Anyone at the Albert Hall on July 3rd?

[PeterBale]

Inspired by the thread regarding the Championship Finals in October, I wondered how many tMPers will be at the Royal Albert Hall for the Salvation Army Gospel Arts Concert on July 3rd.

I shall be there taking part in a small woodwind ensemble acompanying one of the items, and it would be good to meet up with any tMPers who may be around :wink:

 

[nickjones]

Mr Bale.....I am shocked a woodwind ensemble....I just hope you are ready for the mass of shocked singers and brass players..SHAME ON YOU!!!!

 

[WorldofBrass.com]

SP&S will be there with a trade stand in the door 6 foyer as usual.
New CD releases from Marjory Watson and Croydon Citadel Songsters!
We'll also have the latest SA band CD releases from Amsterdam Staff Band, Household Troops Band, Reading Central, Coventry City, Meadowlands and so on.

If anyone wants any non-SA CDs brought to the RAH then please let me know by Thursday 1st July.

 

[carlwoodman]

Looks like it's just me, you and World of Brass at the moment!
Still, I should think Ross Berry and Bob Ralston are likely to make an appearance to name but two.

 

[Will the Sec]

I won't be at the Albert Hall, but Fulham will be down the road at Parson's Green for the Fair. It kicks off at Midday; we're on at 4.15

 

[Moy]

I know at least 4 people who are travelling all the way down from Aberdeen...so that's another 3. :wink:

I know it will be packed but yes one of my band plus another 3 I know are attending the concert.

 

[Ross Berry]

Looks like it's just me, you and World of Brass at the moment!
Still, I should think Ross Berry and Bob Ralston are likely to make an appearance to name but two.

We will both be there. I will be playing and Bob is singing.

 

[Jules Cornet]

Jules Cornet will be there, in non particpation mode, enjoying the action from the stalls.

 

[IYOUNG]

I won't be there in person but I have 3 Maidenhead SA players doing the first part of Marlow Bands double header at Henly Royal regatta before leaving for the RAH in the evening.

Hope all goes well Peter and everyone has an enjoyable time i'm sure it will be great

Ian
MD Marlow Band

 

[Cantonian]

I would be there (and Councils Sunday) but it is my wife's 40th Birthday. I have arranged for us to go away for the weekend but if the surprise had been the Albert Hall and councils I do not think that I would have survived the weekend.

 

[Jonathan W. Corry]

gospel arts

I shall be there on saturday evening playing sop (bring ear protection they were scraping the bottom of the barrel asking me!!) with the household cavalry......... sorry, I mean troops!!

Jonathan W. Corry
MD Besses O'th barn

 

[Jules Cornet]

So, if you were there, (at the SA Gospel Arts Festival at The Royal Albert Hall) what did you think?

 

[PeterBale]

Most people I spoke to seemed to think it was a creditable attempt to do something a little different. It certainly showed that you do not need a large chorus to attract a crowd, as the attendance seemed to be much the same as usual.

I can understand why they did the historical bit in the first half, but I did feel the second half lost some of the impetus that was there in the first part, except for the Joystrings going on for far too long with their rambling reminiscences.

As for our contribution, we suffered from the usual tuning discrepancies between piano and band which made things a little difficult, and being sat on stage right through the first half didn't help when trying to keep instruments warm. We also felt they could have done more rehearsal, but by then the schedule had gone to pot, and even the sound and lighting people were denied the extra run-through they wanted, hence our light disappearing for several bars towards the end

 

[Chuckles-tuba]

It was a very long day (and that was just the Joy Strings!! :lol: ), with a rehersal at 10:30 marching up and down the albert hall, then another rehearsal, then an outdoor concert, then the concert at 6:30. I was shattered by the end of it and only just made the meeting on sunday morning.

I thought it was a good evening, thought the ISB and ISS were superb, special mention to jon whitmore on kit in Glorifico Aeturnum (spelling??).

Special mention must go also to The TYB, who can argue that Brass bands do not have a place in the SA after hearing these guys(and gals)play their socks off once again. :tup

 

[timjones]

I was there, and loved it!
The Joysrtings went on a bit long, and the Troops could have been more entertaining (they didn't have a lot of room)
Pretty good though!

 

[barry toan]

So what did the respective bands play?..... Seems that the ISB were unable to premier a major piece again, shame! That used to be the good thing about those events! :shock:
Anything vaguely modern and groundbreaking being played?...

 

[PeterBale]

The Territorial Youth band played "Hadleigh Camp" as part of the historical overview, whilst a number of delegates who attended the first camp were received by Ray Steadman-Allen. They also played Les Condon's "Faith Reborn".

The Household Troops did a marching display to George Marshall's "Soldiers of Christ", & an ensemble of the ISB raced through the final section of "Army of the Brave" at a terrific lick.

The ISB's main contribution was Dean Jones' "Glorifico Aeternam", and they also featured one of the swing numbers, but I can't recall which one it was at the moment In addition, they provided backing for Marjory Watson in "Get Happy", and shared the accompaniment of the Gowans/Larsson medley with a cornet ensemble and the woodwind group.