Westminster 17th october 2018

[Padmachou]

Libera announces a new UK concert, right before the Japan tour It will take place at the Westminster cathedral (just like the previous Christmas concert), on Wednesday 17th October at 8pm.
Us european will be lucky enough to hear the same list the tour will have Also, they say the new album will be on sale.
The tickets will go on sale on Monday 3rd September, at 2pm UK time, through Ticketsource.

Source : https://libera.org.uk/news/libera-in-we ... cathedral/

Who will be here ?
I hope I will. But it's on Wednesday so it might not be easy. I'm so excited, it is likely that this year, Libera will perform both during october and december in London !

[theforestdweller]

I'll be there . Just need to get my son on his keyboard ready for the ticket sale - his fingers are faster than my 71 year old ones

[fan_de_LoK]

This surprise announcement opens many topics for discussion

• A concert in the middle of a week, on a Wednesday.
  Is it a première ?
  Could this causes problems for some fans to attend and decrease attendance? Or at the opposite to help more local people to attend ?
   
• The Westminster concert will end exactly 3 days and 11 hours before the next concert starts, in Tokyo, 10 000 Km away.
  It is likely a pre-tour concert, but can they sing exactly the same songs, despite the public being different ?
   
• October 17 is too early in the year to allow the concert to be a 'Christmas' concert.
  So, was is the more likely?
  - No UK Christmas concert in 2018, only in Moscow ?
  - Or is it possible that another UK concert is yet to be announced ?
   
• The new CD 'Beyond' will be on sale at the concert, that fantastic!
  Would this open any hope for a signature session after the concert ?
  (sincerely, I don't think so)

[filiarheni]

• October 17 is too early in the year to allow the concert to be a 'Christmas' concert.
  So, was is the more likely?
  - No UK Christmas concert in 2018, only in Moscow ?
  - Or is it possible that another UK concert is yet to be announced ?

Let me add one more question:
Does an October concert in Westminster Cathedral cancel out the probability that a Christmas concert will take place there again this year? So will it probably be in St. George's again?

[bachmahlerfan]

This is definitely a surprising announcement, and I'm glad to see that it's happening. I hope they can make arrangements to spend more time at the venue before the concert tweaking the sound system, rehearsing, etc. Although, with school obligations and Westminster's liturgy schedule, I'm not sure how they'll do that.

[maartendas]

It's a year full of surprises
My guess is that this will be a preview of the Japan tour, just as Ely was for the US tour. At least it would make more sense to me if they don't have to rehearse a different concert for Westminster Cathedral. So now hopefully those of us who are going to Japan can already get an idea of the setlist there (minus a Japanese song or two)

[filiarheni]

So now hopefully those of us who are going to Japan can already get an idea of the setlist there (minus a Japanese song or two)

Not minus! Including them! I find that all these musical presents for other countries should also be made available live for the UK audience, they are beautiful as well.

[seraphita]

Let me add one more question:
Does an October concert in Westminster Cathedral cancel out the probability that a Christmas concert will take place there again this year? So will it probably be in St. George's again?

Do you think it's possible Libera would also give a christmas concert in december?
(I would prefer that because st. Georges has a nice atmosphere and hotels are very expensive in october)

[Yorkie]

Let me add one more question:
Does an October concert in Westminster Cathedral cancel out the probability that a Christmas concert will take place there again this year? So will it probably be in St. George's again?

Do you think it's possible Libera would also give a christmas concert in december?
(I would prefer that because st. Georges has a nice atmosphere and hotels are very expensive in october)

This won't be a Christmas concert and Libera have done one of those for probably the last 6 years at least - I think there is a good possibility of this one and then a Christmas concert in December, but I am a little concerned at the lack of notice for a Christmas one.

My thinking is that this concert lets them warm up for Japan plus gives them the chance to shift copies of the new album giving maximum opportunity to make some money (the profit will go to Libera rather than Amazon). My biggest surprise is the choice of venue for a Wednesday night. It won't be cheap to hire and a midweek concert might affect attendance numbers.

I know what you mean about the price of hotels in October - I checked my usual options and they were crazy expensive. I've decided to travel down and back on the same day; last train to Hogwarts Yorkshire leaves Kings Cross at 11:30pm so I can be there and back for £40!

[fan_de_LoK]

My biggest surprise is the choice of venue for a Wednesday night. It won't be cheap to hire and a midweek concert might affect attendance numbers.

I second you about that surprising choice, and my conclusion is that it is probably not a choice but an opportunity they grabbed. Like a very cheap hiring cost, or perhaps even a free invitation.

[Padmachou]

I will cancel my order to amazon and get the album at Westminster, if that is better for Libera

[Yorkie]

I will cancel my order to amazon and get the album at Westminster, if that is better for Libera

They will certainly profit from that more

[Surpinto]

A concert in the middle of a week, on a Wednesday.
Is it a première ?
Could this causes problems for some fans to attend and decrease attendance? Or at the opposite to help more local people to attend ?

I think that any time a concert happens in the middle of the week it limits attendance even of local people who simply have jobs they are going to come late home from or will have to get up early the next morning for. Given this limitation it may be less than favorable to Libera that the concert is announced with only about 1.5 months notice. I think your theory that maybe they got the venue at a discount may not be that far off; good for them if they did! But who knows.
 

The Westminster concert will end exactly 3 days and 11 hours before the next concert starts, in Tokyo, 10 000 Km away.
It is likely a pre-tour concert, but can they sing exactly the same songs, despite the public being different ?

 
Is there any precedent for them to have done otherwise aside from a song or two meant for that country alone? If not, then we have our answer.

October 17 is too early in the year to allow the concert to be a 'Christmas' concert.
So, was is the more likely?
- No UK Christmas concert in 2018, only in Moscow ?
- Or is it possible that another UK concert is yet to be announced ?

Examining the evidence, they are using the same venue as last year's Christmas concert which was wildly successful. This suggests strongly that no Christmas concert is a distinct possibility, and yet they have made a very popular tradition out of their Christmas concert for fans and the choristers families alike. I am also unsure about this but I think each option is definitely possible.

The new CD 'Beyond' will be on sale at the concert, that fantastic!
Would this open any hope for a signature session after the concert ?
(sincerely, I don't think so)

I am willing to bet that there will be no signatures as the boys likely have school the next day. I think that is the deciding and main factor.

[trev]

Been to every UK concerts for the past 2 years still got excited when a new one announced.
The Westminster venue was the makeshift option just few days before the concert scheduled in St George. I agree that they may developed a relationship at that time and Libera is offered a low cost opportunity to perform at home before touring. But this may put the Christmas concert at risk because most people probably not go for the second one in two months time. If Libera is confident and want to keep the Christmas tradition, it is possible they do both.
I think there will not be signing after the concert too as the boys should be still at school that week before flying to Japan on the weekend and I doubt westminster got a proper room for it. However there should be signed albums and programmes for the lucky one as usual. Will try getting there early to grab a copy!

[filiarheni]

I'm wondering if the ticket sale this time will be the war we know or if, in contrast, it will be quite easy to get a nice ... or even a very nice seat ...
I'm not taking part, so: one person less.

As I think that Libera will sing a couple of Christmas songs in Moscow, I'd find a previous according UK Christmas concert in December plausible. So that the October concert is a "dress-rehearsal concert" for Japan and a UK concert in December likewise for Moscow.