Women In Voice 14

Jenny, my esteemed partner in New Year's Resolutions to See More Things Live and I went to see this on Saturday night. And what a show! This year's women are Jenny Morris, Kate Miller-Heidke, Alison St Ledger, Barbara Fordham, Zulya Kamalova and Queenie van de Zandt, and it was those I knew the least about who impressed me most. I had expected to enjoy Jenny Morris's set the most, but she seemed a bit tired, really - and we were both convinced she was singing flat for the first two songs! Once I'd stopped being envious and resentful of Kate Miller-Heidke (three years below us at KG, Moose?) and started listening properly to her sing I was bowled over - she's only 23 but what a voice, and what confidence. She was really entertaining and found great support in our audience. I couldn't wait for the end of the show and rushed out to get her CD in the interval : ) Queenie van de Zandt was really funny and did a wonderful impersonation of a scout hall singing teacher leading people to their Personal Harmonic Mantras ("There is tea and coffee available in the back of the hall, please help yourself. But do make a contribution to the honesty biscuit tin - those biscuits don't buy themselves, you know.") But the top moment of the evening was discovering that the percussion in the supporting band was being played by a kid I'd had a killer crush on in Year 6! He played the snare in our recorder band when I was drum-majoretting. Aww. I'm glad I gave up the baton but he obviously had some talent brewing there.

All in all, it was the sort of performance that reminds me that I really can't sing, but that I should anyway : )