Fantastic Belgian times...

Excellent three concerts in Belgium at the end of last week... following our CARA award nomination for Best Classical Album last week!

Firstly Hold That Tiger! at Opwijk, where we were last at Christmas 2011.
Lots of vocal groups were paid tribute to, and a great time was had by all...
Splendid singing form the crowd in The Lion Sleeps Tonight.

Excellent view from my hotel window (tho' I did have to lean out a bit!)

More great Lion singing the next morning at St Bavo school in Gent (or Ghent, if you like).... a huge crowd sang along in both that and the flag-waving land of Hope & Glory, as we gave them a shortened version of Best of British (well, they did have to go to some lessons as well that day).
The most enthusiastic joiners-in we have ever had, but there were 500-ish of them and they are full of youthful energy!
Steve marshalled the Flemish speaking with aplomb, of course.

Then it was off to Geel for a full Best of British show... and glorious it was.

.... indeed, another beautiful Belgian city:

For both the B.O.B. shows we were joined by pianist Paul Plummer - lovely to see him again, and great he was free for us amidst his travelling musician life!

Three wonderful concerts with Sarah-Ann... great times are ahead!

Hameln & Haus der Springmaus

It wasn't so Grimm in Hameln ! (geddit??!!)

No Pied Pipers whisked anyone off whilst we did a Best of British in Hameln...
We had lunch here which was nice... splendid old town in the midst of a circular road... very picturesque...

 

...and the flag-waving was great.  Good participation all round.

 

Excellent to meet Dorothee once more at the theatre... great staff and venue.

Then on to Bonn...
For this tour we are with our old friend Paul Plummer on piano... he has been with us most often in our 11 trips to Haus der Springmaus.

Terrific to have Paul there as it was a 'farewell Richard' concert... (he is already clanking with bottles and can't walk for the weight of chocolate and gifts! - but don't stop, will you?)
Wonderful to see Andrea Heister who runs Haus der Springmaus, as ever, and old friend Ingeborg in the audience...
We repeated our Born 2 Rule Over You Horrible Histories song, as we sang as part of the 300th anniversary of the Hannoverian throne of Great Britain... and it went down very well!

Excellent willing and appreciative audiences in both venues... as we have come to expect in Germany

We are very lucky to have another friend Birgit to help sell our CDs (in fact to do it completely!) - she's very good at getting shot of Cricket Tea Towels... we have none left (17 gone in two days!)... She is with us for most of this tour - a delight - and such a great help too...

On to Nienburg & Bremerhaven next...

Beautiful Autumnal Germany and very odd toilets

A game of two halves on this first of a few tours of Europe between now and Christmas...
...firstly we have two concerts in Germany and then one in Switzerland, but back to Germany again after that...

Starting in the autumnal splendour of Illingen Saar & Bad Waldsee....
We performed two Best of British shows with Chris Hatt on the piano.
Terrific.
Here is the back of the theatre in the latter.... nice, eh?
Last time we were here (in 2000) we were in a performing tent and they were planning the venue we played tonight... It was great to see it having come to fruition...

Both sets of audiences loved waving their union flags and lustily singing Land of Hope and Glory, Rain stops cricket at Lord's, Red buses and Shakespeare, John, Paul, Ringo & George.... (Better than their efforts at The Lambeth Walk!)

The venue is indeed excellent, but these loos are very rarely used by two people we suggest... well, not unless they are both standing presumably... (Nice posing, Mike... we felt mime rather than realism best here.)

Now Chris Hatt has ridden off to be maestro at the Billy Elliot building site & it's on to Elgg in Switzerland, then Immenstaad on the Bodensee for a cappella us ... for some Madrigal to McCartney shows...

Onwards and eastwards...

Philippsburg & Frankfurt-Höchst DE + TV & Radio

Two more German joys...

First the Jugendstil splendour of Philippsburg...

 

...beautiful hall from the outside and a fantastic place in which to sing... a final Best of British performance for the moment, and the last of four gigs with Gareth Hunt - excellent to have him around for these few days...

Then a second return visit to Höchst (very near to Frankfurt), for a Madrigal to McCartney show.

Both audiences were warm and delightful and fully ready to partake in our shows, and great technicians too!
Sales of Songs of Love and War were very fine - we have started spreading our new CD around Europe!

Apologies if anyone tries to watch us on BBC4 tonight - the programme was moved to Mondays and thus the first wee bit was on near the end of last night's viewing of Rule Britannia on BBC4 at 9PM... the next two episodes are on the 15th and the 22nd - at a similar time (we have a small bit in each it seems!)

Also:       BBC Radio 3 - In Tune - 4.30-6: Friday 25th April
                BBC Radio London - Gaby Roslin show - 2.30 - 5: Sunday 27th April

Then on to Crazy Coqs 30th, 31st April and 1st May - 8pm

Minden and Wunsiedel, DE

Two more concerts.... just much of the length of England apart!
Much Union Flag-waving in both north and south Germany... (from Minden in North Rhine-Westphalia to Wunsiedel in Bavaria!)

Quite a long drive by British standards, but the autobahn worked its magic & all felt fine.

Minden an especially beautiful theatre, built in the v.early 20th-century (here it is):

 

 

Staff as marvellous as the theatre is lovely!

...and after that long drive, delightful to back in the arms of Wunsiedel, and with our old friend Christian on the sound desk... excellent.
Very well looked after as always... Gareth especially taken with the huge dark beer on offer at the bar last night (tho' not overly so, of course).

More Best of British in Philippsburg tonight, then it is a farewell to pianist Gareth Hunt as we head to Hoechst for a Madrigal to McCartney on Monday...

Wilhelmshaven, home and back to DE

Wilhelmshaven the other night was a super evening...
...had a wee look around the docks and water.... very black-coloured it was... not sure if this is a soil thing... or indeed oil! ( I assume in Germany of all places, it is not pollution...)

We sang again, as last year, in the Christus- und Garnisonkirche - beautiful to sing in, but we delivered the full Best of British show ... and the audience were a delight... full to the brim - Hooray!

Came home to the ignominy of our cricket side losing to The Netherlands in the world T20 tournament... oh dear oh dear... not a surprise perhaps after our winter that we cannot beat part-timers... The Netherlands clearly can play, but our guys do this for a living!
Pah!

Now back in Germany, we are joined by pianist Gareth Hunt, who like me had much of his early musical upbringing in Croydon; lots of mutual friends and memories to discuss.  Greta to have him with us for the next few days...

Last night we started in Winsen / Luhe - bijou place in which to perform, and lovely atmosphere...
...fine flag-waving and singing of Land of Hope & Glory at the end from everyone!

Four more to come:
Minden, Wunsiedel, Philippsburg & Frankfurt-Hoechst... (this last one a Madrigal to McCartney gig)
Best of British all the rest of the time!

Ankara, TK & Kisdorf, DE

A lovely trip to Ankara, invited by Firat Dadaş & Euphrates Artists...

As we always find in Turkey, we were looked after splendidly and had wonderful food at every turn... Ece gave us a splendid tour of ancient Ancyra & helped us with our Turkish words.

The audience for the concert were very receptive and excellent.  Cheering our Turkish introductions to the rafters; they must have understood them; they seemed especially delighted when berated at their attempts to join in The Lambeth Walk - marvellous!

Great to see another old Turkish friend Ilker Ersil at the concert  too...

Then on to Germany; Kisdorf in particular [Schleswig-Holstein in the north, as you ask...]; another excellent welcome, and lots of laughter rang around the room as we gave our Best of British show

A return to Wilhelmshaven (but with B.o.B.) next... (Sunday)

Neumünster & Itzehoe

Quite north now in DE... but we have been saved very low temperatures...
Final two German dates until after Xmas...

A new place - Neumünster aptly - & Itzehoe which saw our Best of British show last year...
The Stadhalle and the Theater respectively.... both full of enthusiasm...and people!
Delighted to have some old friends of my wife's family in the audience at the first of these - they live nearby in Kiel.

In all our DE tour, there has been tremendous rattling of keys when asked for - to accompany us in Sleigh Ride - the composer, Leroy Anderson would be most pleased... at the weekend we will be performing the same piece (and much other Christmas joy) with the Chicoutimi Symphony Orchestra, in Québec province, Canada...
Can't wait - altho' North America is a mite parky at the moment... I'll take all my clothes and wear them one of top of the other... that'll do the trick.  -9°, -14°... pah!

Home for 28.5 hours from tomorrow lunchtime... time to get a Christmas tree, I think...

Busy BEes

A busy four days in Belgium, started with an evening in Scherpenheuvel-Bever at Den Egger... singing Best of British - Madrigal to McCartney - great night for all... & an excellent reaction form the public... who tell us on facebook that they want us to return...(just ask...!?) 

Then on to Strombeek for Best of British... And Now for Something Completely Different at the CC Strombeek Grimbergen - terrific chock-a-block audience loved it all, and we were joined for this show, as so often by the excellent Chris Hatt, who was ever-dependent on piano... He's gone to Amsterdam today to audition children for his day job... Musical director of Billy Elliot (in Holland from 2015)...
New mask for end of show... Kate Middleton appeared carrying a baby (well done, Steve) and Chris became Mr Bean...playing Chariots of Fire - what larks!
Lovely theatre and staff - just as we have come to expect in Belgium...

Up very early this morning (5.30) for an appearance on En Nu Serieus on VRT Radio 2.  We had asked whether there was the possibility of an iron, as there was an audience for the show... at first they suggested not, but then they found a local company (this show wanders the country & is in a different place each week - Harelbeke today!) who would (on radio) show off their pressing prowess... so our costumes were ironed live on air... it was quite odd standing in our underwear on the stage while we waited (I jest)... Despite the hour Penny Lane came out in a recognisable fashion!
Steve was then interviewed about chip shops... he tried to talk about our concerts!
We were back in our hotel rooms by ten to catch up on sleep...

...Before tonight's Best of British - Madrigal to McCartney at Ninove... with Tylaine Van den Broeck on piano...

Another dawn raid tomorrow, as we sing two songs (with Tylaine) & have an interview on De Zevende Dag (Andrew Marr / Sunday politics-type show)... In studio by 8am!
Hooray...
I am very aware we are doing some TV as I have a wonderful boil/spot on my nose... medley from Cyrano de Bergerac anyone? (this always happens - TV make-up will disguise!)

Then back to UK via Eurostar (marvellous) for a show at Chelsea Arts Club...

Best of British:- from Balmoral to Bonheiden, BE

Our second shownight on the Balmoral (British night) went very well; the crowd suitably up for flag-waving and singalong classics.... and so it continues here in Belgium!
Two nights of Best of British in Bonheiden at the GC 't Blikveld - marvellous... another wonderful theatre in Belgium, great staff, great technicians, great food to eat... & a splendid full audience.

First night has gone off swimmingly - perhaps that adverb is too apropos as yesterday's fantastic midsummer weather has turned to drizzle and rain...

We are staying down the road at Mechelen, at Het Anker Brewery (there are bedrooms too)! I do hope other bookers are reading this & realise what a top idea it is for all our future dates... This place produces the best dark beer in the world... I think I shall have to taste quite a bit of it, just to make sure...

PS: It was good to leave the Balmoral to come home at Gibraltar on St George's Day in the glorious sunshine (with wind!)

B.o.B. at Heusden-Zolder, BE

Another Best of British show in Belgium... more splendid flag-waving (Union Flag that is!) from a European audience... Excellent afternoon show in Heudsen-Zolder in the snow! (Not enough of the white stuff to delay anybody, delightfully).
Joined once more by the glorious Chris Hatt (hotfoot from a week with his family in the sun), it was a very fine B.o.B.... and all had a great time.
...and we even got home that evening despite all the hire car's efforts at windscreen-wiper-failure... Mike was heroic!
Our great friend Gertie had brought a great coach load of schoolchildren from Holland too, which made it even more special:- how lovely!

Now a rash of UK dates with our On the Funny Side of the Street show to look forward to:

Thurs. 28th Feb - Wimborne, Tivoli
Sat. 2nd March - Lytham St Annes, Lowther Pavilion
Mon. 4th March - Clacton, Princes Theatre
Weds. 13th March - Solihull (Arts Complex)
Weds. 10th April - Shrewsbury, Theatre Severn
Sat. 13th April - Radlett (Centre)

B.o.B. DE tour #2

Next two stops on the B.o.B. tour... Tuttlingen & Wangen, marvellous times...
Once again joined by pianist extraordinaire, Paul Plummer...
Lots of old friends (some from Switzerland - which is just up the road!) and new, at two places we have visited on many occasions over the last few years.
In Wangen we had the great pleasure of singing in the very old (14th Century, I think) Weberzunfthaus - wonderful; and full of people it was... great to catch up with all after the concert in the splendid café.

Coming up tomorrow - at last the early music show in Fürstenfeldbruck, near Munich...
O Sing Joyfully (1450-1650) - a celebration of English, Franco-Flemish & Italian Renaissance music.
Cantabile & other animals: Byrd, Gibbons, Bat(ten) *

* this joke has run out of steam, please stop, Ed.

B.o.B. tour #1

First two dates of the B.o.B. * tour are done!
Siegen & Blieskastel... We have been to both before (Blieskastel only last year); good to meet old friends & talking of which, we are being accompanied by another old friend, Paul Plummer...

Splendid audiences, and as ever, a very knowledgeable German crowd who know and love their vocal music... and are delighted to join in with our Land of Hope and Glory at the end... including waving their Union Flags (as printed on the back of our programmes):- wonderful scenes!

Two more dates to go, and then an a cappella early music concert at the weekend...

* B.o.B. = Best of British (our programme for Germany and Belgium).

Brugge (anag...NOT!)

Two contrasting, tho' both excellent, experiences in the Netherlands and Belgium...
On the Dutch reclaimed coast to the west of Rotterdam, we had a splendid a cappella time at the Theater Twee Hondjes (Two Puppies' Theatre!)... singing Madrigal to McCartney - Back in Holland!
...and great it was to be back in a Dutch theatre.
There was a wonderful moment in this show, when Bob accidently stood on a prop - he was not affected by this, except that it was a car horn; the timing of which was quite excellent, & thus we others did all find it rather funny... we managed to sing the next song, I am delighted to say!

Then, after a day off in Rotterdam & Bruges (how lovely!), joined by Chris Hatt we performed a Best of British show at the Stadsschouwberg Brugge... Chris once again brought his whole family, wife, kids and parents too.... fantastic...
...and to a packed house once more, complete with an after-show dance for the audience (it's becoming a bit of a habit!) - wonderful theatre... as you can see; and we had a forest of union flags waving away at our Land of Hope and Glory (spoof) at the end of the show...

PS: Theatre in Bruges is in Vlamingstraat... so I felt at home!!

Belgian tour

A fine four days in Belgium... before the deluge at home...

de kam, Wezembeek-Oppem

de Maere in Tielt-Winge

cc palethe, Overpelt

de Markten, Brussels

Gigs one and three were opening nights of the theatres' new seasons.
Gigs two and three were 'Best of British' & we were joined by the wonderful, Chris Hatt...

Wonderful places, and as ever in Belgium, excellent cuisine on most occasions, friendliness & happy audiences.  The Brussels gig turned into a dance after we had performed (no-one was silly enough to ask us!)

Back at the end of the week in Hellevoetsluis in Holland on Friday for an a cappella concert & Belgium once more (Bruges) on Sunday afternoon for another Best of British...

Belgian weekend

Stayed in a hotel for two nights opposite a rather grand building in Leuven.... subsequently found that this was the prison...
Luckily got no closer...

As the lovely Eurostar people are striking today, we had driven over via the Chunnel...
Two life-enhancing evenings in (slightly parky) Belgium... in two more picaresque Belgian towns... of which we realise, there is a neverending supply...

Firstly we provided the final event of an a cappella day in Ternat... lots of groups performed before we did, in various venues... sadly we missed them, as we were sound-checking/travelling... but then we provided the closing concert at 10pm... great atmosphere; lots of singers, and a cappella lovers in evidence... wonderful.

Then in Tienen today [well, yesterday] joined by Paul Plummer at the piano; we had a masterclass with three groups of singers at the local music academy... and then they joined us on stage tonight, during our Best of British show... wonderful... they each sang a song of their own [also accompanied by Paul]... Remember Me, Oh Happy Day & Rutter's  All things Bright & Beautiful; as well as joining three of us in accompanying Steve's solo in The LUMBERJACK SONG... totally fantastic.... along with mountie hats and red and black costumes... a splendid thing in a lovely evening... Those young people may never be  the same again!

Great to have the entire of the Weerts clan from The Netherlands at the gig... terrific to see them all together... and now, all as tall as each other!

Three Westmalle trappist beers (dark) - and some takeaway food -  have helped the evening to a gentle close...

What a fine Blog!

Apologies for showing off... but when someone is this kind...

Nice blog here

Thanks, Fearn

Itzehoe, DE

Yes, we managed to get to Itzehoe (nr. Hamburg), and once more B.o.B. triumphed!
Beautiful theatre - especially on the inside... great lighting & sound.

Flag-waving as keen as ever.... We think this show is motoring now; we must do it some more!

We got back to the airport [Paul Plummer went off early for his train... he has an audition in Germany somewhere! Good luck!]... and now we are home.
Next it is the Belgian incarnation of B.o.B.... once more with PP.

Mannheim

Hang on, what country are we in?
Ah yes.... it's Germany.
Great evening at The Capitol, Mannheim... we have another three-date B.o.B. {Best of British} tour... Rottweil & Itzehoe after tonight...
Everyone dutifully waved their Union Flags and sang along to our Land of Hope and Glory [only with parodic words by the great Anglo-German powerhouse partnership, Julian and Maggie Forsyth].
I haven't mentioned yet that on this blog that we owe a lot with this B.o.B. show to the Forsyths, who created most of the verbiage between the songs and wrote the new parodies... a brilliant team - we worked with them in Spoliansky's Send for Mr Plim at Battersea Arts Centre a few years ago (wonderful show)... they have helped us create a show which sends us up as a nation, but also asks questions of the Germans too... mainly... Why do you think we are like this... and are we truly so - and you like all this pomp and circumstance stuff, don't you? ...and other such rhetoric.  Lovely stuff... dead clever (and going down well with people)...
Thanks, Julian and Maggie!

We tried out the theme tune to Morse tonight... no-one had heard of it... hmmm... we'll try a bit more before chucking it...

We are accompanied by our old friend, Paul Plummer for this tour, and for next weekend too... great to see him.
Oh, and  late-night kebabs were had...

Best of British (German) reviews

Bad Kreuznach  newspaper review

Bad Kreuznach radio review too - (scroll down a bit and you'll find it!)

B.o.B. flourishes...