Highs in the Low countries...

Four events in the Low countries... all ending on a high!

We started our journey in Veghel, NL; a new destination for us... excellent to have more gigs in Holland, where we have had so many splendid experiences over the years...
We had a lovely evening of Harmony and Humour, and the audience were very happy to hear it all... some having known us for decades... great to be back.
They Rolled in the Deep with Sarah-Ann especially well!

Next we were off to Trevianum, a school in Sittard, invited by our old friend, Gertie Weerts to celebrate the long 'reign' of Lou Harings (Headmaster) there!
We were a surprise (Lou knows us from concerts we have given in the area & at the school in the past)... and we were sent on to 'replace' the London Quintet who had performed the night before - a group of five teachers including Gertie!  All in the best possible taste of course...
Lou was indeed surprised!
Good to celebrate a teacher who has had such a long and great influence over school and pupils.
Thank you, Gertie, for inviting us to share in the occasion.

Then it was BE time for Showtime in Mol and Deurne, where were returning after a year or two...
We were joined for these two shows by our old friend and pianist Paul Plummer... he now resides in Glasgow and is a lecturer in opera at the Royal Conservatoire; brilliant that he had time enough to spare for us in his busy schedule.
Both venues were terrific & looked after us splendidly... (it always seem we end up talking about food in Belgium!) - the meal at Bistro Opera in Mol was excellent, as was the meal created by Lesley at Deurne backstage... all glorious.
Thank you!
...and of course there was the terrific Belgian beer to enjoy too!

...and the concerts were also good!  Our songs from Broadway, West End, Holly- and Pine-Wood went down very well... and we had a great time...
...people love California dreamin'.
We love the Guys and Dolls medley, particularly as it is in the West End once more...
...& the Laurel & Hardy dance - especially fun to do!

Here's an arty photo of Cant - TLQ with Paul Plummer in a hotel ceiling....
Enjoy!

Beautiful Barcelona & Marvellous Mallorca

A glorious few days in Catalunya; Barcelona, then Palma de Mallorca...

Quite brilliant cities to spend time & lovely sold out audiences too! Thank you La Caixa for inviting us back!

Mont Juic

La Sagrada Familia

Barcelona old town, more other Gaudi than you could shake a stick at:- including the magnificent Palma Cathedral...

Terrific food & blue skies/sunshine.... also the brilliant CaixaForum buildings themselves...
Here's the Barcelona one (a refurbished tile factory, we think!):

Difficult not to shower this blog with gorgeous photos... but we have been having a splendid time!

The concerts were both terrific, with audiences full of enthusiasm & enjoying out Catalan/Mallorcan speaking... All very happy joining in with rhythmic joy with Sarah-Ann's rendition of Rolling in the Deep (Adele).

Hoping very much to come back as these places deserve a very high level of exploration!

Many happy memories of previous visits abound... especially of our children over here...

After these sunny glories, it is off to The Netherlands & Belgium... as ever details on our site...

but Veghel, Mol & Deurne.... here we come!

PS: Very much enjoyed visiting this station in Barcelona...

(...for those of a Dutch/Flemish-speaking inclination, I assure you this word simply means 'idiot' in English; nothing more crude is implied....those of a nervous disposition, need not try to work out what I might refer to in this paragraph...)

We open a newly-renovated venue...

To Diepenbeek (east Belgium, as you wish to know) to be the first to perform in a newly-refurbished venue.... and plush it was ... (as were our lodgings the night before too!).

It was a Sunday AM concert at 11 o'clock - a slight shock to the system, but as we were treated so well... all marvellous!
...and followed by a drinks reception - what could be better!

As ever our Belgian audience were a delight; joining in where necessary and clearly enjoying a relaxing Sunday AM in the concert hall.... & not throwing things when we gently insulted one of the men in the audience (all in the best possible taste, as Kenny Everett would have insisted...)
They particularly loved California Dreamin' - naturally!
Our hard-working Belgian agent, Thomas Van der Spiegel was there and telling us of how many more Belgian concerts we could expect next season - hooray! - & we still have Mol and Deurne (11th & 12th March) to come in this season (both Showtime)....

Classic lit-church look of a corner of Belgium... (lovely):

Thank you to Nele, Kim and all who looked after us and helped to make the trip splendid!

We're off to Spain next - where we have not been for a little while... which will be terrific!

Christmas in Deurne & with the stars...

Very lovely evening in a large church in Deurne, Belgium (near Antwerp).... Christmas concert with the splendid Chris Hatt on piano....

Lovely atmosphere... even including the singing of three Belgian carols with the audience... great to have Steve to lead this!  They made a large noise... perhaps not least so that they could keep warm... the heating was on all the time, but it is clearly a hell of a size place to keep temperate!

We ended with the Jonathan Rathbone-arranged and excellent See Amid the Winter's Snow for crazy pianist and singers... Chris was mad enough!... as he took over the carol to play Bach, Bethoven, Grieg, Gershwin underneath... a triumph!

Now it is on to the Royal Albert Hall to sing Can You Feel the Love Tonight? with brass band led by Frank Renton, as well as 12 days and Festival of Carols in 2 Minutes for a tremendous evening in aid of  Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research entitled... Christmas with the Stars.

Hope Betelgeuse is there...