This is a beautiful theatre! I never get tired of seeing these grand old venues put to modern day use. They just don’t build them like the Palace anymore! We had a few space challenges but the local crew worked closely with Cindy to free up as much space as possible to get all of our equipment inside. David had to rethink some things from the norm but pulled it off well.
If you read my blog regularly, you’ll remember that a couple of weeks ago we had a problem with our Instant Replay, the unit we use for our music during the show. It’s state-of-the-art technology and it has been a very reliable computer. We had that one problem and then all was well for the following shows. Last night at the Palace, as we opened the doors and kicked into our show music, we had the same problem – the music was caught in a loop! The only way to stop it is to power down the unit and start again. Not the way you want to run a show! We patched in our iPod as the backup unit. Only moments after getting it going, the battery died! Ah, the joys of live performance!
We took to the stage for our opening illusion and the music got caught in a loop! After a bit of banter with the crowd, we started the show again. This amazing audience went right along with us and made this a great evening for us, in spite of the tension and stress we were all feeling. Cindy especially was on pins and needles, wondering what would happen next.
At this point, I have to say something about this crowd. I could see clearly the faces of the audience from the stage. The support we received with every illusion was outstanding. The energy a performer gets from an audience cannot be underrated. And this audience enthusiastically responded to everything we did. It was a pleasure to meet so many of them in the lobby after the show.
Anyone who knows us understands just how “prepared” we are for the unexpected. Over the years, we’ve had to deal with every conceivable situation…and Cindy handled this one with the same professionalism she has with challenges in the past. Now, we’ve already ordered a backup unit for the Instant Replay and made arrangements to get this one repaired.
Life on the road is so glamorous!