Bowl of Brooklands concert article

xcept · Last edited by xcept on Fri Jan 25, 2008 12:02 am; edited 1 time in total

06 February 2006
By KRYSTI WETTON
TARANAKI DAILY NEWS

No one took up Russell Watson's offer to wade across the lake to join him backstage, but fans were obviously taken with the singer.

The pop-opera sensation and Amici Forever performed at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands on Saturday night.

"If you swim across, you get to come back stage and have a drink and a duck with me," Watson, who tested the water temperature by dangling one foot in, told the crowd.

But the audience remained seated even when he put on a Taranaki rugby jersey.

Some fans did get close to Watson when he serenaded those in the front seats, having suddenly appeared from the lakeside bridge.

Amici Forever kicked off the concert in perfect conditions at the Bowl.

Most people brought picnics and the only visible queues were for hot drinks.

The well-behaved crowd broke into wolf whistles however when the female members of Amici Forever appeared in gowns with high splits.

They were just as appreciative when the men removed their jackets.

"Calm down," singer Jo Appleby joked.

New Zealand's Geoff Sewell, who co-founded the group, told the audience it had been a great start to the tour.

This will be his final tour with Amici Forever he is leaving to devote time to his daughter, Sienna (2), recently diagnosed as autistic.

"Family is the most important thing," he said.

Promoter Stewart Macpherson estimated there were between 5000 and 6000 people at the concert. Another 400 were behind the fence listening from Brooklands Park.

Some fans thought Watson's performance should have gone for longer.

Mr Macpherson said the singer was on stage for an hour and 20 minutes, "which is pretty good".

"Russell was very happy and thinks it's one of the best locations he's performed in."

New Plymouth's Ian and Joan Foy were thrilled with the show.

"We're big fans of both of them," Mrs Foy said. "It's so nice to hear them tonight, rather than playing their CDs."

John and Barbara Heaton travelled from Waikanae to see the acts.

"We will be coming back for more concerts," Mrs Heaton said. "It's fabulous being at the Bowl, it's a beautiful venue we weren't disappointed at all."

Security staff were telling people they were not allowed to take photos at the concert. One fan said they had threatened to confiscate her camera.

But neither Mr Macpherson or New Plymouth District Council events manager Ron Murray said they had requested restrictions on photos being taken.

xcept · Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2006 1:00 am Post subject:

THANKS TO NETTIE for the newspaper scan:D

IT READS...............

AMICI STAR IMPRESSED BY BOWL

KRYSTI WETTON
TARANAKI DAILY NEWS
4TH FEBRUARY 2006

Amici Forever's Geoff Sewell was 'blown away' by the Bowl of Brooklands when he saw the venue for the first time yesterday.

The New Zealander, who founded the classical singing group with his wife Simone Langham, is set to perform there tonight with pop-opera star Russell Watson.

Although Sewell has spent time in Taranaki, he used to surf at Oakura Beach when he was younger - he had never been to the TSB Bowl of Brooklands.

"It's beautiful."

He was also impressed with the greeting the group received at New Plymouth Airport.

"We've been to many places in the world, but have never had a Maori welcome. "

Tonight's concert kicks off Amici Forever's tour of New Zealand and Australia.

"It's the first Kiwi concert we've had for a while, so it will be fun."

The one-hour set would include songs from the group's first two albums-
The Opera Band and Defined, he said. "We'll get the crowd clapping.'

The tour will be the last for Sewell, who grew up in Hawkes Bay.

Two year old daugher Sienna has recently been diagnosed as having an Autism Spectrum Disorder and he has decided to leave Amici to spend more time with her.

"The tour would be a wonderful farewell," he said."It'll be bittersweet, I suppose. It will give us a chance to say thank you to all our Kiwi fans who have supported us."

He said the group had achieved success throughout the world, but he had not expected it to be so popular in New Zealand.

He was also surprised at the number of young people who followed their music.

"When we started out, we were targeting people in our age group or above. I've been blown away with the young people that are interested."

Watson and Sewell both live in London but have never performed together before.

Amici Forever will continue with a replacement tenor after Sewell leaves.

Sewell and his family plan to move back to New Zealand.