Sing Like a Wiltshire Bloke

Performing at our second festival in just over a week, we are very pleased to be asked back for a third year by the organizers of one of the biggest Folk Festivals around these parts, Chippenham Folk Festival.

And we have a real treat in store for them (and some of us!) with not only a show by the blokes, but a workshop being run by our belovéd ChoirMeister, Mr Chris Samuel.

Entitled "Sing Like a Wiltshire Bloke" it is a twist on a well known format with added Magnificents . . . provided they can get up that early on a Saturday and make it down South!  

The session is at 10:00 - 11:30 for "Sing Like a Wiltshire Bloke", in the very cute Yelde Hall and is event number 214.  The blurb has it "The Magnificent AK47. Men doing what they do best – standing around singing beautiful songs about concrete and power tools. Come and find your inner man – even if you are not one!" 

Our show is at around 15:15 as part of Event 320 which is billed as "Arena Displays 14:30 – 16:45 Big Top featuring:  Joan Holloway and Andy Stafford introduce Tappalachian,  Yately Morris Men, Hawksword, The Magnificent AK47,  Morena Slovak Dance Company, Dorset Buttons Rapper,  Winchester Morris Men and Crooked Moon."

We hope to see you there.   Full program at http://www.chippfolk.co.uk/pdf/festival-programme/chippfolk2014-programme.pdf.

Press ganging new recruits

Unlock your Inner Minstrel
We are having possibly the last call (for a while) for gentlemen to come forward and become a new recruit for our merry singing troupe.


We can help you carry out those New Year’s Resolutions to change your ways for the better!  We are here to help you fill those pledges to yourself and your better halves to: 

1. Get out more and do interesting things (whilst hardly spending any money)
2. Meet new people and make new friends (you will certainly do this with us)
3. Exercise more and keep the brain active (singing is GREAT for this)
4. Lose weight (we can’t guarantee this but you’ll enjoy yourself all the same)

If you are a Bloke who might like to join in the mixture of heartfelt lyrics, (intentionally) “tricky” harmonies, occasional beer and magnificent silliness, tremendous bonhomie, then we have THE opportunity for you.

In the first half of 2013 we plan to consolidate and hone rather than extend our repertoire so anyone considering joining, this would be the ideal time to join in as we will be practically re-learning the songs anew.

We ask but 3 things of our troupe

1. the member can hold a tune to a level appropriate for the rest of the group (eg not a “growler” or  not so good they get frustrated with our eccentricities!)

2. is a decent bloke and fits in with the rest of the Group and does not do anything untoward (like not buying his round!)

3. pays any subscriptions as may be required, all subscriptions being payable on demand and within a reasonable time frame (even allowing for poor memories and general financial incompetence).  

Consider joining us for singing and performing as well as many other experiences including a “Wold Tour” in May and recording in a proper studio, most likely in June, as well as BlokeFest and much more.  The first tasters session is free then Workshops are pro rata per term, first half of the year term fee is £50, second half after the summer recess is £40, which works out at about a maximum cost of £1.75 per hour of fun* according to our tame statistician*!  What a bargain!

* based on some statistically dubious algorithm that prove being in The Magnificent AK47 is more cost effective fun than having Sky TV or other brain numbing activities.

Sing Like a Bloke Workshop at Bristol's Festival of Song

SING LIKE A BLOKE AS PART OF BRISTOL'S FESTIVAL OF SONG

A sprinkling of our merry troubadours will be making their way to Bristol for the workshop that our glorious ChoirMeister is leading as part of the Bristol Festival of Song.

If you fancy joining them the details are:

Sunday 14th October 2.00 - 4.30pm

FaithSPACE Stackpool Road, Bristol, BS3 1NW 

Tickets:  Full - £5

Concession - £3
16 & under - Free 

Box Office:  tickets@festivalofsong.org.uk or call 07980 765947 

More info http://www.festivalofsong.org.uk/workshops/

Men Only - sorry ladies (and false beards will be found!)

The Choir

Not being one to normally have time spare to indulge in the luxury of sitting down of an evening, it was an unexpected pleasure to happen across the second episode of "The Choir" on what we believe is call the iplayer, a new fangled device from that august body, The BBC, which apparently allows one to travel back in time to when a program was first broadcast to be able to see it again.  This technological revelation reminds one of the first days of VCRs when one used to be able to "tape" a program.  Nowadays if one mentions this terminology to the young they give you quizzical looks, much as they did when they first saw a vinyl LP record!

But we digress.

In short, the choir was one of those occasional gems one finds in amongst the normal slurry on modern TV and soars above the likes of "Made in Shouty Cook's Essex Gypsy Wedding Kitchen".  Quite simply, it was inspiring.

It takes the simple premise of dropping that lovely choir master chappie, Gareth someone-or-other, into a modern workplace where there is nothing but talk of "change management", bosses vs workers, general grumpiness and by starting up a choir they rapidly break down all sorts of barriers, uncover all sorts of talents and fundamentally make a pretty decent sound in a very short time.

Much like us blokes!  To be even more inspired visit The BBC iplayer thing.

A little bit of Mr T magic in AK

Hands up anyone who would like to transform a regular Thursday evening into a magical moment in time?  Ah, ok, so that's everyone would like to  . . .  well all right then, you are in the right place at the right time!

And that place was the beautiful Holy Cross Church in our very own village of Ashton Keynes, and the moment was when the remarkable Mr Stephen Taberner presided over "A very Ashton Keynes Evening" by running a singing workshop for what turned out to be quite a crowd.  

We had hoped that maybe 20 or so souls might be tempted along to the experience but in the end we had over 50 in total.  Serendipitously the pews at the end of the Church had been removed which gave us just about enough room for everyone to form a large circle then mingle around as we sang the pieces Stephen taught us.  There was a large contingent of The Magnificent AK47 crew which gave a very pleasing bottom end to the sound which was complimented by the higher tones of the very many ladies who joined the throng.

One of highlights was the warm up exercise with the Count of 4 "Hoo's" and the Count of 3 "Ha's" battling out in a wonderfully comic confrontational manner - you'll know what we mean had you been there.

The evening was a huge success with everyone appearing to enjoy the unusual Thursday night experience and chance to share a moment in time with neighbours and friends in ways you would not have previously imagined.

More pictures can be found on our Facebook page, thanks to the lovely Gilly R for her camera work.

Were you there?  Maybe you would like to email us your thoughts about the evening to themagnificentak47@gmail.com or post a comment to this blog entry?

"A very Ashton Keynes" Evening with Stephen Taberner

Well, there have a few emails, a bit of whispering, some rumour, much pondering and now the very strong likelihood that on Thursday 20th September there will be an Evening with Stephen Taberner, the Spookmeister, in Ashton Keynes, so we thought we better tip you the wink, so to speak.

So, Ashton Keynes Parrish Church Council in cahoots with The Magnificent AK47 are presenting

"A very Ashton Keynes" Evening with Stephen Taberner, Leader of the Spooky Men's Chorale of Australia, Inspiration for The Magnificent AK47.

He will be giving a A Singing Workshop for ALL, NOT just blokes, onThursday 20th September starting at 7:30pm in Holy Cross Church, Ashton Keynes, Supported by Holy Cross PCC.

Tickets £8 and £5 Students, OAPs, Concessions and are Available from Village Shop, Sahara, The White Hart, PCC, emailing tmak47tickets@gmail.com.


But that's not all, there will then be free concert, Man + Voice + Double Bass at The White Hart pub starting at around 9:45pm which will be a solo show from this highly entertaining performer, as seen at big festivals this summer.



The White Hart are also likely to be offering a special "meal deal" before the event, more info from the pub, call 01285 861247, and say we sent you!

 Don’t miss this unique evening – book now and see you there.