Fitting Finale

Parking on the Bondi foreshore and running through the pouring rain wasn’t quite the end I had envisaged for our night out of ‘Culture.’ But it turned out to be quite perfect. Accompanied by the Sirius Ensemble, my friend Spike Mason launched his new album Flying at Scots College where he currently works, a wonderful collection of jazz compositions based around a poem I wrote a few years ago. He and the nine-piece ensemble had recorded the album in the same theatre as the launch some time ago, and the whole project had finally come to the point where it was being sent out into the world.

After surviving the trauma of reciting the poem, definitely do not like being up front, not one little bit, we were able to sit back and be transported by Spike’s music to another place. Spike wrote the whole album while in the air on his weekly commute from Launceston to Sydney and back, and as I closed my eyes, I really could feel a definite sensation of flying. I was tempted to spread my ‘wings’ right there in my seat, but thought that might look just a little too weird.

The music had an emotive language all its own, gently rocking and almost lulling us to sleep as it drew us along on its journey. My son commented that what would have made his night complete was for a bird to fly in to the theatre, glide effortlessly around with the music, then land and simply join the audience. If it had happened I don’t think anyone would’ve batted an eyelid.

All too soon it was over and we stepped out into a wonderful wet night after what had been a horrendously hot day. With the rain soon turning into a torrent, obscuring the lane markings in the reflected lights from cars and buildings on the road, we put our faith in the GPS and wove this way and that, as you’re wont to do in Sydney if you want to get anywhere, finally arriving at our destination in one piece as the GPS lady had promised. But not before the most spectacular streak of lightning lit up the harbour and the Bridge in one of those brilliant bolts that crackles as it splits the heavens from one side to the other.

And the running in the rain? Well, that was just in search of a Messina ice cream, not just any ordinary ice cream mind you. Mine was coffee. Delish. A lovely way to end a week away.

Flying in

drawn by the music

tuning in