On time and in budget

Them Beatles photos by Mike Lambden

Its been well reported that the Steam Racket Company have reduced their debt. When the time came to book Them Beatles and their van with all their equipment, it felt as it we had single handedly done the job for them.

That was the only time that the finances for our weekend of parties went off track. We had to resort to a simple accounting trick, revise the budget and come up with so more cash. We weren't going to cut corners elsewhere.

Quite a few people were amused with our style of such a detailed timetable for a party. I found that everyone from the band to the caterers enjoyed the precision knowing exactly what was to expected from them. My big worry concerned the different entertainers sharing the stage and the sound system.

But it went perfectly on Friday and I was much more relaxed on Saturday. So much so, that with twenty minutes before the band were due to go on stage we couldn't find them and nobody knew how to switch the sound on without them! And in that panic we didn't get the lights on for the deemsters.

On stage, Them Beatles are incredibly authentic. Off stage they lead much healthier lives than the real thing ever did. I don't remember John Lennon running 10km on a treadmill as Clark did before the show.

The original plan had been to have a single party at the Villa Marina but we didn't like one or two of the details there. The switch to two nights at Mount Murray was one of the best things we did. Seeing so many people before and after the show and even sharing breakfast with a good number of guests was wonderful for us.

There were so many people we would have like to have added to the guest list and there were lots of people we invited who weren't able to attend. But the question I ask myself was who should we not have invited?

We were particularly keen to include people who have been supportive towards us with Robbie over 15 difficult years. Without such support, both professionally and private encouragement, there would not have been any parties. Through that time Ben transformed from an average student to a doctor at Nobles Hospital. We have lots of people to thank for giving him the opportunities as well as those that continue to help Marie's mother and supported mine during her demise.

At 3 am in the bar at Mount Murray yesterday I was asked which I preferred, running or walking. It was a question I avoided answering.

But to my own question as to who we should not have invited the answer is quite simple - nobody.

So we were on time, in budget but out of room to invite everyone.