Drew and I went to see The Buddy Holly Story at the QPAC Playhouse on Saturday - I bought the tickets back in November when Megan was still at College and we've waited sooooooo long for this day to arrive.
We left Megan's unit and caught the citycat into Southbank. Walking along the pathway we came across a line of a couple of hundred people, some with guitars, all either filling out or holding bits of paper. I asked someone what they were doing - turns out it was the latest Australian Idol auditions. We went inside the piazza and sat and watched the goings-on for over an hour. Every now and then, 20 or so people would be called and were taken underneath the building to, I assume, their audition in front of the judges. We watched Andrew Gee and Ricky Lee entertain and involve the crowd.
We left there and wandered through the markets - Drew found a moody print of a black female soul singer dressed in a beautiful gold flowing gown, singing with her arm outstretched to the sky while a bass player, just visible in the front left corner, plucks out his tune and two sultry dancers tango in the background. It's set in a smoky bar that's quite dingy and dark and it's very evocative and emotive. He loved it. I found one of a single guitar player perched on a stool, bathed in a pool of light, his head hung over his instrument as if he's exhausted. Again, it's very emotive.
Drew is a real market kid - he loves to wander and look. We checked out the bracelets and t-shirts and badges and ate popcorn and wandered some more; we found a little camel keyring at a leather stall. We ate lunch then made our way to QPAC, found where we needed to go, bought two Buddy shirts and some other gear then went to our seats. We were in Row C which was actually Row 5 - they were great seats. The theatre filled quickly and at last it started.
From the very first song I wanted to jump up and sing and clap and dance - it was so exciting. I sang every song to myself and some out loud. Interval came too quickly and the second half was even better than the first. I cried when he died - a single guitar on a stand, lit by a spotlight portrayed his death. All through the show I could barely sit still in my seat - and when the Winter Dance Party at Clear Lake Iowa started, I could hardly contain myself. The Big Bopper was wonderful but Ritchie Valens - well he just stole the show. He shook and shimmied and swivelled and wiggled and it was just pure joy to watch - tinged with sadness because I knew what was coming. When Johnny B Goode came on we all stood up (at last) and I sang my heart out and clapped 'til my hands hurt - it was just fantastic. I couldn't stop smiling and laughing and cheering and crying. When they all came to take their bows I yelled out to Ritchie; I'm sure he heard me, his eyebrow twitched!!
I loved it and I want to go back again and again. I sat there thinking - I don't have enough music in my life any more. It can make you feel so good and evoke so many memories, feelings and responses - and without music there's a little something missing. It used to be such a big part of my life at the farm - the guitar, nights around the piano; it's in me, it just can't find its' way out.
So we left Buddy and went walking again. Drew is fascinated by the bicycle man on the wire so we took about 15 photos before we got the three of us in!
We had a very well made coffee and delicious hot chocolate at a little coffee shop in Little Stanley St (I think). We sat there together and talked about what it would be like to live in Brisbane and do the things we'd just done on a more regular basis. It was such a brilliant day, both in content and weather wise. We sat and watched the people go by.
Finally, we thought we'd better leave and made our way over to the citycat. The moon was beautiful in the sky and the river was a ribbon of silver. We took another 15 photos trying to get the moon in with us.
The ride home on the citycat was quiet and peaceful. I love the motion of the citycats - I want to come back here one weekend and ride from one end of the river to the other and back again.
No comments:
Post a Comment