Zédel joys

Wonderful evening in Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zédel...
Full English Brexit had another outing and an enthusiastic crowd joined in the fun.

A delightful venue for those who do not know, and such a splendour in which to perform - Art Deco all over the show!

We were joined by old friend, Bill Purefoy on the topline...I say old friend, in fact, he was in the group 1992-3... so a wee comeback after just a quarter of a century.  Fabulous to have him back, still huge fun and of course with a beautiful voice... hoorah.
...and also we had Chris Hatt on the piano - having taken a night off from MD-ing Hamilton; lovely to see him again after a while (as he has been a busy busy boy!) & to have him accompany us with such brilliance.

Many old fiends in the audience, which obvs. was lovely; special mention to two people... my old friend Colin Warnock, who came to hear us sing one of his songs (She's Gone - with lyrics by Martin Tyrrell, mostly rewritten as They've Gone); and Lotti Viola, who came all the way from Vienna... now there's dedication!

Belgian Christmas and Full English Brexit begins...

It's been a while... forgive us!

Lots of lovely Belgian joy before Christmas
Tervuren was the first...and it was glorious!
We played tenor 1 tag for these gigs before Christmas - Chris sings in York Minster & was told he really had to attend his two Nine Lessons and Carols services... (he did have to satisfy the 1000s of people who turn up to these); thus we had the opportunity to bring Steve Trowell out of retirement (he left in 2001!)...
So Chris did Tervuren and the next gig... Aalst, Steve joined for Koksijde & Hamont-Achel, then Chris came back out for Oud-Turnhout.
Those guys did a lot of travelling...
For most of these gigs we were joined as ever by our excellent sound and lights man, Koen Dilliën... he makes it all look and sound so splendid... Thank you!
We also had a new pianist for the shows... as Chris Hatt is rather busy London-premiering, Hamilton - very exciting (he says he can get us some tickets in 2021 !).  New piano friend Ben Costello joined us for these gigs... what a good chap he is... watch it Chris H., you may be stuck in the Victoria Palace Theatre for the rest of your life!!

After it was all done - with Ben C...(and lovely Belgian beer)

For those who do not know, we have been joined for the greater part of 2017 by our old friend (and founder of the group!), Richard Bryan... he filled in at short notice (and stayed!) when Sarah-Ann got her awful sickness bug during her pregnancy... all good now (and Olivia exists - hooray!); but that is why we are back to an all-male ensemble... watch this space for future developments - tho' rumours of Richard's pregnancy are really exaggerated.

With Steve T & Richard (& Ben!)

All the Belgian experiences were splendid, we have got rather used to this sweet Christmassy time we have in Belgium each year... even if it was difficult to even see the sea through the mist at the seaside at Koksijde... my wife's presents were, as ever, mostly bought in BE.
Food was good - and indeed Belgian beer... Achel beer was fine and dandy
Here is the church with it's shadow against the low-sitting cloud after our gig in Hamont-Achel (and a 1999-2000 reunion!)

Then Christmas came...and went; and it was time for a quick sojourn at the Pheasntry, Chelsea, for Pizza and singing... for these gigs we were joined by jazz pianist Simon Wallace, as we gave our Full English Brexit a first run-out to the unsuspecting people of Pizza-land.

Everyone was lovely and we had a great time... and people even laughed in the right places, and said that they enjoyed it... whatever next!?

Another pleasure was that some people from Schwerin in N.Germany came over especially to London for a post Christmas trip, so as to catch us at the Pheasantry, and the fireworks on the 31st... how splendid...

So a busy and excellent December was done; as was 2017...
On into 2018 with FULL ENGLISH BREXIT... in Deurne, Boechout, Herent in Belgum this very week... AND not forgetting Nuneaton (Abbey Theatre - 2nd February...7:30PM)

Wemmel (Belgium) delights...

A lovely evening in the suburbs of Brussels...
Wemmel, where we had previously performed in late 2014, invited us once more to de zandloper (the hourglass) & we had a splendid time...

Splendid Eurostar (not at dawn!) and joined by Chris Hatt it was a quick jaunt to the north of Brussels.

The theatre has a new restaurant so we were even more blessed gastronomically than usual.

Wonderful again to have Koen on sound and lights, creating splendid atmospheres for us to dwell within...
Good to get our Beatles medley set on a train another outing after a a couple of years - all, indeed, you need is love!

Dear Belgium, we will keep coming back!

TLQ goes pop

Roll up, roll up...
Here is:  TLQ key #1
Get your TLQ logo'd USB stick.... only £7.50

Go HERE!

Look at this beautiful thing; it is small and perfectly formed - only 4cm long and the size of the USB hole... and has 10 audio tracks (mostly a cappella), and a video... Ventura Highway

Audio:
Rolling in the Deep
Another Day in Paradise
When You Say Nothing at All
Oranges & Lemons (no, this is not pop, except in a 'goes the weasel' sort of way)
Eternal Flame
California Dreamin'
With a Little help from my Friends
Tiger Rag (yes, jazz really...)
Killing me Softly
&
A Kiss from a Rose (this one with Chris Hatt on piano too!)

Produced and edited in his studio by Simon Wallace....

It is a 4GB USB, so could be useful anyway!
How could you resist!?

Happy New Year

Two further nights of cabaret fun at The Pheasantry and 2016 was done!
Good to see, as ever, friends old and new and to bring the year to a close in happy surroundings.
Lovely atmosphere on the King's Road, and a festive feeling all round...

Thank you Alessandro on sound, and all the staff for their excellent work!

So, thank you, readers (!); good to share this blog with you... and here's to a glorious 2017...
...where there will, I promise you, be more blogs!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy Christmas

A Festival of Carols in 2' video - go on, have a look; Last chance to see in apt times!

We had a lovely time in Belgium pre-Christmas... the last three concerts were as good as the first... in Scherpenheuvel, Ternat & Bruges.
All with the splendid lights and sound of Koen Dilliën, our most excellent guide through these four concerts...

Also wonderful to have Chris Hatt on piano, as well as all of his gorgeous family on tour with us.
It was definitely a crescendo towards Christmas, with each concert/venue being better than the last... but all three were great.

Glorious Scherpenheuvel, Terrific Première in Ternat, and the beautiful Stadsschouwberg Bruges to finish... (the city below, and the theatre above!)

As ever in Belgium we were looked after brilliantly by all & enjoyed our food before and after the concerts.

And suddenly we find ourselves post-Christmas, having a jolly time in the cabaret venue, The Pheasantry on the Kings Road, Chelsea.
Still some room for a small one tonight and tomorrow should you wish!
Already had two excellent nights; Chris Hatt still with us; and it is great to exercise the pure cabaret muscle, and leave the serious (but of course beautiful) Christmas pieces behind...

Two more concerts and then let 2017 begin!

A Busy two weeks

Phew...
...the last fortnight has been busy...

We started in late November in the splendid Voice Mania Festival in Vienna, where we performed a 'mitsing' concert as we have previously in Bayreuth...
Hearing a room of Viennese singing Mozart's Ave Verum Corpus with us was especially tremendous in the very home of Classical music!
But they loved everything else too... seemed to know London's Burning round already! - and sang Oh Susanna (Foster) as if they were from Alabama!
Lovely to be back once again, and looking forward to many returns!

We also chased around the city doing some filming... we cannot say much more about that yet... but we will very soon... we also filmed in London the following week... all to be revealed anon!

Then it was a sojourn to Germany.
We started with three nights singing in a beautiful arts centre-cum-restaurant situated in a grand old Post Office - don't think low-ceiling British, think art gallery, in Pirmasens!
Three lovely evenings of good food and Christmas jollity...
The first made all the more glorious by our luggage having been sent to Nuremberg instead of Frankfurt... just a few hundred miles out.
In general we're pretty lucky with luggage going astray and have previously had to borrow clothes when one bag has gone missing... all four of our bags not appearing has only happened once before...
So we did a vast majority of the first night in our own clothes. no-one minded, and many thought this was an elaborate joke!
...and here we are (we looked better for 68% of the time!)!

But the three nights there were a delight, it was good to be still for a while!  We were treated very well and shared lots of lovely food!

Sonja - who runs the place - and Tobi the technician were terrific (& he even helped our doing a wee bit more filming - splendid chap!)

We had a little drive to Hameln (where the rats fled from) - just the five hours - for a 6PM concert in the theatre there... our third visit & a lovely place with excellent technicians with imagination and skill.
And we were joined by Chris Hatt at the piano - hotfoot from helping to prepare a new production of musical Chaplin in Belgium... very pleased he could fit us in to his schedule.
We had a delightful evening singing many of the tracks from the new CD - A Song for Christmas in case you missed it! - for the very first time live...
...and here's a review (in German, but all should get the gist!)

We finished early enough to have a wonderful meal in our hotel, just a few hundred metres from the theatre (always a joy)

And then whilst fine dining is in the mind, we had the delight of performing in the Church in the grounds of the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons in Great Milton, OXON.... they run a few evenings before Christmas coupled with music and readings...
We were paired last night with the hilarious John Sergeant, who read some terrific pieces... from Sue Townsend's Adrian Mole and Richmal Crompton's Just William; to a letter home from WWI and the Grosmiths' Diary of a Nobody... delightful to meet him again, we met last year at the Royal Albert Hall Bloodwise gala.
The night before us, my old school choir were performing, Trinity Boys Choir, and it was lovely to get a cheery message from the Director of Music as we arrived (via the organisers!)

We sang even more music from our new album and the atmosphere in the church was Festivity itself... we were joined by the excellent Paul Plummer - great he had time to come down from Glasgow and share the evening with us; always a delight to work with.
Having heard music from Germany, Belgium, Britain and France, & the title song of our CD - A Song for Christmas AND had three singalong carols, the people left the church with Let It Snow! on their mind... even tho' it had indeed been sunny and pretty warm all day!

Merry Christmas one and all...

Champs Hill Christmas CD Recording

Marvellous few days recording our new Christmas CD at the exquisite Champs Hill in Sussex.... (The record label already has our Songs of Love & War).

Two days down & one to go (19 pieces done & 8 left!) - you will get a list soon!

Here we are having lunch in the gardens ... well, here is Sarah-Ann & Chris x 2 (both Hatt & O'Gorman varieties!)

Our old friend Andrew Mellor is in charge of making everything sound splendid (he has been involved in three projects with us before); wonderful to have the brilliant Chris Hatt play the piano (he is already on our Songs of Cricket CD) & we also have had Paul Plummer coming down and further honing everything to splendid proportions (with his excellent ears)!

What joys - as ever, we are endebted to David and Mary & all the Champs Hill team...

Hoorah for it all...

More news (& even sounds!) when we have it ...

Going Dutch in Groningen

A triumphant return to The Netherlands in the north... at Groningen...
We were making our sixth visit to de Oosterpoort - a wonderful arts complex... and indeed it was great to see our old friends Irene & Remke there too!

We gave a performance of Showtime - with the splendid Chris Hatt at the piano, taking a night off from Billy Elliot in the West End.

From the start - having been encouraged to join in our Money, money, money dance! - the audience were with us, and being wonderfully enthusiastic and fun.

Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, Kiss from a Rose, Guys & Dolls, Happy, Route 66, He's a Tramp, Over the Rainbow, & Skyfall all flashed by & we finished off with the Comedian Harmonists' tongue-twisty, Wenn ich vergnügt bin muss ich singen, as Groningen has a German-speaking part...

A delight to be in Holland again... we are in Veghel on March 10th next month (this time singing a different show, Harmony & Humour) - click away to find out more!

But first we are in Oxfordshire for a private function, and back in Barcelona & Palma de Mallorca; and afterwards more Belgium and some Turkey.... all details on our site!
What larks!

Brilliant Belgium Noel

BRIIANT BEGIUM

(geddit??)

Two splendid concerts in Belgium, two different programmes too!
Both accompanied by the incomparable Chris Hatt... (who also brought his adorable family over for the trip!)

Showtime at Overijse
&
Christmas at Oud-Turnhout

Here we all are, after both were done (photo taken by Sian Hatt!)

So it was songs from the shows and film firstly; Skyfall, Kiss from a Rose, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, He's a Tramp, Laurel & Hardy, Guys & Dolls medley, Over the Rainbow & Happy... to name but a few!
Wonderful it was to do a full programme of theatre/film music.
There are more Showtime performances in the Spring in Holland and Belgium... have a look at our schedule!

As this concert was at 2PM, we had plenty of free time to get to the next place... & stayed at Turnhout (Christmas concert in a church in the Oud bit!)...
I did a great deal of Christmas shopping there!

AND, they had a real ass in the Nativity at the town square... tho' it looks blurred below:

But the concert was a pure delight - Christmas concerts so often are - but the church acoustics, and the clearly-joyful crowd made it all feel very special indeed...
We went of course from the sublime (Wexford Carol) to the ridiculous (See Amid... accompanied by attention-seeking pianist:- very funny!); from Elizabethan England to California via The Comedian Harmonists!
...and the packed church also was full of percussionists, as the Sleigh Bell (Keys) players were all terrific... and did excellent horse impressions in Sleigh Ride!
Chris Hatt's young family were terrifically amused to see Daddy wearing the Turkey carcass hat.... he does look quite spiffing thus!

It was great to see our Dutch friends Gertie & 'Riet too - a bonus!

Thank you, as ever, Thomas (& his sister) and Eurotheater for all your hard work...   

Here's a quick photo of the excellently-lit church just by our hotel... this angle just felt right somehow!

an evening of Champs Hill cheer

Joyful evening in aid of the excellent Sussex Snowdrop Trust at Champs Hill...

This being the home of, verily, Champs Hill Records... we were in the very room where we recorded Songs of Love and War...
So this room which is attached to David and Mary Bowerman's lovely home is a recording studio, a concert hall and indeed an art gallery!
Here we are rehearsing... (amidst the art):-

You probably cannot recognise Chris Hatt at the piano, as he has lost loads of weight (not that this was a desperate need), and now looks like a teenager again!

His very svelteness puts us to shame (well, speaking on behalf of the male department of the group... well, perhaps, just myself!)

The audience were warm and splendid from the very start; Diana Levantine, Chairman & co-founder of the charity made sure that everyone was sure that this was to be a happy evening.... and so it was!

We performed some Christmas, some of our film/musical show, some classical music and a fair sprinkling of silliness...

Good to sing the Pavane - Belle qui tiens ma vie captive dans tes yeux by Thoinot Arbeau in the same place we recorded it for the album...

We are singing Infant Holy, Infant Lowly this Christmas as a tribute to the wonderful talents of Sir David Willcocks, who died recently after such a glittering career. Its simple beauty has such a great effect.

Excellent to once again have Chris Hatt around, so we could do some great piano numbers... Skyfall, Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, Laurel and Hardy (Way Out West songs and dance), He's a Tramp and White Christmas (the full Bing, courtesy of Mike - other browsers are available)... 

Also we gave our Sleigh Ride, with the crowd supplying both jingle bells (using car keys for the most part) and the horses' neighs!

The audience appeared mesmerised by the end of the evening... and Chris Hatt's tour-de-force accompaniment to See Amid the Winter's Snow (arranged gloriously by Jonathan Rathbone) was a great part of that!

Lovely to meet/see everyone afterwards... including Chris (O'Gorman this time)'s parents.

Thank you to Diana, David and Mary for making this whole experience such fun!

....and royally entertaining us too!

The guy below is in the garden... he commemorates the huge storm of 1987 !

Marvellous also to see this great George Rowlett painting with such thick daubing of the Thames at Greenwich...

Next stop, the Royal Albert Hall, for a gala evening - Christmas with the Stars - in aid of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research.

Christmas in Deurne & with the stars...

Very lovely evening in a large church in Deurne, Belgium (near Antwerp).... Christmas concert with the splendid Chris Hatt on piano....

Lovely atmosphere... even including the singing of three Belgian carols with the audience... great to have Steve to lead this!  They made a large noise... perhaps not least so that they could keep warm... the heating was on all the time, but it is clearly a hell of a size place to keep temperate!

We ended with the Jonathan Rathbone-arranged and excellent See Amid the Winter's Snow for crazy pianist and singers... Chris was mad enough!... as he took over the carol to play Bach, Bethoven, Grieg, Gershwin underneath... a triumph!

Now it is on to the Royal Albert Hall to sing Can You Feel the Love Tonight? with brass band led by Frank Renton, as well as 12 days and Festival of Carols in 2 Minutes for a tremendous evening in aid of  Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research entitled... Christmas with the Stars.

Hope Betelgeuse is there...

Richarddämmerung - last of DE

So Richard's last three German concerts have happened...
Wangen im Allgäu, Rockenhausen & Itzehoe...

Great to be in Wangen once more (our 6th visit)... as ever a great reception and a beautiful area of Germany to spend some time... A Richard-farewell concert - with presents!

This is what a foyer of a bank can look like when it has a concert at Christmas... Sparkasse at Rockenhausen... a very delightful experience, & our first totally seasonal outing of the year..(well. apart from our Orthodox Belorussian Christmas in January!)... lots more to come.

Then it was to Itzehoe for another Richard-farewell - the final DE fling!

Lovely people again amidst excellent Christmas delights of shopping till midnight!

...and an audience member very kindly put some chocolate bears on our chairs (I am a poet, and I don't know it)... as it was St Nikolaus yesterday... We even received a St Nikolaus (in chocolate, natch) from the organisers... yum!

Now it is on to Belgium for our Belgian Christmas extravaganza (with a bit of Italy and the Netherlands too)... Deurne this evening where we are very pleased to be joined by pianist-extraorinaire, Chris Hatt...

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...

Bridewell #3 & #4 and a lovely party

Two more performances at the bijou Bridewell Theatre on Friday and Saturday afternoon were splendid fun!
...forgot to mention on the last blog the tremendous contribution of the squeaky floorboard (sited between Mike & I on stage) which filled many pieces - both serious and comedy! - with a frisson of excitement.
Enthusiastic responses from the people to squeaks and music alike.
Long may our relationship with the St. Bride Foundation continue...

Then a quick jaunt up to Warwick Avenue for a private party at Clifton Nurseries - a fine venue & now available for Weddings!
Joined by wonderful pianist Chris Hatt, we celebrated Penny Levinson's birthday with her friends and family in fine style... singing many of her favourite songs... Let's Do It, Night & Day, The Way You Look Tonight, Mad Dogs & Englishmen, Tea for Two, As Time Goes By, A Fine Romance, & Honeysuckle Rose... as well as renditions of Cricket Tea Towel, Strangers in the Night and (altogether now) The Lambeth Walk...
Delightful to be invited to her celebrations...

A busy and enjoyable day...

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...

Funny Side... in Solihull

Another funny night in England... this time in Solihull Arts Complex & with Chris Hatt on the piano...
Middle England needed laughs & we provided them...

Very appreciative audience in a splendid venue... with excellent and tremendously helpful backstage staff - thank you everyone...

They were especially amused by Jake Thackray's nun Sister Josephine... well, let's face it:- habemus Papam just half-an-hour before curtain up...

More splendid Belgium

Two more lovely evenings in Belgium.
Firstly in a glorious church in Aartselaar - St Leonards (no, it was not by the sea) - with an enormously-packed churchful of people... who, as you might imagine, joined in the three carols (in Dutch) which we sang together with great gusto... They were ready for anything we gave them, and quite unfazed by Elvis' appearance from the vestry... and bought songbooks and CDs like there was no tomorrow; not that i am accusing such sensible people of believing the Mayan Apocalypse nonsense!

Then it was back to Herk-de-Stad, where we performed last Christmas too, this time doing our Best of British programme... and Chris Hatt turned up too for an end-of-term romp!  Chris was on great form, despite the looming alarm call at 5am to get him back to his family at Christmas...
Talking of families, Steve and Martene brought Chloé along, and she was fantastically well behaved in the concert... one squawk during our Ins and Outs of Cricket, and one very well-timed one as part of the Oy fest that is The Lambeth Walk... impeccable.
She is rather gorgeous...

Tonight we are in what we have been told is the oldest city in Belgium, Tongeren (as Julius Caesar would have known the place - well it is just a short hop from the English beaches he visited where we gave him an aggressive-ish welcome!)  J Caesar also said that the Belgae were the toughest of the lot (Steve tells me!)

Servo vestri pecker ascendit

Royal Albert Hall

Wonderful evening in the Royal Albert Hall, in the Elgar Room.
A packed room (we could only just get to the stage!) of people from all over - quite a high percentage of Scandanavians! - enjoyed a great Christmas atmosphere.
The ever-excellent Chris Hatt joined us at the piano for all sorts of Seasonal, funny & nostalgic items.

Winter Wonderland, Festival of Carols in 2 minutes & Chestnuts Roasting...
Oranges and lemons (as from our new Songbook - the Great British a cappella one)
...and naturally the Hee Bee Gee Bees!
Mike did his Bing thing too on White Christmas too...
...and Strangers in the Night, with a huge photo of Ol' Blue Eyes looking on...

Lovely room & terrific happy people...

Hope we'll be back!

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...