The sounds of #MagnificentDerry

It is fair to say that the blokes from The Magnificent AK47 had a very special time in #MagnificentDerry at the stunning City of Derry International Choral Competition 2016, or more correctly stated, they had THE most amazing time, full of singing, culture, history, camaraderie, exploring, the odd tipple (to lubricate the larynx you understand...) and many new experiences and friends.

And we weren't alone, as you can see...

There were many, many highlights of the long weekend for all the blokes that we are still re-living as we pinch ourselves and try to piece together a few "missing bits", like singing on the Giant's Causeway, wandering around the city walls, being asked to perform at the after event party, but one particular session stands out above all - the hoolie!

The hoolie happened more or less spontaneously (with a bit of blowing the embers) at the Ceilidh on the Saturday night underneath the main concert hall.  A band had gathered and the dancing was in full swing, then during a lull suddenly some singing broke out and "woof", up went the flames of song and we had a full on "SingOff" on our hands as choir after choir was inspired to bring out their party piece to sing for the pleasure of the other groups in the room.  The Magnificent AK47 as ever in the thick of things instigating and egging people on, followed by phenomenal Fauna then many more.

It was utterly brilliant (even if some of the singing is a little "tired and emotional") and will live with all of us who witnessed it for many a year to come until the memory has faded, become a bit worn round the edges and starts to blur into mythology.  But to help stave off that moment for a wee while, luckily some clever people managed to capture the moment(s) so they can be re-lived a bit, at least the first parts with maybe more to come...

More Magnificent AK47 on Radio Foyle

One of the many great characters we bumped into whilst in #MagnificentDerry was a guy by the name of Mark Patterson who came across us in Badgers pub just opposite the St Columb's Hall just so happened to be a bit of a local celeb being a presenter on Radio Foyle who did a great Live Stream of us.

He loved what we were doing and by chance we bumped into him again on the Derry Peace Bridge and he Live Streamed us again!

Finally we got to meet up at his day job at Radio Foyle as the last piece of icing on an already generously huge portion of cake that was our time in Derry.

You can here the full program on his page starting around 33 minutes in after the weather at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08074js or have a listen below.  

#MagnificentDerry

The specially inaugurated "Audience Award" winners from the City of Derry International Choral Competition are back home after a quite breath takingly wonderful long weekend of song, banter, craic, a couple of wee drams, not quite enough sleep, loads more singing, and making friends with people from literally across the globe.  

But who are they?  None other than little old us, The Magnificent AK47, now officially double award winning choral group from North North Wiltshire

We had an amazing time in all sorts of ways at this year's festival, are all a little tired but would like to thank everyone who made it possible just before we retire to our beds for some well earned recuperation. 

Sensible advice for the Magnificent traveller

The new Magnificent Performance T-Shirts have arrived just in the nick of time for our trip to Derry.  

And they have some very sensible safety notices for any of the blokes who become "lost boys" during their time away from their normal stomping ground.

Let's hope there won't be someone still wearing this if it has to be put in the post!

Blokes Abroad

We are very excited to be only one more sleep away from heading off for our very first overseas trip to represent England at the International Choral Festival in the City of Derry!!

It is quite an honour to effectively be representing our nation in such a prestigious competition and we are hopeful of a "podium finish", but not taking anything for granted as it is a marathon not a sprint but we are up for it and really looking forward to what should be another Magnificent experience.

More info at http://www.codichoral.com/2016-festival/participants/national-competitions.php and beyond.

Good bye great bloke

It is a little belated, but  not too late to pass on some sad news for those of us who had the pleasure of knowing the legend that was Ron Thomas, who passed away recently after another great night out in his beloved village.

Ron was one of those epic "Village Elders" that we all looked up to for so many years of doing so much for the community and being such a stalwart of both the village and church choirs, Parrish Council and much, much more besides.

He regularly attended our shows with his wife Maureen and other members of his family, like daughter-in-law Paula (holding the wine glass!) to watch his son Mark in action along with son-in-law Ade.

A really great bloke who will be sorely missed.

The Return of The Magnificent AK47 to The Barn

After sailing the high seas and low notes of BlokeSong as far away as Bristol, Lyme Regis, Birmingham and an international singing competition in Northern Ireland (!), the blokes are return to their native stomping ground with a cross-border raid from North, North Wiltshire to the ancient capital of the Cotswolds to help celebrate the opening of the re-vamped Barn Theatre at 5 Beeches Road, Cirencester, GL7 1BN.

Expect fun and frivolity and some seriously good singing and a great night's entertainment.

Plus support from the popular local singer/guitarist Stuart Elwin, and a retiring collection in aid of Children in Need.

Stick around for the "Afters" for the after show party.

Tickets available online from http://www.themagnificentak47.com/tickets/ or in person from Cirencester Tourist Information Centre in the Corinium Museum in Cirencester or call 01285 654 180.

We very much hope to see you there.

DR Sweeney, Magnificent Ethno-musicologist, on the Radio

We're not just a bumbling bunch of beer-soaked blokes you know... No! We've got some right clever beer-soaked blokes too as well...

One such bloke is the marvelous DR Sweeney, one of our resident Ethno-musicologists, and he has been on the Radio to prove it.

You can find it at http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p047syv8 for a few days, or from listening below.

What a clever fella!

Pow Wow 2016

The Magnificent Pow Wow 2016 passed off with a few controversies this year, mainly engendered by the rush to consume the Cheese and Biscuits that had been salvaged from the Village Harvest Thanksgiving lunch earlier in the day.

There were others but they shall remain unmuttered about for the moment, save to say a big thanks to Angus V who steps down as FinanceMeister after somehow managing to keep the books in some semblance of order for EIGHT years!

More information about dates into 2017 and thoughts about how to celebrate 10 years of BlokeSong in Ashton Keynes and beyond, soon(ish).