Male voice choirs 'good for your health' - Bloke voice choirs even better!

The world of BlokeSong was stunned in the last 24 hours by the news that one of its leading lights has become a TV celeb!

Young Dominic Stichbury, he of ChapsChoir and Bellow Fellows and BlokeFest  and Singing in the Shed fame, has become even more famous overnight.  

He was featured on itv NEWS for The London and a pretty chunky video posted

According to the blurb "Male voice choirs are making a comeback and they're good for your health. Dominic Stitchbury who runs the Chaps Choir from Islington and Dr Emily Falconer from the University of Westminster have been researching the impact on its members."

Well, as you know, we could have told them that Blokes gathering together is good for their health and well being as The Magnificent AK47 and BlokeFest have proved these many years.   And it is great to have such a vibrant scene at either end of the M4 and Manchoir and little old us in between.

Well done Dom.

Watch for yourself.

Male voice choirs are making a comeback and they're good for your health. Dominic Stitchbury who runs the Chaps Choir...

Posted by ITV London on Wednesday, 24 February 2016

#getmensinging + #getwomensinging = Singing for fun

Just to add our voice to nudge anyone along who might be interested, this recently received.

"Singing for Fun - an afternoon workshop with Gilly Riddington (local choir goddess seen leading the massed chorus at the most recent "Beer and Carols" evening). 

Are you a closet crooner?.. Do you sing in the car?

Whether you are an experienced singer or a beginner, feel free to come along!

No need to be able to read music, all songs will be taught by ear in joyous harmony parts.

The White Hart back room this coming Sunday 28th February, 3-5pm inc tea break

£5 on the door

Text Gilly (07813 097402) to guarantee a place, or just turn up and hope she's not full.  More info at https://www.facebook.com/events/881097351987937/.

Singing in a pub, what could possibly go wrong?"

Overrunning, is one thing, given that The Magnificent AK47 have a workshop just afterwards...!

TMAK47 Gigs - available in all good stores??

This just in from the Magnificent Cartoon Meister.  Modern art with a meaning (without innuendo for those suspecting of some...) as it perfectly encapsulates the frustration of your average citizen on finding that they are not able to purchase tickets for our shows in a retail outlet.

But help is at hand!  Should still require a ticket or reservation for our forthcoming show in St Samapson's Church, Cricklade on Saturday 5th March then you can now march confidently into the Ashton Keynes Village Shop and purchase your tickets to secure your seat.

And you would be wise to do so as quickly as you can for sales have been brisk and we are now at the stage where we are having to coordinate closely amongst our various distributors so as to not over-sell...  A good problem for us to have but not if you are thinking about just rolling up on the door - the message is clear, please buy your ticket in advance or contact us via gigs@themagnificentak47.com.

Man Chorus up and running

Well, we have to say that we are not easily impressed, but we are suitably impressed by our singing cousins along the M4 down "Brissol" way in the form of MAN Chorus.

They've only been going a few weeks and already they have been in action in one of said historic city's most famous stages, The Old Vic (not "Bristol Old Vic" you note but THE Old Vic).

Congrats to the inspirational Sam Burns and his merry crew and we look forward to as many of them as possible joining us in our little shindig at BlokeFest in the merry, merry month of, er, June (just after the very merry month of May for all you true folk fans).

Enjoy a few moments captured by visiting https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOoRBCi2gFnzrN3MpKB8wiSUKJqCsiFUe.

Wiltshire World Premier of...

You know how excited the blokes get before a gig, don't you?  Well the excitement levels are approaching "11" as we approach the first of a spate of gigs.

Why? Well, thank you for asking, it's because we are going to be wandering downstream on the Infant Thames to the nearby metropolis that is the ancient dwelling of Cricklade for another sensational a capella evening with The Croutons in the beautiful St Sampson's Church.

But wait, that's not all - there are New songs NEVER heard before in this part of the world. 

Yes, a World Premier in Wiltshire no less.  So, avoid disappointment, ring 07517 847816 or email gigs@themagnificentak47.com.

Are you a robust singer?

Are you interested in "robust singing" like this lot above?  

This recently received 

"Gentlemen:

I am trying to gauge  the interest for a robust song session at the Stroud Subscription Rooms, say once a month.

One of the reasons for looking at this is to get together a cadre of singers for events such as the Stroud Wassail and Stroud Folk Weekend.   The aim is to try and attract both those who already sing and those who would like to.  So the aim is to do group singing without feeling like another community choir.

Too this end I anticipate that the repertoire might include Gloucestershire folk songs, sea shanties, music hall songs and soldiers songs.  For example:

• Hey John Barleycorn
• Tom’s gone
• Dark and dreamy eyes (Soldiers Wife)
• Do you want us to lose the war?
• Lily the Pink
• John Kanakanaka

Would any of you be at all interested in working with us on this?   You are probably the best known group of robust singers in the county.

Please let me know what you think

Robin Burton"

Email themagnificentak47@gmail.com and we will forward on to Robin and look forward to hearing the results, maybe even when we go to Stroud for our very own workshop and gig this coming April, see http://www.subscriptionrooms.org.uk/whats-on/singing-workshop/

and  http://www.subscriptionrooms.org.uk/whats-on/from-the-ridiculous-to-the-sublime/.

Singers in the Shed

What a great weekend of singing.  Well done to all involved in the first "Singing in the Shed" and here's to many more.

Listen to a small sample of a couple of the pieces that were taught over the three days.

And as was heard mentioned as the parting words "see you at BlokeFest!"

One more sleep til Singing in the Shed

Who needs sleep when there is the excitement of a new singing event with loads of top blokes?!

Last minute advice from the organizers includes "1 - Bring warm clothes. It's winter in a big Victorian brick and glass building. It could get chilly!"

LastMinute.com advice from Magnificent land "2 - Bring ear plugs - for the dorms that will be full of blokes - there are bound to be one or two "resonant rumblers in the rooms!

#getmensinging, not #getmensnoring.

Stand by for reports back from the event.

Get Well soon Dave!

News reached these parts of the "not-as-well-as-he-could-be-ness" of one of our big mates from up North, no less than one of THE original BlokeFest Workshop Leaders, the Magnificent Dave Stewart, as seen here conducting the assembled blokes in the open air.

We wish him a very swift and full recovery from some major surgery and would like to dedicate the following song to him that he taught us at the BlokeFest 2013 and has become a firm favourite with us and our audiences ever since.

This one's for you Dave.