28th January 2016

Back in the common room again! And jack opened all the windows because the computer didn't work ...

Ed announced the return of the PayPal machine so card payments for memberships can be resumed! Then after some menopausal type jokes, it was time to warm up!

And the real joke, if you missed it - What does Dr Who have as a side order? Daleck Bread. Thank you Ed. 

There are 50 letters to take home with Isle of Whyte information, as our trip will probably be between 40 and 50 members.

Then straight in to Life On Mars. Singing in the common room, as we know, eats our sound having no ceiling. All mistakes show up very clearly. What do you do if you see a space man? Park in it, man!

Mars bars. That means three bars for the word Mars, not that we had broken out the snacks. And please lose the nice sound in favour of something rougher! Ever get the feeling we here that a lot? 

From Ibeza to the Norfolk Broads also has a different tune to the same-ish line in the first verse. You know what I mean. Then Ed demonstrated a wrong note, and invited us to pick our own three for the big ending! Then a final run through. No standing as this is the common room! 

Maracas were in the room next, Right By Your Side. Also shaky-eggs made an appearance. And not always on the beat, which is fun. We won't mention the squeaky chicken, it's just not Rio De Genero. And it's definitely not Isle of whighte. 

Ed reminded us of a) some tunings b) a gap c) syncopation and d) e) f) and more tunings and timings! Everyone needed to have their pencils out and their chickens under control. Jack from the back added a few annotations like Up Arrows and dashes for gaps! Yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah! Limb-to-limb was still going UP so maybe next time Ed will do a repeater for us, or you could do it at home for free. Have fun!

Monday, monday next. Too many words in this baby if you ask me. And I like the mamas and papas. Also too many bah-dah-dahs drowned out the three of us who came in with the melody. We sang it again and it was much better. 

My ear worm of the week to finish. Ed went through the ending, which is fun. Gentlemen, split yourselves between cows and curtains. Cows are mostly stage left. Careful now. 

Well done everyone for working so hard in the hardest room. Keep singing, enjoy this weeks ear-worm and remember I Love Ya! XXXX 

B- 

21st January 2015

The one where the Isle Of Wight went ahead at the original date but to be confirmed ... This could also be the one where Ed spelled it wrong!

Ed gave a break down of the trip itinerary but I was sulking so I didn't make notes. But please pay £50 deposit by 5th February, and pay the balance 

We have now been asked to sing at Fayre in the Square next 30th May at 11.30, and also on 13th May we could possibly be singing at  All Saints on Portland. Or maybe the week before. 

Saturday 5th March is Weymouth Music Festival if we are interested and it will take place at Budmouth school. 

Kareoke Annie Lennox first up, Right By Your Side. That woke them up. Everyone wished they had brought their maracas but instead made like a farm yard in search of that Brazilian flavour. 

We nailed it. Oh yea. Yeah yeah yeah....

Elbowing that aside, we turned out attentions to One Day Like This. Ed ran the different parts and we tried to remember. I got lost somewhere in the holy cows. Sounds like the farmyard again! We also tried it A Capella! We have gone up a level, and achieved 4 part singing! 

Everyone on their feet for a run through including some acompanyment and some A Capella for the 4-part singing. Ed said this was a building up song and it needs a good poke. But not til next time. 

Life On Mars has such a short intro, we had a few goes at that until Beryl stopped getting it wrong! Perfect. Said Ed. 

Monday Momday to fit in before its time. But-whenever-Monday-comes only faster please! And it was better than last week. 

You are so fab DFS. I Love you keep singing XXXXX

 

14 January 2016

The one where it was still Happy New Year Until Februay...

Welcome back, so good of you to remember to come. The school had forgotten, but luckily we did get in. Jack was in with his post-charity hair (£175 well done Jack) and lovely Jenny was on the door again. 

Ed introduced some of our new songs and explained the words-and-music-for donations system and advised a change of date for the Isle of White trip which would otherwise clash with The Race For Life. I'm running as Queen. I'll be putting my fund raising page your way nearer the time. 

More breaking news is that Out Loud want us to squeeze onto their miniature sized stage again. Date to follow... Ed was pleased the we are still loved after not having much of Christmas presence in town this year!

A new song next, Elbow's One Day Like This, was played by Jack on the old YouTube. Throw those curtains wide!  It's one of those split up and overlap songs. It was completely new to me, I wonder where I've been? Ed found the response part too heavy so may well ask the men to switch parts and give the first part more beef. Nice. 

Plus 5 is the key for our next song, in remembrance of David Bowie, one we have sung before - Life On Mars. Ed played it on the piano to follow Rick Wakeman's fingers. After we sang it through Ed asked us to give it more tention. Grrr. Then he reminded us of the lovely harmonies. Some people might sing a big ah-ah-ahse at the end of Mars, but I might have to try not to laugh. 

Monday Monday on a Thursday! After an adventurous run-through a brave Ed decided to allocate three parts:- men, women, and everyone else. Or something like that. Things started to come together and we felt jolly pleased with ourselves. 

And finally we sang One Day Like This to finish after a quick and totally rigged vote. Everyone stood to give it some welly. 

So that's three songs and 7 days to practice them in. Have fun DFS, I love you. The blog has just entered it's 8th year. Grab a coffee sometime and read the wisdom contained therein. Love you xxxx