I spent the month finalising recruitment for two new staff, and inducting and training them. A full team for the first time in ages, yes! We held the ever popular Cavalcade of Fashion, this time bridal gowns from 1880-1930. We were inundated with lovely seniors and these glorious gowns and accessories. I also commenced a TAFE based Leadership course, which I have found wonderful.

And I hosted Share the Story with Carol Duncan and Rosemarie Milsom at Toronto Library. What a great morning with fabulous women discussing intelligent and interesting topics.

My bestie returned after being away for 6 weeks, and it was so lovely to give her a hug and make sure she was ok. I headed up to my sister’s property for dinner, and met their new pets, two cute little piglets, Doris and Dottie. And I even fitted a date in mid month!!

On the health front, I felt really on top of the usual things that dog me, but I was super tired and exhausted, putting it down to the earlier months heat and lack of exercise I soldiered on until I found out I had anaemia! Back on the red meat and iron tabs I am getting there, slowly but surely!

I also had the extreme pleasure of seeing Martha Wainwright at Lizottes later in the month and a great literary adaptation of Dracula at the Civic Theatre.

I ended the month visiting lovely friends, T and J, in their new house, for dinner. What a great evening we had.

And as usual, the markets, loads of reading, watching, and listening, and some photography.

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT

I have missed seeing Martha Wainwright more times than I care to think, so I wasn't missing out this time!

I got the tickets for L and I last November and it kinda snuck up on us, in the loveliest way.

So we headed to Lizotte's anticipating an excellent evening.

Martha was excellent, but unfortunately we received the most appalling service when we arrived to find someone else sitting in our seats. How such a mistake could happen is bizarre, but it was their treatment of us during this situation that was incredibly upsetting. So much so, I ended up writing an email of complaint, which I hated, cause there is nothing worse. But nonetheless I did, and have felt listened to which is marvelous so kudos to them!

I love Lizotte's and have attended many a show there, mostly as it is the most perfect way to experience music and you don't seem to get the dopey drunken bogan fuckwits you seem to have at most other music venues. People are there to experience the music and well, the experience!

I will continue to attend Lizotte's but was upset this one annoyance almost marred a great night out.

Martha, however was magnificent. Light and breezy, friendly and sweet. 

And then her voice, hearing a recorded version of it is nothing, you need to hear Martha live, a little bit raw, but stunning and soaring.

She moved me to tears on more than one occasion. She did songs with just a guitar at the beginning and towards the end, and mostly with her small but tight band.

Most of the songs were from her new album, which I think is her best so far. It is a more cheery album, with many songs about her kids, one - my favourite - written by Rufus, it's a bit operatic, so I should have known.

But there was some old stuff, including my fave, Jimi, and a great rendition of Chelsea Hotel #2 towards the end.

She was happy and chatty (but not too much) in between songs, loving Australia, but missing her kids.

I could have listened to her forever, but before we knew it the night was over.

But the great thing about Lizotte's is they get the performer into the foyer to sell and sign merch. So I waited in line with all my CDs and got to meet her.

She was beautiful and sweet and kind and generous, she was pretty stoked I had all 6 of her albums, signed them all, gave me a hug and suffered a selfie!

My night was made, a good artist will always do that.

And despite an awful start to the evening, I drove home as you do late in the evening after a good gig, not much traffic, drizzly rain, your brain buzzing, your face smiling, and your soul totally enriched and lifted.