24 October 2024

We warmed up to that Cannon thing, you know the old wool advert tune? That was nice. We sounded better than Weymouth Choral Society, Lesley said. 

We listened to Ed sing the first verse of MARY DID YOU KNOW and then it was our turn, with the piano then a very fancy backing track with harps and shaky eggs. Ed bashed out the melody for clarity, and that helped us get it right. 

Sandra requested that we count so that we know when to come in. That was also very helpful. We worked quite hard on that one. 

One of my favourites SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW was attempted in its original key. Sadly though, it wasn’t Keane, it was the Lilly Allen one. Oh well. The backing track sounded sweet. We can look forward to singing that with the ukelele band. 

Don’t come next week. I won’t come either with Susie books. We sang our Bee Gees mash up then BANNER MAN which was also pretty lively. 

Diva mode next, for LOVE LETTERS STRAIT FROM YOUR HEART. No big RRRRRs are allowed. 

Nuns we were for I WILL FOLLOW HIM. 

We stood to perfom TIL THERE WAS YOU / HERE COMES THE SUN. 

Another fabulously song filled Thursday evening. Well done DFS see you after half term, and thank you for buying my charity books, too xxx

17 October 2024

Poor Ed braved Big Man Flu to join us this evening! Everyone got their hankies out in a floaty salute. We warmed up. 

Hot news - we get to performing again with the Ukulele guys at Wyke Christmas early in December. ROCKING AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE, WAR IS OVER and SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW. 

Then I got lost trying to type the songs out and missed some notices but i am sure we will have updates and reminders. 

Then with Ed at the piano, we listened to him singing the lovely harmony parts and overlapping parts. He guided us through the music, we don’t often follow dots but I feel very clever when we do. 

And so we sang. Slightly under-sung but Ed blamed his claggy ears. Nice. 

Some more nice long notes not for LOVE LETTERS STRAIGHT FROM YOUR HEART. After a run through Ed said we needed to be Elaine Page and add loads of emotion. Channel those inner divas. And go! 

We nailed it. It sounded good, so good, then Ed blew his nose before pushing through BANNER-MAN. Smashed it. 

Ed asked for a B Gees sound …. Ok then. 

Come bras out for Madonna, LIKE A PRAYER. Bottom d. Remember the overlap at the end folks. But we didnt worry too much about that one. 

Time for ATOMIC which we muddled through after being lead astray. 

Beatles mash up next, the first part needed some looking at then we stood to perform’TIL THERE WAS YOU / HERE COMES THE SUN. 

Cool beans DFS and thank you for buying and ordering Susie books, that’s not why I love you x 

10 October 2024

Chatter fills the hall as we all wait to start, and we started our warm ups, to be warmed up before new dates were revealed. 

Our next concert is 11 dec at the UC. 7pm for our formal Christmas concert. Let’s have suggestions for xmassy songs please. 

19th Dec is our huge Xmas party also raising money for Alzheimer’s. Yay. 

Christmas song along 21st December at the Island Garden Nursery. 

Onto singing with LOVE LETTERS STRAIGHT FROM YOUR HEART. T in the tinkle, said Ed, meaning its important to finish of the end of the words. It’s also good if we pay strict attention to the melody too. I’m having to be careful as I remembered it differently! Please practice at home. And don’t tinkle in the T. 

Next, deep breaths for BANNER-MAN! Ed was allowing two breaths per verse. I think we finished a little light headed, and with a few errant notes. Ed treated us to a few trombone impressions because we need to, too. 

The last choruses are different and must be leaned, even tho we are also overlapping, left versus right. As well as notes like trombones we need a super loud BANG like the drum, and to sing quite percussively to drive the song. 

LIKE A PRAYER produced a few groans. Ed sat at the piano. We get to have a free for all at the end, said Ed, when we were at the end. It’s ok considering we were winging it. 

Mash up time with FIRST OF MAY / I STARTED A JOKE yay Bee Gees! We did a good job of that. 

Staying with the mash up ‘TIL THERE WAS YOU / HERE COMES THE SUN and Ed at the piano giving us a few nudges. 

Lastly whipping through out dots to sing I WILL FOLLOW HIM. Phew. 

Super job DFS, you deserve a kebab now, keep smiling xxx 

3 October 2024

Bob wasn’t telling us which charity Dorchester chose to support last night, so we got on with our warm up. Up and Down, so we could get on with nominating this years charity ourselves. 

Lesley wanted to help Alzheimer’s and i nominated People First Dorset. Then Ed started to talk about Christmas, and our concerts will be 11th and 19th. 

Our first song I WILL FOLLOW HIM needs to be sung reverently. But it is very complicated with words, dots layers and singing and blogging at the same time. Ed popped on a backing track and waved his arms about a proper conductor and that made things easier.

We sang BANNER MAN with the sound track and Ed said no body come in early with Glory Glory Glory but some people did. One of them might have been me. There are a few different versions of the chorus. 

A bit of blonde next, as Ed put on ATOMIC and we ran through it. Lesley said it’s rude. Oh well. 

LOVE LETTERS STRAIGHT FROM YOUR HEART filled the hall. We also sang it a capela and discussed yodelling … 

With our choir master at the piano for LIKE A PRAYER and FIRST OF MAY / I STARTED A JOKE.

We stood to sing HERE COMES THE SUN before voting for our preferred charity and skipping out into the chilly night air! 

Well done DFS, that was hard work. Xxx