The AK47 go tunneling

During the Easter weekend, about half the AK47 plus assorted curious supporters congregated at the Daneway Inn and headed off for the nearby western end of the Sapperton Tunnel. About 20ft into the tunnel and in about 9 inches of water, we carried out our first subterranean acoustic experiments. With considerable enthusiasm making up for occasional lyric and melodic inexactitude, the AK47 delivered performances that can be heard via links on the "Previous Triumphs" page.

If anyone has any other ideas for unusual places to sing, acoustically or otherwise, do less us know in the comments section below.

Two Beers for Spooky Do 2

In honour of our esteemed inspiration The Spooky Men's Chorale visiting our everso 'umble village we will be planning a few "Special Guests", including two special guest beers for consumption over the couple of nights that they are staying with us, see posting Spooky Do 2.

By great good fortune Neil happens to be mates with the Assistant Brewer at Stroud Brewery and Lars has been supplying them with the engineering works to support their 400% expansion of capacity to keep up with demand for their fine ales.

After the recent "Tunnelling Experience" Neil was fortunate to have the opportunity to visit the brewery to sample their wares and we will be placing an order for a very special "Spooky Brew" and "Magnificent Ale".

Plans are in progress to organize another visit with as many others that can make it along just to check on progress with the brews, and re-checking and just one more check to make sure! Details soon.

Cirencester Community Choir

In case this might be of interest to anyone

Cirencester Community Choir
Led by InVoice from Swindon Scratch Choir

Ashcroft Church Hall, Cirencester
Ashcroft Road GL7 1RA

19TH 26TH MAY & 2ND 23RD 30TH JUNE 7TH JULY

7.30 – 9.30pm

Pop, folk, gospel, world songs and more!

£8 per session to include refreshments and song sheets

A relaxed, friendly approach focused on singing for pleasure - no experience needed, no auditions and ability to read music not necessary.

No need to book

For more information contact Vicky Sweeney on 07593833943 or visit

www.swindonscratchchoir.co.uk

Wold Tour - Corsham Festival Gig is on -MONDAY 20TH June

We appear to be quorate for the Corsham Festival gig that Chris is organizing and given that we don't perform until 8:20pm or thereabouts it should mean that one or two others who were a little doubtful can make it.

Details are as follows

Location is St Bartholomew's Church which is very close to the Town Hall (for those who came last year).

Here's the Google Maps page - last year we parked just to the right of the map marker.

You'll notice The Flemish Weaver is marked - that's the pub, next to the Town Hall where we adjourned for a cleansing ale after our performance (and may well do so again).

The concert starts at 8.00pm but Chris will be kicking off with The Croutons (a 3 piece vocal group) so we will need to be ready to go on by 8.20pm.

You don't need tickets as performers. Tickets are available through the Pound Arts Centre www.poundarts.org.uk and we're performing as part of the Festival Fringe.

We'll go through setlist etc when we meet up on June 5th which will be a full dress rehearsal - ie everyone to bring all their props and dancing legs and we'll figure out what we're doing together.

The gig is on MONDAY 20TH June the day after the Ashton Keynes Festival so we should be rehearsed to the max and may even remember all the words this time!

Spooky Do 2

We've just received confirmation that the details of The Spooky Men's Chorale gig in Ashton Keynes have been posted on their website along with a whole bunch of other dates.

The fantastic Spooky Men's Chorale are returning to their spiritual home in the North Wiltshire Cotswold region for "Spooky Do 2".

These guys are the inspiration behind our very own Sing Like a Bloke troup and will be performing in Ashton Keynes on

Sunday 25th July 2011
Holy Cross Church
Plus Special Guests inc Kate Rowe
7.30pm, Tickets £15 Adults, £10 Kids (under 17)
Ticket "Hotline" answerphone 07541 391 504 - checked every 2 days or so, best to contact via email spookygigashtonkeynes@gmail.com

Cheques payable to "Ashton Keynes Music Festival" who are helping us again with Banking facilities.

If last time is anything to go by it will be a memorable event so please book early as we have very limited space.

Check out http://www.spookymen.com.au/spookyUKtour2011.html for more details and dates

Next batch of Dates - rehearsals and Gigs - May, June & July 2011

Here is a proposed set of dates for upcoming manoeuvres

Flying Solo + Singing with The Siren Sisters - Sunday 29th May
This will be the day of the 3rd Ashton Keynes Music Festival Gospel Rehearsal at Holy Cross Church 4:30-6pm for anyone interested, see previous emails.

We plan to hold a full rehearsal 7:15 to 8:30 in the Church to experience the accoustic and atmosphere, and also to hone our singing whilst operating without our Choir Meister. This should be viewed as a full Rehearsal for the Village Voices event, ie we will have to self conduct and be confident doing it.

Plan is to finish off by crashing The Siren Sisters rehearsal to spend 30 mins running through "Big Spender" with the ladies. Finish about 9pm for post sing pint.

Sunday 5th June 5-7pm for official full Dress Rehearsal, props and all, with Chris and then planned attendance at Open Mic. If need be we'll muster the troops for flying solo if Chris can't stay on.

Sunday 12th June we might do the same in the other pub or round someone's house, just to be honed to perfection (ahem!)

Thursday 16th June - Performance at AK Music Festival Village Voices - we'll struggle through without you Chris :-( - thought was maybe we could reprise Big Spender with The Siren Sisters with Graham conducting but us "spicing it up" a little bit

Sunday 19th June - Performance at AK Music Festival Best of the Fest Family Prom - Just a fabulous day out, all sorts of great music, with the Big Brunch Band and much more. We are allocated to do a little something with Chris conducting in the 16:15 to 17:15 slot.

Monday 20th June - Corsham Festival - This is ON.

Bit of a break from TMAK47 activities until the start of the Spooky Men's Chorale Tour. There might be some semi-organized "Spooky Stalking" as I'm sure a lot of us will want to go to some of the gigs, the Bristol one being a special target. More later.

Sunday 23rd July - THE Spooky Do - we'll cook up a few little extras as well for what will be a very special night.

We will do a reckoning re Subs as we may need to invoke the "Term 2 option" with promise of more dates for Workshops in the Autumn but I will discuss with our Financial Meister and counter of pennies.

Please let me know if you have any significant problems with not being able to attend and keep practising.

Cheers,

High Command