Well what a great finish to the term!

I think we all felt last night was a super success and one to be repeated at any appropriate time in the future. 

In Jon’s absence, Song Meister Gez and his magic electronic tuning fork did a grand job of keeping us on the straight and narrow - yes the first few notes 🎶 of each song were a bit wobbly but muscle 🏋🏾‍♀️memory soon kicked in and the harmonies flowed in direct proportion to the consumption of the Wainwrights, Doom Bar or whatever blond was on tap 🍺. 

A good turnout saw the return of our favourite retired bank manager to join us for a couple of beers. Great to see you George.

Margo put on a lovely spread for us - the cheese is still sticking to my teeth!! And the music was grand in a lovely relaxed atmosphere. 

And so ends our summer term. A busy term with 4 or 5 enjoyable gigs and a wealth of good singing. 

At this point I’d like to thank all of you - each of you has contributed to the ambience we engender in the choir - the camaraderie and good fun. You might remember last year Paul W conducted a survey about what we collectively get from the choir - words used were bonding, harmony, joyful, kindred spirits, nourishing, stress release, unifying, therapeutic, wellbeing, dopamine, zen like, connection, endorphins, ice breaker, mindful, quality of life, active - hopefully those words still apply!!! 

Thanks from me to the Committee - Gez for his new role as deputy song Meister (as well as gig organiser), Martin as Bannerman and secretary, Mike J for seamlessly taking over the Treasurer role, Alan for his good advice and support and John S for taking over the IT and website. Big belated thanks to David Malone who for many years brilliantly carried the role of Treasurer, Website Meister and IT king through the bad times (yes, there were some of those!) and the good times - thank you from all of us David 🙏🙏🙏. 

And all our thanks go to Jon for his enthusiasm, unfailing good humour and his incredible ability to get a good sound out of us (silk purses and sows ears come to mind) - he is the epitome of the spirit of VoiceMale - he’s been with us for well over 2 years now and doesn’t look a day older!!!!! 

Finally thanks to all of you guys - onwards and upwards VoiceMale 🎶🙏🍺🤩 🚀 - have a great summer, take care of each other, learn all your words and see you all back doon the haa’ll on Wednesday 28 August. 

Chris 

Gentlemen members of VoiceMale 


VoiceMale is coming up to date - last night, under Jon’s excellent guidance, we produced a stirring rendition of Stings 1993 hit Fields of Gold - beautiful harmonies and a definite one for the autumn repertoire. What next I ask??? Bohemian Rhapsody (now THAT would be a challenge!). Dancing Queen? Now we’ve embarked on “modern” songs there could be no stopping us………suggestions on a post card please!!!!

We had a good turnout and spent a few minutes discussing how we could make the choir look a bit more professional on stage 🤹🏼💃🏼👯‍♀️without compromising the uniquely informal nature which is what makes us different to other choirs. We all agreed that there was plenty of scope to tweak our stage presence by being more aware of our spacing and how we stand. I’m sure there will be more discussion on this next term. 

There was also general discussion on the use of folders in performances and as Jon said, where possible, it would be great if we could use part of the summer to learn our words in order to try to reduce the use of folders in performances - Jon felt the singing output would improve and we would look and sound better. Just to be clear, it’s still ok to use folders if we need them!!!! 

It was a useful discussion designed to improve our enjoyment and pride in being part of VoiceMale and, ultimately, to give our audiences an improved visual and audio experience!!! 

Roll on that day was next - and sounded pretty good!!! The singing evening finished with Fields of Gold - Jon recorded it and I’m sure will make it available somewhere (if it sounds ok!!!). Then off to the pub🍺. 

So that’s the official end of a very busy term including a lot of great gigs. Thanks for all your efforts and enthusiasm in the choir and especially to Jon for his splendid leadership (and to Janice and Graham for occasionally stepping in when Jon was unavailable). We’re really lucky to have such a wealth of enthusiastic musical talent to help enhance the enjoyment of we poor mortals and show us the right way to sing!!!

Jon and Janice are now off to make their fortune 💵£€$ doing their summer festivals (eg supporting the Spookies at the Sidmouth Folk Festival). Good luck to them both!!👍🏼

Next week is our last this term and we have an end of term “party” at the Tap n  Spile🍺❤️starting at 7.30. Our Choir Meister for the evening is non other than Gez (🎈🚀🎵) - we’ll have a proper repertoire of songs to sing (Gez will let us know in due course what they are) and he has been entrusted with Jon’s blowy thing to make sure we get our starting notes right. It’ll be a good test to see how we manage without the Boss for a night - I reckon we’ll do ok and sound really good. There will be party food (but don’t reckon on a meal!!) - looking forward to a good night.

See you all next week at the Tap. Onwards and upwards VoiceMale 🎵🎶🥳🙏☀️ 🚀🍺 - have a blue sky weekend and take care of each other 😀. 

Chris 

From the show of hands last night it looks like we’ll get a good turnout of singers and family members at the First and Last on Saturday. Looking forward to it - the last gig in a marathon session of gigs this term. 


Fingers crossed for decent weather - but there is a marquee (is that how you spell it?) so we’ll not get wet 💦 in the event of inclement weather 🌦️. Gez reckons it’ll be full on sunshine 🌞 and 30 degrees. Don’t forget to bring your sarnies as annoyingly the street food man cried off yesterday 😡 - something about wanting to watch a football match!!!

If you’ve not travelled to Bellingham before then you’ll be gobsmacked by the scenery - the surrounding area is beautiful!!! For the energetic ones there’s a pre gig visit to Hareshaw Linn - a decent walk  https://www.northumberlandnationalpark.org.uk/places-to-visit/north-tyne-redesdale/hareshaw-linn/ Hareshaw Linn is right on the doorstep of the brewery. The postcode for the brewery is NE48 2DA - it’s the OLD fire station in the middle of Bellingham village. 

Let’s meet at 2pm with a view to singing at 2.30 - we should be easily finished by 4 if anyone wants to hi tail it back to watch the football ⚽️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿. 

Dress code is pastel shirts 👔 👕- the Boss says no 🩳- but I doubt he’ll show you the red 🟥 if you do turn up in 🩳 - kilts or frocks for the lads is deffo not allowed!!!😂

Looking forward to it 🍺🍺🍺 - I think it’ll be a lovely gig for us all to enjoy - and we can show our loved ones what it is we do on a Wednesday night. 

Onwards and upwards VoiceMale 🚀🎵🎶🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿☀️👆 - blue skies - take care of each other!!! See you for a great gig. 

Chris 

Does anyone else get that morning after feeling - is it the continued disappointment at our soccer teams performance (Spain showed us how it should be done!), the lousy weather or that morning after feeling you get after a good afternoon performance by VoiceMale? The vibe was excellent and we would have loved to keep singing all afternoon🎵🎶(provided the cake 🎂 and sandwiches🥪 were still available). We had many post match compliments😀😀😀. It was the third gig in only 8 days but there was no sign of vocal weariness from the 18 choristers who could make it yesterday. Really well done everyone - especially Henry and Gez for their solos (not forgetting our stalwart Will!!) - and it was great to see Paul and Steve easing effortlessly in to the groove. I’m sure there will be videos to follow (TIA Linda😀) but in the meanwhile here’s the latest team mugshot! Big thanks to George for organising the gig - you were missed by us and many in the audience who knew you. You should know Jon dedicated your favourite tune, “Peat bog soldiers” to you 😂 - he knew you’d be pleased to have missed singing that one!!! Well done again chaps, see you on Wednesday. And don’t forget the family day gig in Bellingham on Saturday - there’s street food and great ale 🍺 available. I suggest we get there for 2pm so there’s plenty of time to have a good time and get back for the footie 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿⚽️ - if you’re feeling energetic there’s a great 2 hour walk to Hareshaw Linn just adjacent to the F&L site in Bellingham. Cheers Chris
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Good afternoon fellow songsters, this is for all of you who couldn’t make it last Saturday. 
From spooky sounds from the graveyard to Daydreaming behind the hedge, that was some barby on Saturday with 15 of us managing to turn up.
We were greeted by Peter P in his pinny, stoking the coals in readiness with his wife’s hairdryer in readiness for the eventual feast. 
A truly impressive range of beers in the bar rounded off the pre-performance preamble. 
Jon donned his stylish shades either to counter our dazzling performance or perhaps it was the fact he was facing setting sun, either way he ably directed us non-stop through our pre-arranged repertoire. 
Much to the disappointment of Will & Joe however, he decided to shunt "This Train" into the sidings - apparently it was not quite up to steam.
We did manage to slip in that train themed “Working on the New Railroad” however.
In all we rattled through 10 numbers with a final encore of Waters of Tyne in acknowledgment to Sandra who had arrived hot foot from Arran, picking up Anthea on the way. 
The bar was still doing great business as I left, and many thanks to Peter & his team including the enthusiastic young man on the front row who would act as an impromptu cheer leader at the end of each son. 
In all, enjoyed by all and, good news - we've been asked back next year. 🎶🎶👍👍

Martin Merriman

Mine fine syngende kammerater, Mes bons camarades chanteurs, Mijn fijne zangkameraden

There was a night of intensive singing last night as blue skies and evening sunshine ☀️ ☀️☀️ finally made an appearance over the roofs of Morpeth Town. 

Jon was determined to get us match fit for the rapid fire forthcoming four gigs in a two week period and worked us hard 🥹😅😓 to ensure the best results. There’s no doubt we’ll be musically porfect by the end of this. Big hats 🎩 off to the newer members for their efforts last night -it’s a real challenge to be faced with one or two new songs let alone when there’s a dozen. It’s not always this intense but you all did really well. 

A good turnout again despite many being away on business or hols. 

Mes collègues chanteurs, miei cari colleghi cantanti 🎶


The weather isn’t bad for November - most of us seem to be wearing winter clothes at the moment which I suppose is in some way helpful in a financial crisis in that you can save your summer clothes for another day!!! Plus of course we aren’t subjected to seeing too many exposed knobbly (or otherwise) knees - only two pairs (plus Isla) on show last night!!  Even so, a few days of sunshine ☀️ and warmth this ‘summer’ wouldn’t go amiss - just 20 degrees and a gentle wind  from the south would do……🙏🙏🙏. The only consolation is that the rest of the country is no better and indeed Mallorca had 90mm of rain ☔️ in two hours yesterday - what was that you said about global warming Donald T??? 

Nevertheless it was warm doon the Meth Haaall last night and the cockles of our hearts were further warmed by some rousing singing - even Isla 🐕 was able to join with the baritones one note 🎶 rendition of Dream Angus - well sung chaps and woofa!!! 

It was yet another brilliant turnout last night and it was good to see some returning faces. 

Our mining songs seem to be coming on a treat - how many do we have now?? Rap er to bank, Schooldays over, Collier lad, Going to the mine, I can hew……..next it’ll be The Blackleg miner, Working man, the Big Hewer, The Durham Lockout, Working down the Coal mine…..

How would you describe our current repertoire - well how about Mining, Drinking, Sailing, 60’s and Railways songs with a few lullabies hoyed in??? In truth we have a very eclectic repertoire of ‘folk’ songs now - and they’re all great to sing - well done Jon🙏. 

We’re about to embark on a whirlwind VoiceMale world tour of gigs - Netherwitton, Longhorsley, Wideopen and Bellingham all within a 15 day period - and then you’ve got to include 2 Wednesday practices too - not sure VoiceMale have ever had that concentration of gigs before - but we should either be knackered 😴 or perfectly in tune by the end of the period - nice to think our efforts will culminate in a relaxing atmosphere with a few beers and good street food with our friends and families on a sunny Saturday afternoon in picturesque Bellingham 👍🏼🎶🙏☀️. 

Have a lovely weekend chaps - onwards and upwards VoiceMale 🎶🍺👍🏼 🚀 🎈- and always remember, take good care of each other - blue skies 😀. 

Chris. 

Ps for those interested in my wild life events I only saw one deer 🦌 and one rabbit 🐇 on the way home last night - but no worries the freezer is already full 😂😂😂😂!!!