Hobart BHA Convention
What a wonderful occasion was the 2019 BHA Australia Convention held at Wrestpoint Casino Hobart, Tasmania. Wrestpoint Casino is the perfect venue for such a get-together as it has large, modern, versatile entertainment areas as well as a variety of smaller function rooms.  The casino has a number of eating areas to suit differing tastes and needs, as well as multiple bars on-site. This made for a very pleasant stay for a big gathering of barber-shoppers!

Newcastle’s Novatones chorus and quartets had a great time in Hobart-spending time listening to some marvellous harmony, as well as performing and joining in with lots of groups and individuals, who all love to sing in the barbershop style. We enjoyed catching up with long-time friends, as well as meeting and singing with, other like-minded people from around Australia. The quality of singing was high during all the events. This included serious competition, semi-serious entertainment, quality-learning activities, as well as more relaxed times in multiple locations around the main venue and at other places around the beautiful city of Hobart. BHA provided an excellent Judging panel who also doubled as coaches to assist with taking barbershop choruses and quartets to a higher level.
 

Novatones performing their competition set

Beryllium on stage

Fortune Hunters got plenty of laughs with their comedy set

Due to some good local promotion, a large number of locals turned up excitedly to learn and sing a popular song, in the barbershop style. We witnessed some top-line barbershop harmony, from not only Signature, the phenomenal champion quartet from the US, but also from quartets and choruses from around Australia. Audiences could not help but be impressed, with the variety of performances that exuded beautiful harmony, deep emotion, and a good spattering of humour.  For me, that tinge of humour started right from the onset, when my wife and I were booking in- the reception clerk asked me if I was part of that large ‘hair-dressing group’ that was visiting! 

We are all looking forward to Auckland!

Mark Henley Novatones Bari and reporter