'charade that passes for a singaround '.... come on guest... if you really do know anywhere better tell the world!!

I spent a good deal of the week in the Tap.... I suppose I'm part of the so called 'exclusive' group...( although I have never to my knowledge allowed my purile rubbish to spoil anything!) I've been part of that group ever since my first ever visit...for New Year about 5 years ago... every visit I've seen more newcomers become friends on their first visit... This year was no exception.

Two 4 hour singarounds a day seven days = 56 hours... about 12 songs an hour... or thereabouts... 672 songs... and very few songs ever repeated throughout the week.

We had songs that made us laugh... songs that made us cry... chorus songs that had people passing by in the street applauding & joining in...we had old favourites and newly written songs we had poems too... many written by the performers, and visits from performers at the official festival. During each session Jude, Ken or Jim made sure everything was fair... On the whole everyone got one and only one song during each session... whether or not they were wearing a (JOKE) season ticket! Ken for example was in before the beginning of one evening session and only sung at the end four hours later.... egotistical?

And in addition to the etiquette mentioned by Sherry I would add that there are easy to follow rules within the room too... most are related to treating everyone with respect and paying attention to whoever is singing! I'm sure I won't be the only one to remember the powerful rendition of Ten Green Bottles... sung by Rowan.

I tried a singaround in the Endeavour... it was well underway when I arrived... I could see who was singing by the moving lips and by the attentive way everyone was looking in one direction but I couldn't get to the far side of the arch so was unable to actually hear the singing because of the noise behind me in the bar... I was in fact excluded... but not offended!! when it's full it's full!!

Thank's Jude, Sherry et al for another brilliant week... see you at new year.