Concert: Christmas by Candlelight

Tonight, at another carol concert - this with Buddies on a Budget. And my last Meetup of the year! This was at the Actor's Church - St. Paul's, Covent Garden. Tickets from Show Film First again. Now, my work is flexible - but we do have core hours that, far as I remember, finish at 4.30. So I couldn't leave before then - did leave shortly after, but as Mandy had said she'd be there for 6, it didn't leave me much time to eat! I found the closest Pret - which didn't have any salmon sandwiches left, damnit - ham & cheese it was.

Afterwards, I schlepped along to the church:


Now, this gaily decorated entrance is at the opposite side to the Piazza - but it did look significant. Still, I couldn't see anyone I know - so I carried on around to the other side. Where lo, there she stood, with one other.


When nobody else had arrived, after a while, we headed back around and in. The lady at the door wanted to see my actual email - naturally, I couldn't find it! She let me off, in the end. We found one group member in there, and later saw another - but of the many people who'd said they were coming, we actually saw few. Never mind, we were a cozy group.


So yes, they went to town on the candles for this! The chandeliers were switched off for the actual concert, giving a more intimate feel - and although we couldn't photograph or film for most of the concert, they allowed us to for the encore:


They began with the first of two Christmas carol medleys, apparently written by the husband of one of them - but I was very glad when they varied the program a bit. My goodness, they covered all the bases - we had popular Christmas songs (All I Want for Christmas (Mariah Carey), Merry Christmas to You (Nat King Cole), and a very poignant Fairytale of New York). All instrumental, I might add. But we also had film tunes - Walking in the Air (natch), and a couple of others. I was particularly impressed with the evocative medley from Love Actually! Truly, a magical concert..

And so to the Chandos afterwards - Ivan was planning on joining us, but (as usual, frankly) work got in the way. Anyway, that's probably my last social of the year - thanks guys! See you next year..

Tomorrow, back with CT to the Backyard Comedy Club - hoping for a better lineup - and will have to bring my laptop, as tomorrow is my day in the office this week. On Friday, back to Ireland for Christmas. Happy Christmas to all, and a Happy New Year! Seriously bad lineup of films over there, that I can see.. don't think there'll be anything before Christmas, anyway!

I fly back to London on the 2nd, and on the 3rd, well, there isn't a lot advertised on Meetup - at the moment, I'm thinking of heading to the Winter Light Festival at the Southbank Centre that day.

And on the 4th, I'm off to see The Time Traveller's Wife, at the Apollo. Handily enough, Seatplan was one of the sites with the cheapest tickets to this - and I was eligible for a Seatplan voucher. So I used it, and got my ticket for £5. Let's just hope, from that high up, I can see something..!

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