Ola Blogpost readers!
I spent a good deal of the past few weeks practising songs from the depths of my chequered musical past … in preparation for my fourth CC In Lockdown FB Live mini concerts. There are too many songs I simply couldn’t dredge up the chords for from my overloaded brain. But in the end settled for a six song set which included two accapella performances (a neat yet musical way to avoid more chord shortages!).
It’s the oddest experience (still!) to perform, with conviction, songs that touch my heart, only to open my eyes to a short bubble of silence which is mostly filled with … a giggle. My incredulity has no other response! Oh yes and there are those delightful floating hearts with the occasional angry face that let me know someone's there! But for all that it’s more than a little weird, I am truly grateful for those of you who turn up time and time again to support and (hopefully) enjoy my efforts. You matter to me! THANK YOU 🙏
Living on the Isle of Man - one of the safest places on the planet right now - where we continue to be Covid-free (70 plus days), we are able to go about our daily business with hardly any restrictions. So much so that a week or more ago I was approached by Kevin Madigan at the Villa Arcade to do an actual concert with a non-social-distancing audience … on Saturday September 19th. I said yes!
We’re calling the event: Christine Collister and friends … so far I’ve invited Lindsay and Steve Rowe (keyboards/BVs and electric bass:) Callum Rowe & Christy DeHaven BVs. They have all accepted their invite 🥰 … I’m just waiting on finding out about a super-talented trumpeter and singer to join us … exciting possibilities! We shall see. But needless to say I’m very happy and more than a little excited by the prospect of singing to an actual in-front-of-me audience with wonderfully talented friends. I’m looking into the possibility of streaming some of the concert … wi-fi dependant. I’ll let you know …
I forgot to mention last time that I found a clutch of the Fled’gling Records re-release double CDs Blue Aconite/The Dark Gift Of Time, in my store cupboard, that I’d bought to sell on the Daphne’s Flight tour in May. For now I’ve placed them in the shop for your delectation. I’m also trying to get the DVD CC XX digitised (celebrating 20 years in the business) … so that it’s available as a download. I can but try. It’s a really great combination of interview footage; live performance and tv broadcasts over those first few decades, with a handful of extras that include full song performances solo, with Clive Gregson and the CC Trio with Howard Lees and Rory McFarlane as well as some anecdotal bits and pieces thrown in for fun. Who knew I’d still be doing it almost 20 years on!?
In other news I’ve just decided to do another FaceBook CC In Lockdown Live: Saturday August 29th … I’m reverting back to my 7.30pm (BST) slot so that those in the US who like to join live, have the opportunity to do so. I say it every time but … I may curtail these online forays in the not-too-distant-future? It’s difficult to know if they’re a bit of an overload … there’s so much going on out there! But for now … perhaps I’ll see you at the end of the month? I hope so.
On that note I shall say au revoir … stay well and keep rising above the turbulence!
Endless blessings
Christine xx
