Very excited to be singing with First Chorus Band Of Singers, Mama Kinand Spender at Howler Melbourne next week (Thursday 03 May).
This time the choir will have *microphones* so you’ll be able to hear us, woohoo yeh
It’s been so lovely to revisit the songs from this album, given that we’ve already performed at Northcote Social Club and Queenscliff Music Festival, and we know the songs reasonably well. So now we can focus on getting the nuance and the feel, and feel solid in our arrangements.
#MamaKinAndSpender #FirstChorus #HairBetweenUs #GoldenMagnetic#YesTheGoldenRobes #GetYourTixNow #kthxbye
Tickets via moshtix here
yes we will be wearing these golden robes… Oh Yes. Final rehearsal this arvo .. it’s been sounding good, i’m so excited (and i just can’t hide it)
Come and see us, go on!! Get your tickets on their page thing.
Also hear the background stories of Danielle and Tommy on Clare’s radio show last week, from 1h10m til 1h27ish, a beautiful interview with some live singing, you’ll get the feeling of what happens in these gigs: Mama Kin and Spender on ABC with Clare Bowditch, 02Nov17
Tommy wanted to “work with people and work with communities”.. First Chorus Band Of Singers is only one of the many choirs in this project.. also hear about their “secret weapon” the super magical Virginia Bott.. “like the Beatles had George Martin”
event page on the FB
plus all the FB hashtags
Thanks Virginia Bott for reminding me of this beautiful album that Emma Tonkin made with First Chorus Band of Singers.
I’d been a big fan of Emma’s work for years, so it was inspiring to be a part of the recording ..and what an experience that was, learning the complex rhythms and harmonies Virginia and Emma created to accompany Emma’s deeply moving songs. If you’ve never listened to it, here’s your chance. (Listen below on this page, or over at bandcamp.)
<a href="http://emmatonkin.bandcamp.com/album/cave-of-lights-by-emma-tonkin-first-chorus-band-of-singers">CAVE OF LIGHTS by Emma Tonkin & First Chorus Band of Singers by Emma Tonkin with First Chorus band Of Singers</a>
I’ve never really listened to Martha, and after seeing this performance I’ve realised my terrible mistake. Here she is live in the Q&A studio singing a beautiful song by her mum (Kate McGarrigle), backed by the lovely tones of Virginia and Jaye of Brighter Later.
Soundscapey duo Jaye Kranz and Virginia Bott were selected to perform as Brighter Later with Martha Wainwright on parts of her Australian tour. The Sydney Opera House banned local support acts, but Martha got them up to accompany anyway.. and she also brought them onto QandA when she was invited to join in the discussion there.
(Virginia is also the musical director of the first chorus band of singers, which is why i’m especially enthusiastic about this performance.)
And now, the moment you’ve been waiting for.. 18 months after first chorus band of singers recorded this album with Emma Tonkin.. the Album Party Launch. Cave of Lights is a beautiful album (i reckon), with songs by Emma, arranged for 4 part harmony by Virginia Bott. (I’ve heard that doors open at 8pm, and we sing at 8:45pm.)
I was in the audience for the launch of Emma’s first album at Bar 303 about 5 years ago, and i’ll be singing in this one. There are 25 voices in the band this time round.
8:00pm Saturday 17 Nov, in the Wonderland Spiegeltent (Docklands). Make sure you head to the Docklands, not the Arts Centre.
grab full size flyer here (link on pic)
The official blurb:
For one night only in the magical surrounds of the Wonderland Spiegeltent, Emma Tonkin and First Chorus Band Of Singers are joined by a great band of melbourne musos to launch their 2012 release CAVE OF LIGHTS, a collection of their work together as long-time collaborators of Melbourne’s independent fringe. The night will kick off with an improvised solo set from guitarist and noisemaker Jed Palmer and the party will continue after the show to the tunes of DJ EDDY. Don’t miss all these folk in the one place creating the magic of this panoramic album live.
For one night only in the magical surrounds of the Wonderland Spiegeltent, Emma Tonkin and First Chorus Band Of Singers are joined by a great band of melbourne musos to launch their 2012 release CAVE OF LIGHTS, a collection of their work together as long-time collaborators of Melbourne’s independent fringe.
The night will kick off with an improvised solo set from guitarist and noisemaker Jed Palmer and the party will continue after the show to the tunes of DJ EDDY. Don’t miss all these folk in the one place creating the magic of this panoramic album live.
Relevant links:
Here are some songs you’ll hear on the night, from the album: Latest tracks by fc band of singers
Read the rest of this entry »
Just noticed that Virginia’s putting some of the songs from Emma Tonkin’s “Cave of Lights” album on soundcloud (the collaboration with first chorus band of singers). You can listen to the song “I will be one” here below. We’re currently rehearsing all the songs with a bunch of wonderful new singers joining the original cast.
Mark this date in your diaries: Saturday 17 November in Melbourne, at the Wonderland Spiegeltent (details to follow – it’s somewhere in the Docklands). Also Saturday 24 November in Castlemaine.
Here’s the link on soundcloud: I Will Be One by fc band of singers.
I’ve tracked down this recording of Emma Bathgate with the first chorus band of singers from the Fairfield Amphitheatre. It’s a pretty good recording i think. This was a hilarious day. We debated for some time about whether to perform because of the rain. During this song, the umbrellas all came out. Emma waved away an umbrella when it was offered.
Via Soundcloud: This Most Ancient Land – Ema & First Chorus Band of Singers by EMA..
Finally we made it to the performance night.
“first chorus: a retrospective” was a celebration of the first 4 years of Virginia Bott’s amazing Band of Singers. Such a joy to be involved with a magic and gorgeous bunch of good people.
The venue: Anytime Place in Brunswick. Gray Taylor and her team of speakeasy angels worked hard to get the venue looking its best. They are incredibly adept at adapting their environment to suit different kinds of performance.
The acoustics and sound engineering: Simon did a truly amazing job with the sound setup. What a dude. Thanks to Marianna and Ro for pointing out the need to turn down the band and the solo singers. Amazingly, we really had a good balance of volume from choir and soloist/band. (i heard later on from someone who sat both back and front that it was still pretty quiet out back in the standing room.
The audience: what a delightful and generous audience we had, filling out the space with warmth and focus.
The director: everyone knows now that Virginia Bott is a complete genius.
The new CD: Cave of Lights, the collaboration between Emma Tonkin and first chorus: band of singers is now available, hot from the CD burning presses. Launch should be around February. So lucky to have a preview copy that we gave a good spin last night after the gig.
Woohoo. Wish we’d recorded it.
Did anyone video?
It’s always good to remember how incredibly lucky i am, living in a developed country, having a roof over my head, access to public transport, and some kind of employment, as well as amazing social support networks. Many people around the world don’t get this lucky.
There’s been so much going on in my life lately:
But telling stories here on the blog.. haven’t had the follow-through lately. Too busy enjoying life, too nervous about writing in public, too stressed about moving house and finding new workplaces.
So there’s the overview.
Maybe i’ll come back with some detail, one day soon.
photo credit: cloud_nine
It was windy, raining and cold.. but the show must go on, isn’t it!
Emma Bathgate opened this extraordinary gig at the Fairfield Amphitheatre
