At Home with Leo, Clever and Constance!

Oh my where to begin! On 13 and 14 July, the three of us performed in the annual Winter Art Deco Festival in Napier. We packed ukuleles, a guitar, costumes and ourselves into a hire car and road tripped there on Thursday. By the time we arrived, the load had been augmented with gleanings from op shops and $2 shops in small towns along the way. We carnies love our tat!
Sharing a comfortable motel suite, we got down to eating and rehearsing, and also writing new material for the next night because, really, nothing makes performing more exciting than material so fresh you can still smell the paint!
On Friday afternoon we had a chance to check out the venue and try out the technology and HOLY MOLY!!!  The Paisley Stage is beyond words the best venue I have ever experienced. JR and Lucy have created a venue with state-of-the-art technical equipment and retro-chic comfort combined to make it just a joy to be there, whether you are performing or in the audience. We quickly got to grips with the place and went back to the motel to get ready.

 

 A long shot that shows the ceiling covered in vinyl records, the couches, and some of the incredible mural art on the walls.

 Back stage selfie with us looking VERY put together. Not feeling it though!

 On stage a typical range of expressions - Clever hooting, Leo belting and me trying to come to grips with a tambourine...

 This photo made me laugh, it looks like we are sharing a tender moment when I am actually putting my foot down about Clever doing a particular song I knew he didn't want to do!

With our beloved friend Cherry Boomb, who lives in Napier and was the one to let us know about this venue of venues. Word has it that she practically lives there!

Such a fun weekend! We sang silly songs as we do, but introduced more ensemble work with harmonies that really glue it together. And we cannot wait to do more things together.
The only down side is that I have to have a supply of avocadoes to bribe these two young ones to do what I want. It can get expensive ;-)