Regina, one of Rita’s long-term friends from Switzerland who also came to the 1st Australian Steelband Festival in Marysville last year, arrived by train early in the morning and spent a couple of hours walking around Moissac before arriving at the barge at 0900h with warm croissants - what a thoughtful person!

Later that morning we got a call from the organisor of the St Nicolas de la Grave concert next Friday saying that since wet weather was forecast, they were contemplating an alternative indoor venue, using the old church in the centre of town, that was just next to the market place hall where we went to see a Jazz Concert a few years ago. They suggested that we do an inspection of the church to check the layout and acoustics. So later that day we collected Lisa (our singer) and headed out there. The first thing we saw as we approached the church was a flyer for the concert in the window of a local shop.

Although the church had been closed for two years, it was quite big and in good condition. Rita tried out several locations within the church with her pan, and we eventually settled for an alcove near the main entrance which contained the baptismal font. We started praying FOR rain this time, as Lisa and I started thinking of great possible camera angles.

After the inspection, we were invited back to the home of the concert organiser, where his Danish wife made tea and coffee to go with her homemade cakes. The hospitality we have received from concert organisers so far has been amazing. That evening, Rita, Regina and I had dinner at our favourite Moissac restaurant, L'Abbaye, where they served a delicious St Jacques dish.