Dodgy geezer

Why is this dodgy geezer snapped in a seedy Swindon car park looking quite so happy?

Is it because he has a car boot full of hooky loot or has he just taken delivery of something quite MONUMENTAL?

The evidence is clear if you look carefully, he appears to have a box or two full of CDs hot off the presses and he certainly seems pleased with the results.

As he should be!  Nearly the best part of two years in the making it contains a double helping of Magnificence.

But you'll have to find out more next time . . . or scurry over to the Sundial Theatre website at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/198165 and book tickets to see what all the excitement is about...

The Boys are back in... The Back Room

After several weeks peripatetic wanderings around the village rehearsing in a tipi and school hall because our regular haunt had been taken over for watching the Rugby World Cup. we are back in the Back Room of The White Hart to press on with new and old material in preparation of a very Monumental event coming up soon.

And to mark this fact our resident CartoonMeister has lept into creative action to unleash his inner dark side, as you can see above.

Hopefully blokes can now safely stop practicing in the woods and enjoy a cup of tea or something stronger in doors with the other blokes.  As long as they are doing some form of practicing...

Something MONUMENTAL is about to happen

Something a bit epic is brewing and will be unleashed this coming Friday 27th November at Sundial Theatre, Cirencester.  

It will be a MONUMENTAL Man-moment in music.

All will be revealed, but you will have to make sure you don't dally as tickets are already selling rather briskly from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/198165.

It's not Terry's, it's Bill's

In case you didn't know, this is Bill, inveterate boomer of the bottom end, often tied up with Duct Tape (as part of the show you understand...), and ArtMeister extreme.

He has many of his Magnificent master pieces adoring our main website which the crafty blighter put together himself.

He's been at it again on one of his many side adventures the now world famous Prince Albert Carol Singing that happens each Yuletide to much enjoyment amongst the throng in that very special pub in that very special place of the P.R. of Stroud.

Have a look at this absolute treasure trove of Sheffield and West Gallery Carol goodies he has created at http://www.albertcarols.uk

And the picture?  One of the blokes from The Magnificent AK47 saw this beer and thought of him and brought it all the way down from Scotland without thinking of quenching his own thirst, just so he could pass it on to the man himself.

A contrasting example of "selflessness" can be found here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry%27s_Chocolate_Orange and here at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzZFr3l_u5k - judge for yourself whether beer is better than chocolate at bringing out the best in people...

More about the beer can be found at http://www.caledonianbeer.com/beers/bills-beer.

Ahoy there Wine lovers!

It has come to our attention that there is an event being run in the locality that should appeal greatly to our demographic, ie lovers of quality drinking (in moderation) and quality singing (done responsibly).

It features the return to the village of the hugely talented Roaring Trowmen, who visited previously all the way from their home port of Bristol and entertained many so richly a few months back.

Those of you at BlokeFest 2015 this June will also be familiar with this amazing bunch of guys, as they ran one of the elective sessions and made such an impact around the place with their singing and bonhomie.

On learning that one of them works as a wine merchant, there was only one thing that could happen - a wine tasting with Shanties evening in Ashton Keynes!

The plan is simple, gather in the Back Room of the White Hart, taste some excellent wines (available at special on the night prices), have some nibbles and be entertained by the blokes singing songs about the wines, the journey, their destination, the sea-faring folk who transported them, the people who drank too much of them and any other angles they can think up to shoe-horn in!

There are also plans to carry on singing after the Tasting with a show in the Pub so book your tickets now (you'll recoup the cost if you buy any wine) and prepare yourself for a great night.

Well done the few

The Blokes warm up back stage at the Colston Hall

Well done to the "few" who made it to Bristol's Colston Hall to play our part in the inspiring Bristol Festival of Song.

Wading through big city Bristol traffic on a midweek school night is not for everyone but a valiant and sufficiently large enough number of the gang were able to get there in time to witness The Gasmen and The Filtonaires entertaining the early evening crowd.

As we were on stage, a mystery announcer voice told the gathering throng that the doors for the Steve Earle concert taking place in the main hall would not be open till 10 past 7, which to our benefit meant that some of that crowd started milling about on the stairwell to watch us whilst they waited.  The fact that most of them hung around to listen to us well after the doors opened is valediction of the entertainment value of the blokes in full flight.

Thanks again to Hannah the Director of Bristol Festival of Song for inviting us back again.

Our next scheduled public appearance will be at Cirencester's Sundial Theatre on Friday 27th November and will be a DOUBLE HELPING, double the number IN the group, double the numbers FROM as we do a two full length feature sets - it is shaping up to be a "MONUMENTAL" show.  Already 20% of the tickets have been sold and the best seats are disappearing FAST so if you are thinking of coming, book now to avoid disappointment.

Bristol Festival of Song

An excellent Triple Bill for a Wednesday night as part of the wonderful Bristol Festival of Song brings together, long standing stalwarts and BlokeFest attendees The Gasmen, and also The Filtonaires as we return to Bristol's Colston Hall, scene of one of most epic man-moments early last year.

This time we will be taking stage in the Foyer as part of the many acts performing there.

More info about the whole event can be found at http://www.festivalofsong.org.uk/voices-in-the-hall/ if you scroll down the page a bit.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Pow Wow Now

Tis that time of year when we ask ourselves important questions, and ponder inponderables, such as "what did we do last year?", "was it a good one?", "what should we do next year?", "who's round is it?"

Yes, it is "Pow Wow" time because we in The Magnificent AK47 don't do anything by halves, we do it in pints and then squeeze quarts into those pints.  

We most certainly have had a most Magnificent seventh year and have many plans afoot to continue into 2016 and some even beyond.

So what have we done?

A (shortened) list could include

1. The Hammerman Wold Tour celebrating Alfred Williams
2. Sang on a Windmill
3. Bristol Festival of Song singing in multiple locations
4. Sang on a replica of "The Matthew" floating in Bristol docks
5. Had our first "Boot Camp"
6. Sang in a former Convent
7. Did our fourth "Beer & Carols"
8. Had 3 days' of trips to the big city to sing in London's The Roundhouse
9. Sang on BBC Radio 3
10. Went on our first multi day proper tour to Cornwall
11. Were interviewed and sang on national Cornish Radio
12. Singing in caves at Tintagel Castle
13. Singing on Cornish clifftops to (nearly) abandoned maidens
14. Had THE best time ever at BlokeFest
15. Got our very own Comic Strip!
16. Blooming well sang inside the stones at Stonehenge
17. Did many other gigs around the local area
18. Sang in a tipi
19. Had a rather marvelous time doing it all

So, what next?  We'll find out at our Annual Chewing of the Cud that is known as "The Pow Wow" at the end of our 2nd Boot Camp on Sunday at Chiseldon Rec.