Thursday 16 October 2014 - Remote Areas Health Professionals, Albert Park (#101)

With most of the band having returned to Australia in early-October, it was time to start the 2014-15 gig season after just one or two rehearsal sessions. Rita was still in Switzerland with her elderly parents, so Lisa took us under her wing and off we went to play over the lunch break at the Remote Areas Health Professionals Conference at the Pullman Hotel in Albert Park, Melbourne. Having been a participant and presenter at many professional conferences at this hotel in the past, it was quite strange being on the other side of the fence and watching others go about their professional business while I played six bass in the band.

We only played a relatively short 25-minute set as the delegates came out of their conference sessions for the lunch break, but there was keen interest in the band with many cameras in evidence and lots of questions after we stopped to enable them to get their lunch in peace. At the end of the lunch break, we started again and played Valsa Titi to signal that lunch was over and that they should return to their sessions. It was interesting to watch them walking quicker and quicker to the rooms as each verse of Valsa Titi got quicker and quicker! As well as being paid well for this gig, we also got a free lunch and all the band members agreed that the desserts were yummy - even those who were supposed to be on diets after all the overeating in France!