29th January Singers Night
Well, it was our third week at the new venue and I think we’re getting there!
Taking on board some of the suggestions from our members, we’ve fine-tuned the seating. Another tweak planned for next week and we’ll have got it just right. The aim is to create a nice intimate acoustic club atmosphere, filing up the seating from the from the front, whilst having the rear of the room to fall back on when we have a really big audience.
Repositioning the speakers has enabled us to distribute the sound evenly throughout the room and at the same time keep the volume much lower. So nobody need fear that sitting at the front will damage their eardrums.
Luckily we have the space to do this and still keep the seating “cabaret style”, i.e., chairs around tables rather than regimented rows.
We fixed the reflections of the spotlights in the TV screen by draping one of my photographic background cloths across the wall behind the performers.
As a bonus, it’s colour and pattern combine with the exposed stone wall, the beams and the barrel to create an appropriately rustic barn-like setting to the stage area. “Yee-Har!” .
Best not get carried away though. I don’t think the management would approve of us replacing the stools with bales of straw. 🙂
It was another splendid turn-out with 14 musicians. In addition to the usual suspects, it was good to see Alan Wilkins making a return visit and especially because he introduced a young lady from Cyffylliog with a lovely sweet voice. Cadi Dafydd is a prominent member of the Ruthin Ladies Rugby team but unfortunately broke her leg during a recent game. It means she can give more of her time to singing while it mends. So every cloud really does have a silver lining!
Wynne was back for the second week running to accompany Robin on his Tenor Recorder.
Phil Johnstone was the birthday boy of the week having celebrated his 60th a couple of days earlier. We all sang the appropriate song and helped him demolish his birthday cake.
It was nice to see Llinos and Campbell in the audience for the first time at The Feathers, or to be more precise, the first time since 1996. For it was in this very room that they founded Ruthin Folk Club. (Read More Here).
Better still, You could here a pin drop as she teamed up with Enid and John Bass to sing Autumn Leaves for the second time that day. For together with Mick Watson, they had sung it that morning at Bryn’s funeral in Llanrhaeadr Chapel. (see the Bryn Roberts Tributes page).
The evening drew to a close with a rousing set by Tom, Dick, Harry and John and we all went home with their finale piece ringing in our ears.
See you next week!
