Our fourth Harmony Open Mic in March 2010 was a great success – the room was packed and we had hours of very varied songs from people and groups of all sorts including many we had not heard before. Our esteemed host Rebecca did a wonderful job of keeping us (the rabble) in order, and (almost!) achieved the impossible feat of ordering the acts so that nobody was up performing twice in a row. (It might have helped if we’d given her the right information, but we do like to keep our comperes on their toes…)

She explained the time-honoured tradition of compering which meant she should kick the evening off with a song… but then ignored it. Shame on you Becks!

 

The first act was Liz & Let Di, who bemoaned having the Blues for Company, then sang I Know Whose Tears (about Rudyard Kipling’s obsession with gruesome ways to die and unhealthy attachment to his mother.)

Next, the only all male group of the evening Menfolk Waits gave us H.Purcell’s 17th Century drinking song Five Reasons 'if all be true, that I do think, there are five reasons we should drink…'(who needs five?) then a fabulous rendition of a Georgian table song, Mravaljamier, (meaning 'centuries of good fortune to you'). They finished with Coope Boys and Simpson’s ode to the pleasure and pain of one night stands - Won't You Roll Me In Your Arms… 'this won't be for long this won't be for ever...'Do they have no morals?

 

Kat and Jono stunned us all with their brilliant debut; first was a traditional folk song from Somerset (Kat’s homeland!) called Hares on a Mountain, and the second was Sea Song by Robert Wyatt (Jono’s arrangement) we hope to be hearing more of their singing in the future!

 

The Hard-shelled Acorns took us to the break with some barbershop – My Evaline, some folk -Only Remembered, and Blue Moon with the whole room joining in.

In the break we drew the raffle, and saw three of the four prizes carried off by members of Wild Notes. We hope that'll persuade them to come back next time and sing as wonderfully as they did before. In the second half there were spontaneous contributions from several people who had not intended to sing – That’s the way we like it!

Jenny Goodman sang three songs solo: The Fisherman's Song by Andy Stewart (of Silly Wizard) - about the harsh life and losses endured by the fishing communities of North East Scotland; then her own setting of a Maya Angelou poem "Alone", followed by The Working Girl Blues by Hazel Dickens.

Corista followed with Song of the Low, a Chartist song by Ernest Jones arranged by Martin Carthy, then Deep River arr Nigel Wright, and Both Sides the Tweed, by Dick Gaughan, arr Frances Cockburn.

 

We had another solo from Susan, a beautiful Czech Mother’s Day song.

 

The Jo RiDiLiz sang Harmony – a shapenote song about spring and love, O Kolo, - a Moravian Gypsy song about love and loss (info courtesy of Jenny, many thanks) and the gospel Woke Up This Morning.

Mandy Woods was next with some of her own songs. First she sang solo, then she was joined by Cat and Carolyn to form The Winter Butlees, singing Indian Summer. And finally The Jo RiDiLiz finished the evening leading the gospel song, Hush,

And finally The Jo RiDiLiz finished the evening leading the gospel song, Hush,

The next event will be at the same time, same place (Stubbings Wharf pub, Hebden Bridge), on Sunday June 13th. Get together with your friends and practice some songs and we’ll see (and hear!) you there!

Words by Liz

Pictures by Richard and Fay