James Hill and Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra - Wellington 18th Mar 2011

http://www.undertheradar.co.nz/utr/...ill-and-Wellington-Int.-Ukulele-Orchestra.utr

Anyone in NZ coming? Wouldn't mind having somebody to sit next too!

ARGH! Stupid geography! I would so love to go to this!

I'll be getting my tix tomorrow (pay day!), hoping to be there with some uke group mates. Note: no sitting, it's at the San Francisco Bathhouse bar, so standing room only

got my tickets! no idea how im getting there yet! may have to take friday off and drive. We should all have a get together saturday somewhere for brunch and jam?

Damn you planet earth. You are almost COMPLETELY in my way!!!

velofille said:

got my tickets! no idea how im getting there yet! may have to take friday off and drive. We should all have a get together saturday somewhere for brunch and jam?

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If you're on Facebook, look for the Wellington Ukulele Collective, they meet up on Sundays just before lunch

pulelehua said:

Damn you planet earth. You are almost COMPLETELY in my way!!!

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lol if you were in Spain, it would actually be completely in the way
http://www.freemaptools.com/tunnel-to-other-side-of-the-earth.htm

last night was... AWESOME! I was about ten meters from the stage, although I had some insanely tall guy standing right in front of me (isn't it always the way?), so I'd move right to view over his shoulder, then he'd move right. So I'd move left... Anyway, when I wasn't looking at the back of his head, my eyes were locked in on an astonishing show. James just oozed charisma and worked the crowd. When he did Billie Jean, any doubters in the crowd were immediately converted, the audience reaction was massive. When he got the chopsticks out there was an air of confusion, I turned to a workmate (not a uker, but not a uke hater either) and said "check this out, this will blow your mind" which drew a few scoffs from people standing nearby. Seconds later their jaws were on the floor, people were just losing it at all over the place. I've seen various videos of James with the chopsticks and the comb etc, so I knew what to expect, but his chopsticks performance last night outdid all of them. He busted out Seven Nation Army which had the crowd cranking. When he came out for his encore, he asked the crowd "slow or fast?" and while everyone screamed "fast" I waited until they died down and yelled "frozen boot!", and my friends shot me a "WTF?" look. James obliged and the crowd got pumping to Ode to a Frozen Boot. Maybe he planned to play that song, maybe my yelling had some influence... I like to think that it did at least

After a small break the WIUO got on and did their usual thing, they had the crowd singing along and laughing. They got to one song where there was a bit of theatrics where most of them left the stage while a few remained playing and the lights went down, the stage fog thickened, a spotlight was shone at varying players to distract the crowd from the fact that James was sneaking back onto the stage. Next thing you know, the lights go up on center stage and James emerges from the fog, then all the lights go up and it's all of them playing along. The WIUO has a few groupies and by this point I was nearer to them, they were basically going mental. Two more encores with James including Dean Martin's Sway and I'd say that was probably the best ukulele related NZ$30 spent ever. *cough* Plus the $45 of merch *cough*

What did you think Velofille?

well, I'm well jealous. We had a gig this morning and just couldn't fit the trip in. ...next time I suppose. Any vids you know of?

I managed to hook up with some guys from Wellington Ukulele Collective, who had a meet and greet up the road pre-concert. We all had a jam, James walked in and sat down and Jammed with us.
Afterwards he signed ukes and took pics, and he seemed to get along with me and want to talk to me more than others (woot!).
The concert was fantastic, met a ton of friendly ukers, after the concert I had to hang around for my ride. the guys all came out onto the floor when it was near empty, and James made a beeline for me since he recognized me and we talked a bit more till people realized he was there. About the same time i had to leave anyway, but he told me to email him because hes staying just up the road from me with his sister .

So, yeah, for me it totally went off! the only bad thing was the pic that was taken of me and him, i was slouching and looked aweful, but James looks great! so totally happy!

velofille said:

I managed to hook up with some guys from Wellington Ukulele Collective, who had a meet and greet up the road pre-concert. We all had a jam, James walked in and sat down and Jammed with us.
Afterwards he signed ukes and took pics, and he seemed to get along with me and want to talk to me more than others (woot!).
The concert was fantastic, met a ton of friendly ukers, after the concert I had to hang around for my ride. the guys all came out onto the floor when it was near empty, and James made a beeline for me since he recognized me and we talked a bit more till people realized he was there. About the same time i had to leave anyway, but he told me to email him because hes staying just up the road from me with his sister .

So, yeah, for me it totally went off! the only bad thing was the pic that was taken of me and him, i was slouching and looked aweful, but James looks great! so totally happy!

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JEALOUS!! I wanted to get to either/both the pre-concert and to stick around afterwards but I just couldn't, I was triple booked last night Oh well, he'll be back sometime.

We all had a jam, James walked in and sat down and Jammed with us.

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See this is one of the main reasons why I like James

Well, having read over the past year assorted posts about people meeting famous ukulele players, signings of this and thats, this one takes the biscuit. Hanging out with James Hill and the WIUO. Ouch. That's pretty much my ultimate ukulele fantasy.

pulelehua said:

Well, having read over the past year assorted posts about people meeting famous ukulele players, signings of this and thats, this one takes the biscuit. Hanging out with James Hill and the WIUO. Ouch. That's pretty much my ultimate ukulele fantasy.

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Totally, the funny bit is, because im still new to the uke and who's who, i was sitting talking to people not having a clue who they were at the meet and greet, just happy to talk to fellow uke players, no idea some were in WIUO until after the gig they came up and said hi and 'oh you were at the meet and greet' etc :/

Clearly

whetu said:

JEALOUS!! I wanted to get to either/both the pre-concert and to stick around afterwards but I just couldn't, I was triple booked last night Oh well, he'll be back sometime.

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Totally not dedicated enough! Shame we didn't meet though!