The time…Saturday, June 17th. It was later than I would like, given I was feeling run down and the exhaustion of motherhood was taking its toll….
The place…. The gloriously opulent ballroom at the Williamstown Town Hall. Any winter chill was left at the door, as I entered the room overflowing with lovers of stories, ready to gather round the stage – the metaphorical campfire. Ready to hear some tales….
The song…. For me it was Misty, sung beautifully by Chris Phillips, but it could have easily been any number of songs, such was the talent on show!
If you are new to the concept of Stereo Stories, stop what you are doing and seek out the very next concert, immediately. This unique experience was a highlight, of the already marvellous Willy Lit Fest and that’s saying something!
Local authors took to the stage to tell their stories – stories of music and the ways that songs tie into the very fabric of our lives.
Being both a music lover and a writer, I was mesmerised.
Lucia Nardo was the first to capture me, with the heart-warming tale of her father and his piano accordion. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room, as she shared her truth. Her father, equally captivating, shared the stage with his daughter, wielding his instrument, as expertly as Lucia wielded her words – both masters of their crafts.
This was the perfect way to begin a thoroughly entertaining evening of memoir and musical moments – I was hooked!
What followed was an eclectic collection of stories and songs, performed flawlessly by the incredibly versatile Stereo Stories band. Authors such as Stephen Andrew, Maria Majsa, Markus Zusak and the incomparable Andy Griffiths took the packed ballroom on a journey. We hung on every word – on every note. We cried when our heart strings were tugged at, we laughed when our ribs were tickled and applauded endlessly, because the talent before us deserved it.
I had never heard Van Morrison’s Misty before this night – a travesty on my part, I know – but eternally, my ‘gypsy soul’ will be rocked, ever so gently, by the sweetness of the Stereo Stories rendition.
Melissa Longo
*Photos by Deb Winfield
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