Dear goanet readers The season of goodwill to all mankind is upon us again, we are reminded of this annual event in our towns and villages around the United Kingdom as Christmas street illuminations bring cheer, tempting shoppers to take advantage of seasonal cheaper chocolates and wine not forgetting the pantomines and work get togethers. The sun when possible peeps out for a few hours between nine am and four pm allowing folks to go to work in the dark and come home in darkness it is also normally cold and windy with Jack frost ready to visit at any time with ice falling on ones nose, ears and cars. Even the heating on Public Transport is known to fail.
On Saturday 24 November, such was the weather, rainy, windy and dark, but those of us brave enough to weather the elements and make our way to Copland Hall in Wembley, North London found it was all ablaze......as we took delivery of an early Christmas Gift, Natalamchi Bhett, a heart warming, foot tapping spectular show by Goa's nightingale Lorna Cordeiro and the wonderful voice of Agnelo Fernandes with special guest star Rita Rose as well as young Kimberly Joanes. The show was a fitting tribute to the wonderful music of the late Chris Perry and the late Alfred Rose who left us a legacy of unforgettable Konkani songs. Interspersed were comedy sketches by Dagley Fernandes, Vera Joanes, Raggio Fernandes and Larry D'Souza (Larry Boy), very on-trend and excellently performed emulating our own unique sense of Goan humour. MC of the show was the very talented A C Pereira from Brampton, Canada, who also sang an upbeat duet of Malaika in Swahili with Lorna to the delight of all East African Goans present. Four band members were hand picked, Norman Cardozo, Babit Fernandes, Franco D'Silva and Mathias Sequiera, fine musicians who played with such gusto, creating the sound of a five star Big Band, just like ballroom dancing on a cruise ship. This show as well as the one in Swindon the following day was ably organised and co-ordinated by Gregg Carvalho, Bella Fernandes, Mathias Sequiera and Camilo Carvalho, not forgetting those who helped back stage to keep the performances running like clockwork. During such shows what crosses our mind at this time, there is no better place we would like to be.....hearing Konkani music at its best and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved for putting on a champagne show at beer prices. Those who were unable to attend really did miss a magical Goan Christmas musical. We trust our visitors enjoyed their stay in London and Swindon and look forward to welcoming them again. Melvyn and Rose Fernandes Thornton Heath, Surrey, United Kingdom 29 November 2012
