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The Stage Door in the Cold
Waiting by the stage door on a cold night after the show, not for an autograph, but to finish the…
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The Empty Seat Beside You
Saving a seat for someone running late: the coat on the chair, the overture, and the quiet relief when they…
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The Orchestra Tuning
The best sound in the hall comes before the first note: musicians tuning in the half-light while you sit beside…
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The Dress Rehearsal
Holiday dinners and first meetings run smoother when you practise the night before, gently, together.
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The Matinee on a Grey Afternoon
Go in by grey daylight at two and come out into streetlights and early dark, as if someone changed the…
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The Table Nearest the Band
The small table by the bandstand, where you hear the breath before the note and the nod that passes between…
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The Last Set of the Night
When the crowd thins and the band loosens, the last set of the night belongs to the people who stayed.
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The Late Show in the Rain
One umbrella, a small room full of steaming coats and a band that comes on late: the best autumn gigs…
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The Intermission
Every good evening has a hinge in the middle, and the intermission is where two people turn around and face…
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The Quiet Number
The most powerful moment of a loud concert is often the quietest. On the hushed number, and the courage it…