Singers wanted for London FolkMob event

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Noreen
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 08:04 PM

It was fun to watch the Youtube clip- thanks for that, though I would have loved to be there- maybe another time?

I think I spotted a certain Leadfingered person filming at the back there- perhaps other views may be made available shortly? :)

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Bainbo
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 03:44 PM

It looked like great fun - and yo couldn't have picked a better day, right during our mini-heatwave.

I was amused to see two predominant reactions among the unsuspecting onlookers (there were of course many exceptions):

1] (Presumably locals) I'm not even going to acknowledge it's happening, and I'll carry on browsing the stalls; and

2] (Presumably visitors) I'm going to spend more time trying to get in focus on my phone / camera than actually listen to it.

But it was an absolute delight to see how many smiles it produced on the faces of those watching. Well done!

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: MGM·Lion
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 01:54 PM

Regret couldn't make it. Thought the video fine ~ gave good impression of Flash-mobbery, IMO.

Congratulations to organisers and all who took part. Well done!

~Michael~

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,moira (flyingcat)
Date: 03 Oct 11 - 08:33 AM

Hi fossil, unfortunately the person who was going to record it couldn't make it so some of the people who had come to sing offered their services. Better something than nothing. I thought it was pretty good under the circumstances. M

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 07:50 PM

Congratulations to everyone involved.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Fossil
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 06:35 PM

Well, lovely singing and a great idea.

I don't like to be too picky, but the YouTube clip didn't do it justice. Pity it wasn't recorded by anyone who had any idea of how to use a video camera. I ended up feeling faintly queasy from all the snap-panning backwards and forwards. Plus half the time you couldn't see what was going on, as the auto-exposure control was working on the bright buildings and sky in the background and under-exposing the foreground.

Not to say the event itself wasn't a wonderful thing and the singing was great! More of this, please... Next time, a good photographer, and record the sound separately on a decent mic, though. And the "mob" should coalesce, so that their sound is coherent, rather than being spread out.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Mick Pearce (MCP)
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 05:56 PM

I saw you managed to get yourself nicely into the video Moira (along with your brightly-coloured friend!).

Hope you (and Malc) are as well as you looked.

Best wishes
Mick

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,moira (flyingcat)
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 05:40 PM

It was brilliant! Thanks to Jim for organising it all and ust to let everyone know that at least one person was completely amazed and blown away by it. Roll on next time! Moira and Malc

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: severed-head
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 05:08 PM

I also hope there may be another event I can get to. I was in hospital (for hernia repair) at the time of rehearsal and still feel very fragile.
A friend sent me the Youtube link.
Garry

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: My guru always said
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 04:55 PM

Good to see that it all worked OK, good fun was had by all!

Wish I could have joined in, but apparently singers who couldn't attend the rehearsal were not allowed to join in. Or so I was told anyway. Maybe there'll be a next one & I can get to that?

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: severed-head
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 04:28 PM

Youtube video

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: My guru always said
Date: 02 Oct 11 - 03:41 PM

So, how did it go?

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Gervase
Date: 11 Sep 11 - 05:27 PM

Just to update, for those who are interested and who may be able to make it...

The date for the event has now been settled as October 2nd (a Sunday) at 2.30pm, with the rehearsal still at Cecil Sharp House on September 24th.

If you're keen to take part could you email Jim Morrison, who is organising the mail-outs, directly at [e-mail]? Jim can then supply you with a link to follow which will enable you to download the words and tunes so that we can all sing from the same hymn-sheet, as it were.

Many thanks, and hope to see plenty of you at the rehearsal.

Gervase

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Richard Mellish
Date: 10 Sep 11 - 04:46 AM

I'm glad the squabbles about the name have died down, but it's perhaps worth mentioning that I was not until now aware of a club called "Folkmob" (despite having lived in Greater London for over 30 years) nor as far as I know has the original instigator of the event used that name. The email that I received from him had the subject line "Flashmob".

I would be delighted to participate, but for the fact that I can't make the rehearsal, which is important.

Richard

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Dave Earl
Date: 09 Sep 11 - 04:32 PM

And I'll be at Tenterden on the 1st so I have to rule myself out altogether.

Dave

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Dave Earl
Date: 09 Sep 11 - 04:19 PM

I'm at Whittlebury too so can't make the rehearsal I'm afraid.

Dave

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: autoharpbob
Date: 09 Sep 11 - 11:15 AM

So will the other song now be "A wizards staff has a knob on the end"?

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: SallyM
Date: 08 Sep 11 - 08:55 AM

I would also love to come to this event - but along with several others it seems, will be at Whittlebury. Is it possible to have a last minute early rehearsal early in the morning on the actual day for those who can't make the 24th ? in Cecil Sharpe House perhaps ?

Sal the Gal

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: My guru always said
Date: 08 Sep 11 - 03:36 AM

How're things going with this?

PM'd my email addy but haven't received anything yet. Was hoping to turn up despite being unable to rehearse.....

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Essex Girl
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 05:45 AM

I would love to have joined in but will be dancing (and singing)at Tenterden Festival that weekend along with a lot of other Morris sides.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 02:57 AM

MGAS: All we need in addition is to get a Morris side to dance "Mrs Widgery's Lodger" !!!

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: My guru always said
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 02:52 AM

That Pratchett IS a good Boy!

This will be a fabulous way to bring Folk to the masses....

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 02:50 AM

Interestingly, "Pleasant and Delightful" has a pivotal role in Terry Pratchett's "I Shall Wear Midnight". However, in the villages of The Chalk it's called "The Larks They Sang Melodious"...it's only when Nanny Ogg turns up at the funeral that we get to know that the same song is called "Pleasant and Delightful" in Lancre :-)

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Gervase
Date: 02 Sep 11 - 02:28 AM

If folk could PM me their email addresses I can ensure that they get a copy of the material exactly as we'll perform it - and it would be fabulous to see as many as can turn up.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,moira(flyingcat)
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 07:59 AM

I'd love to be involved Gervase but like "my guru says", I will also be at Whittlebury. Could we rehearse together there maybe Moira

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: My guru always said
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 07:39 AM

Alas, cannot come to rehearsal on 24th as we'll be at Whittlebury. Bu**er!!!

I take it there's no way of helping out without rehearsal? Could there be a separate unrehearsed section as long as we know what we're doing before the day?????

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Phot
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 05:10 AM

Gervase, all I can say is, I really would love to be there and do the Flash thing (...Errr...That came out the wrong way!), once again the job gets in the way. The best of British to you all, and stand up for your tradition!!

Wassail!! Chris

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Phil Edwards
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 04:47 AM

Gervase - were you at the Exmouth the other night?

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,EricTheOrange
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 03:27 AM

Gervase - good luck with the event, it sounds like a laugh. I wish I lived close enough to take part.

On a more general note (and it seems like your group is doing some of this) it looks like attending the rehearsal is an obstacle for many possible participants. Perhaps for future events you could get together a core who have practised together to lead the "performance" with many others unable to make the practice instructed using video / web technologies?

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,surreysinger sans cookie
Date: 01 Sep 11 - 01:59 AM

@McGrath of Harlow: In fact Commando Trad DID do one event which was purely song, and very effective it was.(And it was rehearsed) However the songs chosen had guts and drive and were danceable to. I'm none too sure that Pleasant and Delightful has those sorts of qualities, but chacun a son gout as I suppose they'd say. Hope it works for those participating.By the way I wouldn't use the name Surge - there's a very large choir with that name on the South Bank! ;-)

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Gervase
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 04:37 AM

Right.
The date is now set for performance - Sat October 1st
The performance venue - London, TBA (negotiations under way)
Rehearsal and Q&As - Sat September 24th, all day.
Rehearsal venue - Cecil Sharp House
Programme - Pleasant and Delightful plus second song TBA before rehearsal.
Instruments - welcome, but must be covert and capable of being whipped out and played in an instant (thus it was with regret that we had to turn down Martin Carthy; it was the tuning, you see...).

I appreciate that the very notion of rehearsal may be anathema to many seasoned performers, but the hope is that on the day everyone can sing the same song to the same tune in the same rhythm at the same time (with harmonies for them as likes 'em).
To that end, the intention is to email out a sound file of each song together with notation and lyrics, so everyone can get to grips with it. On the rehearsal day we'll be trying to get the kick-off perfected; it's harder than you think to break into song 'spontaneously' when you're standing on your own in the middle of a crowd with precious little in the way of a cue.

I'd be hugely grateful if all those interested could PM me their email address (which will not be passed on to any third parties), and as soon as the sound files (which will be less than 3Mb) and the dots'n'lyrics are ready I'll send them over.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,Psychomorris
Date: 31 Aug 11 - 04:12 AM

Gervase. Any further details yet? Thanks Psychomorris

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 06:34 PM

My point being basically that while songs tend to fix passers by as observers being entertained, music and especially dance blurs the distinction between observers and participants. It's possible to join in.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 06:19 PM

Songs rather than tunes? I'd question that choice. Perhaps a street singere to start and a song in chorus at the end, but I'd say the main effort should be music and dance, as with Montreal's Trad Commandos.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 06:02 PM

Hi Gervase - all best wishes, but we'll be singing in the Red Lion in Swanage then!

Kitty

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Old Vermin
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 06:38 AM

From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 11 - 07:25 PM

Second weekend in September?

Was me not log ged in Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Aug 11 - 02:59 AM

Open Mike - I have provided links to the facebook page and website of the real FolkMob above. Eltham is in South London.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: katlaughing
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 11:57 PM

Gervase, you've left Wales?! The "music event" sounds like a blast! I've enjoyed various ones found on youtube over the years. The "Sweet Adelines" did one here, recently. Not my kind of preferred music, but still neat. Getting music out and about, so unexpectedly, can be such a positive, uplifting moment for folks who are often rushing through their day. Goodonya and have fun!

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: open mike
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 11:33 PM

is Eltham near London? It seems if the name London Folk Mob were specific.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: schlimmerkerl
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 07:22 PM

@ Richard Bridge. Sorry, it was Ronald Regan in debate with (i believe) Jimmy Carter. Anyway, sounds like a good idea. Some of you guys are kind of tightly wound…

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: JohnH
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 06:36 PM

To Richard Bridge... I'm sure that Dave Bryant and Brixton Bert would have approved!!

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Old Vermin
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 01:57 PM

From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 11 - 07:25 PM

Second weekend in September? etc

Was me. old vermin, not logged in. Sorry about that.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Gervase
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 11:42 AM

Cheers for that, Rob; you're a gent.
I've only just returned to London (as in the past two weeks) after nearly a decade in the far West of Wales; as dark and damp as many arses!
And it would be great to have you there waving a whole bunch of keys. Details should be finalised this weekend, so I'll try to post an update on Monday.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Rob Naylor
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 05:56 AM

Gervase....I'd like to apologise for the "up your arse" comment.

Your subequent good-humoured posts lead nme to believe that I might have just been a tad mistaken as to the location of your domicile :-)

I just get a bit fed up of people issuing a blanket condemnation of Mudcat if they don't get immediate positive replies to their initial posts, and I over-reacted to your follow-up.

I may even have a re-think on participating, if you can cope with a gobby git who sometimes has problels finding the right key.

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST,Eddie1 (Still sans cookie)
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 03:55 AM

In view of newspaper headlines in the UK over the last few weeks, can we expect to see an article along the lines of:-

"Mudcat contributor sentenced to 30 years deportation for using folk music social network to incite riot!"

I now have this mind picture of thousands of kangaroos, koalas and wombats jumping up and down while singing "South Australia"!

Eddie

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Gervase
Date: 25 Aug 11 - 03:48 AM

Don't worry about the the sniping, although it is one of the reasons I haven't posted much on the Mudcat of late after the best part of a dozen years of enjoyment here but, hey, that's a matter for another time.

At the moment what is good is that people are willing to come forward and take part in a fun event which will raise the profile of English traditional song. And that's worth celebrating. Keep em' coming!

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Suegorgeous
Date: 24 Aug 11 - 10:31 PM

Yeh - give the man a break, snipers all! :)

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 11 - 07:25 PM

Second weekend in September?

Swanage FF. Heritage Weekend outside London.

Perhaps it's for London folkies....

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Leadfingers
Date: 24 Aug 11 - 06:41 PM

Richard - Isnt an apology enough for you ? Especially from someone who (I Think) left the London Area when Eltham was still just 'The Barn' !

Subject: RE: Singers wanted for London FolkMob event
From: Noreen
Date: 24 Aug 11 - 05:46 PM

Richard- give it a rest?

I think it sounds a wonderful event- more power to the elbows of everyone involved.