Nothing can keep us from ABBA...

I had a wonderful time this weekend singing the music of ABBA with the Niagra Symphony Orchestra and brilliant JnC vocalists Katalin Kiss, Stephanie Martin and Lis Soderberg.  Wicked company, great tunes, very satisfying harmonies, but...it was not a weekend for the faint of heart.  (Read that last sentence again in a scary Vincent Price voice, and then continue.)

We drove through an epic lake effect snow storm to get to the gig.  Whiteout conditions, jackknifed trucks, icy treacherous highways...but even an arctic hurricane couldn't keep us from ABBA.  A surprise mid tune fire alarm did require the complete evacuation of the building into the frigid cold...but even impending disaster couldn't keep us from ABBA.  There were also monsters and aliens that we had to fight off with our bare hands, even they couldn't keep us from ABBA.  (OK, that last part was made up, but I'm an artist...I'm built to embellish.)

Our audiences were nothing short of amazing this weekend.  There was copious dancing in the aisles (even by the lady with crutches in the front row!) and a few feather boas liberally applied to our gorgeous conductor Bradley Thachuck.  As the dust settled, and the fire trucks retreated, I couldn't help but feel fortunate.  Three very sincere cheers for the outstanding Niagra Symphony Orchestra and its' administration.  Three cheers for the fantastic crowds that came out to these snowy dangerous shows.  Three cheers for the killer JnC band that always makes it look so easy, and so handsome.

I can't explain why, in the midst of all this excitement, I didn't have my camera handy.  Alas, I have no pictures...but I decided to draw a very realistic and artful sketch of what you might have seen if you had been there.  Enjoy! 

See you down the road...
-AK

AK in Anchorage (from Andrea)

Hello everyone!  Just back from an invigorating weekend in Anchorage Alaska, where Lis, Kat, Steph and I performed the fabulous music of ABBA.  We had 2 truly amazing audiences, who arrived ready to let their hair down, sing along to all the tunes, and dance like no one was watching.  I've got to say that Anchorage has captured my wild heart.  It's beautiful on every level.

Of course, this little journey north also taught me a few unexpected things:

-    I learned that hunters (just like singers) have to struggle with getting their make-up off at the end of the day.  (Who knew?)  For me it's the darn sparkles that I use in my eyeshadow, for them it's the dark greens and browns of classic camo.  The Anchorage Army Navy revealed these handy wipes ... and believe me they'll will take anything off your face!!

-    I learned that the Mayor of Anchorage is a music fan!  (He offered us the 'keys to the city' post show...)

-    I learned that Steve Meacher (our front of house sound guru) will spontaneously dance with bears in tutus. 

-    I learned that the Anchorage Symphony is one of the finest in all the land.

Thank you Anchorage.  We can't wait to see you again!

-AK (who's right at home in AK)

February in Anchorage (from Stephanie)

Smack-dab in the middle of summer, it's hard to believe we'll have to bundle up for the cold weather again ... looking forward to another trip to Anchorage in October 2012 for the ABBA show with the Anchorage Symphony Orchestra!

Here are Andrea Koziol, Stephanie Martin and Dale Anne Brendon from when we were there to do the music of Queen this past February.