WW1 Commemorative Event & The Magnificent AKsionals

Things have been lying low on the Magnificent front as the blokes take a well earned rest and are returned back to their family and friends before the Autumn/Winter season kicks off, but there is one very event that some of the blokes are involved with helping that will be of interest to you.

On 8 August there will be a Commemorative Concert in Cirencester Parish Church performed by MJ-UK Music & Arts & readings of winning entries from the WW1 poetry competitions. Supported by Heritage Lottery Fund & Friends of Cirencester Parish Church, 7.30 pm.  See http://cirencester.gov.uk/68-frontpage/351-ww1-commemorations for more information or http://glosremembers.co.uk/.

This event is something we would recommend you to attend the show and also grasp the opportunity to see a few of us actually participate under the "nom de chante" of The Magnificent AKsionals . . . !

By dint of having some contacts with the remarkable MJ-UK crowd we have been approached  with possibility of helping to perform some pieces and we will be coached by the amazing Maria Jagusz, musical director from MJ-UK.

The pieces we are planning to perform are
 
Only Remembered - War Horse  see YouTube link and
The band played waltzing matilda see YouTube Link

If you are interested in participating, contact themagnificentaksionals@gmail.com pronto for info on rehearsal times.

We hope to see you at what should be a memorable evening.

 

Salisbury gig postponed

We are saddened to say that the "Raise the Roof" gig has been postponed so won't be going ahead this Friday.

We hope we can re-arrange as we were very much looking forward to performing there with such a great line up at such a major venue.

We'll keep you posted when it is re-poned (if that is a real word . . .).

Raise The Roof at Salisbury City Hall

Our valiant blokes are venturing off to another big city this week with a performance in the metropolis that is Salisbury, at the City Hall, no less.

It is all part of a fund raising concert with a sizeable array of talent from around the region with groups coming from Bournemouth in the South and us from up north.

Also on the bill are the Salisbury Plain Military Wives Choir and all in all it should be a great evening of vocal entertainment.

The event is being put on by the ladies who dared to try and infiltrate BlokeFest the other week so we think they deserve our support in so many ways!

More info from their website at http://www.cityhallsalisbury.co.uk/index.php?page=1455

Now we are Six

 

A little moment of celebration today as we recognised the fact that what was ultimately to evolve into The Magnificent AK47 came into being more or less on this day six years ago when Chris Samuel, our belovéd ChoirMeister, ran the very first "Sing Like a Bloke" workshop at the 2008 Ashton Keynes Music Festival.

A decidedly motley crew of blokes turned up on that first Saturday but many enjoyed themselves so much that they resolved to continue on under the patronage of said Festival until the day when they emerged as an entity in their own right which grew into the best, Georgian-inspired, multi-hatted singing machine ever to escape the depths of deepest, darkest North, North Wiltshire . . . or so the legend has it.

A big thanks to Neil B's mum Jennifer and his daughter Ellie who helped make the cake that was sung to in deep manly tones and then duly scoffed with pretty short measure.

Here's to the next six years on the good ship as we sail the seas of BlokeSong.

AKappella Workshop

 

In case you didn't know already our belovéd ChoirMeister, Chris Samuel is bringing more of his vocal magic to the wonderful Ashton Keynes Music festival to help us celebrate our 6th Birthday!  

More later with pictures.

Home town gig and Happy 6th Birthday to us!

Another photo of lots of people who are very important to making a certain small, but perfectly formed festival happen.

Keen to remember our ever so 'umble roots, we are back in the Parish for the very wonderful Ashton Keynes Music Festival in the lovely Holy Cross Church in the "Village Voices" show featuring us, The Village Choir and The Siren Sisters who also hail from round these parts.

Many of you will know that this is a triennial event and marks the 6th Birthday of our motley crew that formed out of the remnants of the first "Sing Like a Bloke" workshop held way back in 2008!

For any of the blokes who have been with us during that time, a hearty thanks and here's to the next 6 years.

BlokeFest 2014 = Big Smiles all round!

 

What a (Big) TOP weekend we all had at BlokeFest 2014.  

One hundred of us gathered from all points of the compass, a large contingent from Ashton Keynes, many from ManChoir in Oxford, a good number from London Village way, a whole bus load from the Wirral and one or two from Westest Wales.

We sang, drank, ate, snored, and sang some more to great sonic effect as you can hear by delving a little further into the recordings that are beginning to emerge on the links below.