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!

DE & BE & DE again....

More adventures in Germany and Belgium...

The last of our first round of Stimmflut 2017 gigs was at Wolfsburg; having stayed off for ages it was raining there, so we got a rather bleak view of the Zaha Hadid Phaeno building... but we did see it!
The last of our first five of these was as splendid as the others... and in a theatre which we will re-visit on 20th May - so do come along and see us on our own!
But as ever, we did love our shared gigs with Viva Voce and Acoustic Instinct...
Here we are celebrating after the show (Paul from AI seems to have become a giant! Jörg from VV looks on...)

We have four more in our second round of Stimmflut gigs starting this Thursday... in Emden, Lingen/Ems (twice) & Neunkirchen... bit more driving on this tour! 

So on to Belgium after Wolfsburg, we had two concerts in Lommel (1st time) and Heusden-Zolder (for the 3rd time).

Both theatres run very efficiently & well and we were treated splendidly (food, as ever, a glory)... and we had Koen Dilliën being splendid on lights and sound... brilliant to have him with us again.

...and the wonderful Chris Hatt playing piano with us - what splendours... especially riotous Route 66 solos each night!

Both audiences were responsive and enjoyed our music, both serious and comedic.

Great to see our lovely Dutch friends Gertie, Gabby and Jolein on Sunday afternoon, and share a meal with them after, whilst listening to some splendid Belgian jazz...

...nice!

In H-Z, it was good to see our poster given prominence in the gents loo... not sure if it was in ladies as well...

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!