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Festival No.6 2018
Well in 2018 we received the news that the 2018
Festival was to be the last for the forseeable
future. It had become a part of the choirs life
since 2012 and had introduced the choir to new
experiences and also introduced some audience
members to some new choir experiences which
over the years worked extremely well…if 3,500
audience members was anything to go by.
In 2018 following consultation with the organisers
it was decided that the choir would only perform
once, on the Saturday night, but have an hour
long slot, a far cry from the 15 minutes we were
originally allocated in 2012. We decided on this
occasion to reprise some of the more popular
‘cover ‘ versions we had done previously and mix
them with more traditional fare. The preparation
was the same with a soundcheck on the thursday
night, which drew a large number of people by
itself. Then on to Saturday evening, which began
promisingly, with dry weather, and as we lined up
to take the stage the newcomers in the choir were
astounded by the size of the audience. Even for
those of us who had been the since the start it
was amazing with people as far as we could see
and the atmosphere was unbelievable with every
song being met with rapturous applause. Even a
simple song like ‘amen’ was made special by
thousands of mobile phones being lit in the dark,
a great experience.
And so to the end, with calls for encores ringing
out. then it was over as soon as it had begun with
all the lads saying it was the best yet. There are
many people who the choir would like to thank
for giving us the experiences that many choirs
only dream about. To start with our musical team
of John Eifion, who was MC, conducted and sang
superbly and Elizabeth our accompanist who
played in wind, rain and darkness…brilliant.
Certainly Luke Bainbridge for looking after us over
the years and giving us marvellous introductions,
to all the sound and lighting people who made it
special and to Portmeirion itself who made
Festival No.6 an unique and unforgettable event.
Diolch.
Festival No6 2013
Well there we are another Festival No 6 done and
dusted. The question is was it as good as last
year. Not to put to fine a point on it, it was
AWESOME again. We had a rehearsal on site on
Thursday evening in the pouring rain which didn't
go too well, all the expletives from the conductor
gave us a clue, but that was that. It would be
alright on the night wouldn't it???
Friday night came and all the doubts came to the
fore, would it be dry, would there be anybody
listening to us, would our choice of music be
suitable and after Thursday night, would the
Conductor turn up!!!! As last year, the Choir
formed up before we went 'on' and we could see
the crowd below, what a sight, about 2000 people
crammed in the Piazza area with a fantastic
atmosphere. Well, when we walked down the
steps in the light what a reception. As one
commentator said "I thought David Bowie had
walked on".
It was amazing, with each song being rapturously
received and to finish off with Design for Life and
our surprise song Uprising by Muse got the crowd
on to their feet shouting for more. Great credit
should go to John Eifion our conductor who sang
the solos in the songs which he would not
normally sing, but did so as if on the X Factor,
brilliant. And our accompanist Elizabeth who, with
headphones on and a head torch to see the music
and playing blind from the conductor, how she
managed and so brilliantly defies belief. What a
first night.
This time we had a special CD available called 6
for No6 which contained all the songs we were
commissioned to sing as well as two others and
sold very well over the weekend. Here again, a
huge thank you to some of the wives of the Choir,
affectionately called the Brythonwags, who sold
the cd's with gusto and a smile, diolch.
The second night was also very special with a
lovely moonlit night and a HUGE crowd giving us a
reception you would never associate with a Male
Voice Choir. Every member walking to the stage
with a huge smile and tremendous pride. If there
had been a roof on the Piazza, it would have been
lifted, fantastic. And more of the same on the
third night, tempered by a downpour midway
through the performance, but nobody budged,
apart from the technicians who rushed down as
Elizabeth was playing an electric keyboard!!!!
Plus the fact her music sheets turned into a soggy
mess resulting in her playing the 'big' songs from
memory, what a star. And with John singing under
a brolly, it was truly a memorable occasion.
There are so many people to thank we cannot do
it here but Festival No 6 and Luke Bainbridge in
particular many many thanks and also to Rich
Roberts of Ferlas Studios in Penrhyn, what a
talented and obliging producer who did a superb
job over the weekend and on he CD itself, he
made us sound very good !!
Roll on 2014 I say.
Festival No.6