Earlier this year, our choir got invited to sing (again) with The London Community Gospel Choir, you know, the choir led by the Reverend Bazil Meade that are on the original Tender by Blur and have also worked with Justin Timberlake, Madonna, Gorillaz, and Kylie Minogue. Amazing, yes? What an opportunity. Big crowd too as we would see.
Anyway, there was a powercut during soundcheck, so we didn’t get as much of a chance to run through our supporting set before the show as we’d hoped. No matter. It would be fun, we’d have to wing it, and the crowd were there for the LCGC not us. We also had to run through the two songs we’d be singing with the choir itself during their set – a gospel classic and a Meade original.
The members of the choir, all very friendly, pulled us into their fold, told us to huddle among the numerous stage mics, to not be shy, to sing out loud, sing out proud, sing out strong. One of the soloists, a guy who towered over me by at least a foot and a half, nudge me forward during the soundcheck, basically pushed the mic into my face, “This is you, go for it!” So, I did…like I do…
Well, all rolled off stage, and headed to the “green room” as it was, realised it was all too hot and sweaty in there and wended our way on to the lawned area behind the venue. It was not quite the 2022 heatwave at this point, but that was fast approaching. It was well above 30 degrees on stage when we ran our support set…which went down well. We do an ironic mashup of Blur’s Tender with the Oasis song Champagne Supernova, arranged by our pianist, the inimitable Tim Lihoreau. Meade but on a good show of being impressed, even if it was his song and the Blue-Oasis tension may well have passed him by at the time anyway.
So far, so good. Always enjoy applause and plaudits even if there was one negative comment about the red flower in my black felt hat for the Harry Styles number we did.
Okay, so proper showtime…we’re in the audience at this point, enjoying the LCGC show proper. We’ll get a nod to head backstage towards the end to join them for Oh, Happy Day and then the Meade song as finale. Fun AND games.
We shuffle on, trying to look impressive, but paling into insignificance among the mighty LCGC. I take my place, but Mr Tall Guy isn’t giving any leeway on that mic, it’s up to his head height and I’m down below. Ah, well. It’s his show, just meant I had to sing louder, which I did. I’m not in a choir called bigMouth for nothing, after all.