Johnblog

Sunday: We head in to the city by train for a Sydney Festival event at Hyde Park. We get there early to have a bite before the 9.30 pm show Smoke and Mirrors (‘A visually stunning show that’s a feast for the senses . . . Beg, steal and borrow to get there.’ Adelaide Advertiser) and find a very pleasant garden laid out around the Famous Spiegeltent. The tent is an amazing contraption – “There are only a handful of these unique and legendary ‘tents of mirrors’ left in the world today. Built of wood, mirrors, canvas, leaded glass and detailed in velvet and brocade, each has its own personality and style.”

We have a glass of wine and an upmarket pizza and burger sitting outside watching the flying foxes battling the stiff breeze overhead. We queue for 20 minutes (glass in hand) to get a good seat near the stage.

Faboulous show. Sort of cabaret with amazing singers and band, acrobats, trapeze, tap dancer, magician – it was top class stuff. even managed to get in an extra beer during the interval.

Sydney Festival is in full swing. We go to the State Theatre to see Emmylou Harris, a Country Music star from way back. This woman has an amazingly soulful voice that does not seem to have deteriorated over the 30-plus years she has been singing. We see Jan’s friend Kath at the interval. Kath is a mad keen country fan and scores a backstage visit through a friend with contacts. Kath sends us a pic later of her with the star to prove it!

The concert was great. Jan says Emmylou can sing a shopping list. I say she can sing a shopping list and make you cry. She had a good band as well, some very talented musicians.