Hythe Concert - Summer 2007
The nerves were evident on the morning of Southampton Grad Band's very first concert. Any butterflies had to be pushed aside for a far more pressing matter, the weather! We were hoping for a sunny day for the first of the band's three summer concerts. We only got as far as Totton before the heavens opened, however after slight deliberations and a stop to purchase emergency carpet, the band set up under a somewhat flimsy gazebo. Resolutely ignoring the fact that the tent leaked in various places, the bands' leader, Dave Kinloch, got us ready to play.
After suitably furnishing the gazebo with a tarpaulin, the concert began with 'Fascinating Drums'. Gemma Stilwell wowed the small (but extremely dedicated) audience with some amazing drumming. When Adam Walker's dog refused to put up with the increasing inclement weather we feared the worse, however an exuberant town crier on a unicycle rallied the residents of Hythe, and the audience was reformed.
The concert continued with selections from 'Miss Saigon' and 'Andrew Lloyd Webber', expertly conducted by Mark Douse and Leanne Roach. The phrase 'show must go on' repeatedly came to mind during the concert. Especially when Becky Hall noticed that the drips landing on her music were becoming far more frequent, and as my fellow band members looked decidedly chilly in their damp (but extremely fetching) SGB t-shirts. Having said this, the band's first concert was definitely a success. If we can play on a seaside promenade in torrential rain, surely we can play anywhere!
Many thanks to Adam Branson for organising the concert, and also to the committee of the Hythe Waterside Arts Festival for allowing us to play.
- Kate Bridges
