What a fun weekend! The music was absolutely fantastic, the crowds were good, there were wonderful people to meet and the variety of music was amazing. So lots of great descriptors for the Festival. Here is a blow by blow description of my experiences.
Friday 21 October 2011: Picked up my white wrist band from the Festival office and found myself in possession of a Festival Back Pack which turned out to be really handy. It carried singing books, water bottle, sunnies, purse, festival guide and a list of what I had to do. Then we sat in the Monarch Hotel Beer Garden from about 10pm listening to Captain Bob’s Stationhouse 7, a great jazz sound with some additional vocals by Shelley Rae King. Then we got a jam session with Capt Bob’s band and DJ Gosper. That lady can sing and plays a mean harmonica. Home just after midnight.
Saturday 22 October 2011: Up and dressed in the Sing Australia uniform for the Parade. We met in Apex Park and I handed out choir wristbands and festival packs, then with Heidi, headed up the parade behind the Mayor Fergus Thompson and his lovely wife and in step with the Moruya Town Band between the Mayor and the Choir. We marched down Vulcan Street then turned at the Monarch to Riverside Park.
After arrival at Riverside Park the choir waited until Mayor Thompson had officially opened the Festival and we did our first gig. The choir doesn’t particularly like open air gigs, but this time the sound equipment was well set up and we got the job done very well.
At 1pm we all gathered at the RSL Hall for our part in the Festival of Voice. Here there were wonderful acts including:
- The Strange Weather Gospel Choir
- The Canberra Chordsmen
- The U3A choir
- Raw Honey
- The Cleftomaniacs
- Gracenotes and
- The Wollongong Gospel Choir.