- Christine Collister
- Jun 29
- 7 min read
Blog Post No 6 June 2025
Time is really flying! Halfway through 2025? Blimey!
Bob and I left the tiny isle at the end of May, just before the TT madness set in. Typically, the weather up to practice week was superb … and pants thereafter. C’est la vie!
We had delightful get-togethers with family and friends around the country, starting in Scarborough first to stay with Jean, and hang out with Pete, Ellie and baby Miller; we also met up with our dear friends Mike and Judy who live near Beverly, then onto Lincolnshire to our fab friend Diane who lives in a black windmill (honest!). From there we made our way to Sandhurst to stay with our gorgeous friends Martin and Pam, and hang out with Wendy, Pat and Phil. All of it a delight!
And then it was time for my very exciting one-off solo show in the Netherlands. Flying to Amsterdam the day before the gig turned out to be super smart, as, unbeknownst to us, there was a train strike on the day of the gig, which would have made getting to the venue very challenging. However, I got there with plenty of time to spare and was met by Koen Hottentot - the most kind and patient promoter there is! Koen has been attempting to get me to play solo at Roots Aan De zaan for over a decade! Bless him.
Koen met me, as promised, off my flight and came with me on the train through to Zaan Dam and dropped me at the Distrikt Hotel, a very comfortable modern hotel (breakfast included:) where I stayed for two nights. Koen pointed me in the direction of a gorgeous restaurant (Verrassing) that happened to be connected to an old Mennonite House of Worship dating back to 1687! After my delicious dinner, I asked if I could have a look at the church. My lovely waitress knew I was a singer (it was part of our easy banter as I was paying for my meal), and once inside the church, she asked if I’d sing something so I could appreciate the acoustics, which are dampened with the use of sand on the floor. I did (as is my want) a verse of Amazing Grace - she was in tears. I was about to leave when the rest of the staff came in, at her request, and she asked me to sing it again. This time, she used my phone to video. She gave me the biggest hug afterwards. It boded well for my gig the following night.
Sure enough, the following evening at another, not quite as old, church, I performed my Children Of The Sea show, featuring acoustic songs in the second half. I managed to bring a few books and a handful of Fled’gling Double CDs (Blue Aconite&TDGOT) in my hand luggage and, to my astonishment, they nearly all sold! I also met some truly gorgeous people who made everything beautiful. Thanks to Koen and his wonderful team of volunteers! There are some videos of the gig HERE!
The whole experience was excellent, apart from Bob and I feeling a bit weird not being together - given the circumstances of the last five years, it’s been a very long time since either of us has been away without the other, but it was delightful to reunite!
We had a week before all things Dave Kelly came into play. We spent a couple of days back with Martin and Pam, and then four days with Rob and Jo Selbourne near Avebury Stone Circle. Always a joy - the Circle and friends!
Dave and I had been in contact about songs, etc, well in advance of the shows, but playing together for the first time in six years was going to be a challenge - or so we thought. Turns out, we just slotted back into the groove, so to speak. Don’t get me wrong, we rehearsed, but not as much as I thought was necessary. Which meant Bob and I could go visit another new addition to the Miller family - we spent a fabulous afternoon with Anthony and Karen (Bob’s nephew and lovely wife) in Royal Tunbridge Wells, and their son Joey and his lovely wife Lanting brought their burgeoning family, Eleanor (aged two and a half) who loves unicorns as much as I do, and her little brother Henry who was exactly 40 DAYs old when we met. What a joy to be in the bosom of family life in the middle of our peripatetic Hobbit lifestyle. We are truly blessed!
And so, onto the shows with the award-winning Dave Kelly! First gig of the tour was in Kinross, Scotland. The Back Stage is housed in the lovely Green Hotel, which caters to serious Golfers generally - and the occasional wandering music fan! Dave and I have played here on numerous occasions, and always enjoy the atmosphere and fabulous enthusiasm of the audience. David Mundell, who is the power behind this and other iconic venues in Perthshire, continues to support live music despite the general challenges, and we applaud him!! We can’t do what we do without people like him doing what they do - symbiotic and necessary. Thanks, David, and those who came out to see us on our first gig in six years! Here's a link to a few snippets from the first and second show: HERE!
We drove down to Liverpool the following day. We headed for friends of Dave’s, Bea and David, who kindly offered to let us stay in their gorgeous home for the night of our gig at the Music Room at the Liverpool Philharmonic—a first for me, and another delightful experience. I rarely stay up after a show these days, but when there’s cheese on offer … I couldn’t resist! So Rock’n’Roll! And after a delicious brunch at a local eatery the next day, we headed south to our third country in three days - Wales!

Another gorgeous, and new venue for me - The Acapela Studio on the outskirts of Cardiff, is housed in what was once a chapel, with the graveyard still in place right outside. It was a wonderful, very warm evening, and the crowd were also incredibly warm and inviting. They certainly knew how to make us feel appreciated. I hope we get the chance to play there again soon.
Dave drove us back to London after the show, and we enjoyed a day off the next day.
Our next gig was in a church that is still up and running with a healthy congregation. We were playing here due entirely to the enthusiasm and support of the Canon of Guildford Cathedral, Chris Hollingsworth. He’s been a huge fan of Dave’s for decades, and after watching me perform Love Me Like A Man for Dave during lockdown, he has become a fan of mine too. He and his duo partner, Danny, provided the PA and did a great job. I did, yet another version of Amazing Grace at the back of the church under a gorgeous stained glass window after sound check. The gig was fun, and we collected a few more fans. Thanks Chris! Video includes a snippet from The Acapela Studio, Cardiff :-) x
The Half Moon Putney is an iconic venue for sure. I played there in 1985! Dave first played there years before that! We also had the joy of reuniting with a gorgeous Travelling Gentleman, and musical pal Peter Filleul, who joined us on half a dozen songs. It’s always a joy to add harmony to the harmonies :-) x he plays a mean organ solo too, of course. Once more, great enthusiasm and support were showered upon us. Thanks, Half Moon, we’ll be back!
Our next and penultimate show was in Worcester at another long-time church-turned-venue, Huntingdon Hall. I remember playing there with Daphne’s Flight in 2017, but I can’t remember if I’ve played there since. Anyway, it was a fun show, though my lackadaisical nature was well in evidence! I forgot my set list in the first half and had to keep referring to Dave’s, and then in the second half, it turned out I had the wrong set list and made a fatal error in one song in particular (no capo where it needed one and the wrong song entirely in my mind!). I figured it out quickly enough once it became apparent. Dave, bless him, saw the funny side - luckily, the audience did too. They were great - just me that needed a kick up the proverbial …
Another great gig and a hope to return.
Our final show was in New Milton at the Forest Arts Centre. Such lovely staff, who made us feel welcome and in good hands. We couldn't have asked for a more rousing end to the tour. Thanks Milton! The final video is an amalgamation of Worcester Hall and The Forest Arts Centre - enjoy!
Dave and I loved singing and playing together again, and we're planning ahead to sometime next year (TBD) to not only tour, but have a new CD under our belts! We hope you'll join us then! I'd just like to add a huge thank you to Gilly and Dave for being so generous with their lovely home, allowing Bob and me to be relaxed and rested before, during, and after the gigs! Couldn't have done it without you!
Bob and I travel back to the Isle of Man today (June 29th) and are looking forward to summer on the tiny isle. We'll be staying in Douglas, which is a big deal after years in Kirk Michael. Bob's very excited by the prospect of being able to walk to the many excellent coffee shops in town. I will have to find new places to dip, but I'll keep with the Thursday and Friday saunas at Fenella - it's tradition!
I have a lot of preparation to do for the tour in September. I'm creating more videos and adding songs to the list of oldies, and this time, I'll spread the songs of Children Of The Sea over both halves of the show. I'm excited to reveal the new material and to share Children Of The Sea once more.
So, that's the end of another month in 2025, and another Blog Post completed. Thanks, as always, for dropping by to see how I'm doing. I trust you're all ticketyboo! I'll catch up with you all again next month.
Until then, stay well and keep rising above the turbulence!
Much love
Christine x