Singer Sanchez

I do not know what the expectations of those who attended last Saturday's 'Symphony' concert at King's House were, but I was not expected to be blown away by the fusion of an orchestra with drum and bass.

And I was not, though judging by the reaction of those who were there, I was among those who listened with a more jaundiced ear. Not that the concert was bad, but there were times when I simply could not hear the 20-piece orchestra or, if I actually did, it was not balanced in volume with the band. So I heard the violins and the saxes when Richie Stephens did Wildflower and LUST delivered Mona Lisa, but when the drum and bass got kicking with Chalice, it was another matter.

I also believe that some of the performers took the occasion way too seriously - not that they should have joked around with their craft and people's hard-earned couple thousand dollars, but I sometimes got this sense of awe at actually performing with an orchestra. It is not a coincidence that those who had the night's major impact, Chalice and Sanchez, were those who just delivered as they wished, standing on song rather than ceremony.

Those standing near me for the anthem, the majority of the audience, did not flinch when Sanchez missed a word or three in the second verse. I guess if you must make a misstep in the National Anthem, do it on the verse most people seem to be less familiar with.

It was an interesting experiment, that has tremendous promise, Tessane Chin's Hide-away, already a rock-reggae fusion, getting an added touch. And Suzanne Couch got to perform Lifeline with an orchestra, as it was recorded.

It did not blow me away, but neither did it blow up in the organisers' faces and they must be commended and encouraged for the second time around.

Chalice at the show 'Symphony, Together Under The Stars Concert', held at King's House Grounds, on Saturday, February 17. - Winston Sill photos