There And Back Again

...or how even a volcano can't thwart the Pink Singers!

It was the first concert of the season, and an overseas concert to boot. The Pinkies were invited to perform with the ever-amazing Mannenkoorts at their annual concert in Den Haag, the Netherlands, and naturally we were excited. Mannenkoorts is easily one of my favourite LGBT choirs. Actually, they transcend the LGBT choir label and are easily one of my favourite choirs full stop. They have a very slick sound and their peformance, including their choreography, is always flawless. The Pink Singers are really good too of course, but there was some trepidation as this concert was also seeing the trial of five of the new songs this season, two of which included choreography.

Over the last few weeks we've been polishing the dance moves, which in Pinkie parlance, means we've been simplifying the actions so that they were achievable in the time allowed. I am sure this frustrates our choreographers so end, but needs must, and the more complicated manoeuvres will undoubtedly be reintroduced later on for the summer concert itself. Anyway, thanks to the marvels of the internet, the Pink Insider, who has been in New York, missed most of the Den Haag rehearsals, but was quite thankful for the editing of the choreography for this concert.

It was with some excitement, therefore, that this Pinkie flew back from JFK to Heathrow, but an hour out from the airport, the captain of the plane made an announcement on the tannoy that, owing to a volcanic eruption, we would be diverting and landing in Paris instead. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Paris, but after ten days away I was really looking forward to returning to good ol' Blighty. Instead, I found myself with a few hundred bewildered passengers in Charles De Gaulle. Because it was so early on in the catastrophe, no-one really had any clue what was going on. I decided I'd take my chances, bite the bullet knowing that I'd have to pony up more cash, and buy a train ticket straight to the Hague.

I was grubby and smelly, not to mention somewhat hungry and dehydrated, and while I felt sorry for myself, on the balance of things, I was actually pretty lucky. By some quirk of fate the Pink Insider had decided to make the crossing by ferry, and so my transportation links, apart from this first leg, were not disrupted. Several of the other Pinkies, however, were still stuck in London, or already in the Netherlands, wondering how to get back. In true Pinkie spirit, and led by the indomitable Tanya, together with the driving skills of Mark W and Jenny Co, a little convoy crossed over to Dunkirk and made the 12 hour journey up to Holland. Through a variety of trains, boats and cars then, the majority of the Pinkies made it to our performance venue, and in fact we were only missing four people, due in part to illness.

So, how did the gig go? Well, we were all incredibly tired after the trip across, and our rehearsal was quite painful. We kept going out of tune, the blending was bad, we seemed to be racing through the songs and the choreography was messy. Part of it was due to the auditorium, which was a converted swimming pool and was therefore quite acoustically challenging. Still, we were running on a bit of a high, having already survived one challenge and looking forward to the next.

Mannenkoorts opened and closed the show, sandwiching the Pink Singers, and we had a chance to sit in the audience to watch them perform. As always, they were absolutely stunnning with a great blending of sound, some outstanding voices, and a great stage presence. I must confess to being a secret fan of Eric, the countertenor in Mannenkoorts, whose facial expressions were hilarious, and whose dulcet falsetto has a beautiful ring. In a way, that was probably good for us, because it made us all the more aware of just how good our own performance had to be.

And of course we pulled it out of the bag. The funny thing is that no matter how bad the rehearsal, we do seem to come together in the end. And, despite a rather tentative start, it was a really fun performance. It was telling that all the new songs were sung the best we have ever done them, which bodes well for our summer concert which is still quite a way away. Even the choreography, which tends to flummox us, came off pretty decently too. The audience, while seeming a little cool, eventually warmed up to us, and by the time we got to the end of the set, the stamping on the floor in appreciation threatened to sink us into the swimming pool below!

After that it was time for a much-deserved three or four glasses of beer and a chance to chat with our very friendly hosts and their friends. We are hoping to see Mannenkoorts as our gusts in the very near future, so do watch this space.

Yesterday was filled with the journey back: tram, train, ferry, bus and tube. I cannot tell you how glad I was to see my bed at long last!

Here Come The Boyats!

Thought I'd post a link to an interesting article in this week's Economist on boyat, Qatari women who dress like men. Frankly, since Qatari men don't seem to wear "baggy trousers" anyway, I'm not sure exactly how this allusion is made, but it is clearly causing some consternation in the rather conservative society.

What I find much more interesting is the UAE's "Excuse me, I'm a girl" campaign which "[stresses] the virtues of femininity and [raises] awareness of the presumed dangers of women looking like men." Ironically in London the "women who look like men" are the ones who I "presume to be dangerous". Tongue firmly in cheek, you know I love you really!

Een Bezoek Aan Den Haag

Yes, we may be in-between seasons at the moment but that doesn't mean the Pinkies are hibernating. No, this Friday is 'You're A Vision (in Pink)' the basses' social down at the Two Brewers, followed by some singing of the more formal variety for the launch of LGBT History Month at Islington Council on the 2nd of February. And then - phew! - the summer season begins in earnest on the 21st of February.

Summer already has a number of events lined up, but one to look out for, especially if you are Dutch, is our performance in Den Haag on the 18th of April. It is at the theatre De Regentes, kindly hosted by the ever amazing Mannenkoorts (although it also sounds like the LGBT choirs in Amsterdam are also doing a bit of hosting). The venue itself is a converted swimming pool, and if that doesn't 'w(h)et' your appetite, then come along and hear us sing!

The Pink Singers Hit Malta Pride!

I love the Pink Singers' overseas trips. We've travelled to tons of places around the globe, mainly to north America and around Europe, and every experience is a new one. These little excursions give us the chance hang out with other Pinkies in a relaxed setting, do even more singing and, of course, meet other people who enjoy singing.
Our trip to Malta last week though, had a few notable differences. The first was that we were going to Malta to help support the Malta Gay Rights Movement at their Gay Pride week, and the second was that we were to sing with a church-linked choir. Maltese society is very traditional, and also staunchly Catholic, which made the whole event a unique one, in that we were there to build bridges and overcome differences.
Worthy as all of that is, before it - of course - came the holiday! We were all going out at different times, centering on the time of the concert, and these Pink Insiders left on the Monday after our summer concert. Malta is hot in July, and that limits activities any more strenuous than walking to the hours before 11am and after 4pm. Our first day was spent fixing the air conditioning in the hotel room and downing a bottle of rose.
I don't want to detract from any of the many wonderful historical and geographic sights in Malta - we went to the old capital at Mdina, saw the crypts at Rabat, and were dangly over the Dingli cliffs, and we visited the co-cathedral in Valetta and took pictures of the Grand Harbour - but at the end of the day this was a Pinkie holiday, so it was more about chilling with the others.
It isn't surprising that as the choir gets bigger you begin to lose touch with individuals. At rehearsal and then afterwards in the pub you don't often get the chance to speak to others. This time round though I spent much more time with people like Karin and Denise, Jules and Greg, James H and Alp. I really value getting to know them so much better, and it has reaffirmed my belief that the Pinkies really does attract some of the nicest people.
Kudos especially go out to Daniel B, who I regret not having gotten to know particularly well prior to our trip out to Malta, but who I now think is one of the kindest and most selfless people on the planet. After all it was he who basically made sure that our stay on Gozo was not only convenient, it was filled with experiences I never thought I'd encounter. There was the festa of St. George in Victoria with the frenzied enthusiasm of Gozitans cheering the placing of the statue on the plinth outside the cathedral. There was the slightly creepy sensation of swimming in darkness in the tunnel between the inland and outer sea.
Most memorable of all though was the glorious afternoon we spent on a boat cruising around Gozo. Jules was trying to demonstrate his cleavage to us ('nuff said) and a couple of ladies at the back of the boat overheard him and guessed that we were singers. It turned out that they were operatic sopranos themselves, and good ones too, from the Netherlands, and what followed then was much singing and laughing. It got the people on the upper deck chilled out too and they soon joined in. We jumped off the side of the boat into the clear blue water, swam, drank and sang some more. That evening was followed by a shared meal thanks to Charlie and Liang our chefs, accompanied by Bette Midler on the iPod, and operatic drinking songs. It was a magical day I will always remember, and none of it would been possible if it wasn't for the Pink Singers.
I was fully expecting the return to Valletta to be disappointing after that, and was surprised when things kept going on a high. We met the other Pink Singers that evening by the sea for a meal together but didn't stay out too late because we knew that it was Malta Pride the next morning.
Having just experienced Pride London a couple of weeks ago, and the sheer number of people both on parade and watching, I can honestly say that Malta Pride is a completely different kettle of fish. It was Pride shedding its ridiculous commercial appearance and getting back to the its roots: showing people that no, we are not weirdos, we are your brothers and sisters, your friends, your colleagues, so how can you discriminate against us? The march itself was not large, and the Pink Singers increased the number of marchers significantly. Andrew F had planned ahead and brought a stack of stickers from Amnesty International saying "Some People Are Gay, Get Over It", and had also invested in rainbow and trans flags for us to wave.
Despite the serious intent the mood was quite festive and we did provoke more than the odd stare from passers by. I had a long chat with Bernard from the Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM), and he lamented that there weren't more people active in their group. It seems that apathy is a global issue, and that many gay people seem to be happy with "adequate", rather than pushing for "equality". People do need to continue to fight intolerance, and it is interesting that the next day the Bishop of Gozo apparently set out a sermon condemning gays and lesbians as a danger threatening society, quite forgetting that we are part of society and have always been, not something which exists outside of it.
This makes the concert that evening all the more remarkable. It was partly the brainchild of MGRM, but came to fruition through Symphonik, a project of the Young Christian Workers of Malta. The latter group is made up of about thirty young men and women who have nobly taken on themselves the aim of overcoming prejudice through music. In London the Pinkies don't tend to be involved in such collaborative projects, so it was wonderful that we were given this opportunity in Malta.
As with all such events, there was some initial shyness as we first got to meet each other, but whether it is due to the incredible warmth of the Maltese people or just these Maltese in particular, I can honestly say that I now have some great new friends like Lorleen, Clyde and Martha.
Symphonik are a talented and very energetic group of performers. They write their own music and sing many of their own songs, and are lucky enough to have their own in-house band who provide much of the backing music, as well as many confident soloists who are not afraid to perform on stage in front of hundreds of people. I thoroughly enjoyed their set, especially their opening number Ameno and in the balcony I can tell you that the Pink Singers were singing along to almost everything from Can You Feel The Love Tonight to Bohemian Rhapsody.
As for our half of the concert, well what can I say? It was wonderful. Despite the stage being smaller than we are used to (despite our reduced numbers), and the presence of microphones, we sang well. We ought to have since the summer concert was just a week ago! This time round we performed 70s Dance Party as our finale, leaving Hallini as our last, surprise encore. I am the first to admit that I was worried about it. The last thing you want it for your encore to be less successful than your finale, but the moment we started singing the audience pretty much roared and clapped and sang along. Symphonik even formed a conga line and danced around the auditorium. The whole concert ended in a joint rendition of Angels which nearly blew the roof off it was that passionate and that loud!
Photo credit: Peter Borg
That evening was spent in the only gay (bar) in the village (sic.) called Tom's Bar. The proprietors didn't know what hit them because the Pinkies descended en masse after the concert, together with Symphonik and people from MGRM, swigging down their stock of Cisk, the local beer. It was there that Lorleen came up with the great idea of organizing a swimming expedition the next day.
Feeling just a little fragile the next morning, we left it until late to meet up, and even then it was after the heat of the day had lessened a little before we went out to the rocks. I was just thinking that our average Sunday is spent in one of the rooms at the Place; what a great idea if we could rehearse in the sea!
That evening, we met up again for what was another highlight of our Maltese visit. We took over the entire restaurant for some traditional Maltese food, including rabbit, fish and wrapped beef rolls. As with all these social events there was more singing to be had, from traditional Maltese songs, to spontaneous solos (Cormac was the consummate performer), to a reprise (albeit somewhat flat) of the previous night's repertoire. I loved it! At the end of the day, this is what it is about. Sexuality is a total non-issue and we share so much more in common than we have differences - it is these commonalities which count.
Speaking with MGRM at the end, I think they felt encouraged to keep Sounds of Diversity as an on-going event. Europe is certainly full of LGBT choirs who would jump at the chance to perform in Malta. I hope this is the start of many years of diversity to come!

Entente Cordiale

Last Thursday the 9th of April 2009 will go down in history as one of those days to commemorate Anglo-French co-operation. Yep! The Pinkies were back in Paris, this time as the guests of our good friends Equivox, the Melo'men and Caramel Fous. We were all in town as part of a concert called Des Voix Contre le SIDA to raise funds for Les Petits Bonheur, an organization providing support for those with AIDS.

Of course, we were really excited about it: it is a rare privelege that an outside choir gets asked to this event, and even moreso that we were the headline act. Over the last few months we've been rolling our Rs int he three French songs we performed - Dirait'On, La Mer and Il Faudra Le Dire, and thanks to Johnathon's patient coaching (and vocal recordings done in the loos of the Place) we didn't mangle the language too much.

Most of us arrived by train, and I have to say that half the fun is in getting to Paris with the others. We had enough time to drop our bags with our hosts from Equivox and grab a quick bite before making our way down to the Trianon theatre for the late afternoon rehearsal. It was a blisteringly hot day and I was thankful for having packed a pair of shorts.

La Mer was supposed to be the 'secret' encore number, so it was the song we rehearsed first. Everyone was really excited and the first run through hit a few hiccoughs, but we were pretty confident.

The Pink Singers do what we do very well, which is sing with occasional movements. I am not sure we can physically do both simultaneously without breaking something. So when the concert began, I have to say that I was terribly impressed with both the Melo'men and Caramel Fous, both of which I watched from the gods. Caramel Fous is not so much a choir as a theatrical group, and they could dance in synchrony while singing, which is an achievement in itself. Sadly, my French is non-existant, and many of the jokes (evident from the hearty laughing from the French audience) were lost on me. Melo'men gave us a slight cause for a heart attack because they performed America, a song we were due to perform in the second half, albeit a different arrangement. Theirs was a medley, and they staged it flamboyantly, with a statue of liberty and a group of guys dressed like the village people. I was sitting next to Kate O, and at the end we turned to each other and asked, "Aren't they supposed to be keeping the best for the last?" We wondered how we were supposed to top that!

After the interval we gathered back stage, and it was time for Equivox to go on. Sadly, we couldn't really hear their performance from where we were in the wings, but they are always so theatrical and it was wonderful to see them in their shiny outfits. They are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year, and the Pinkies have a special place in their hearts for our counterparts in Paris.

Then it was time for us to shine! We joined Equivox on stage for a joint performance of Dirait'On, then continued by ourselves with Dies Irae from Karl Jenkins' Requiem. The audience really seemed to love it, and as the performance went on the cheers literally became more and more hysterical. By the time we got to the end of Forever Motown I was actually worried that the audience was going to rush the stage! The cynic in me wondered whether the French were just being polite, but the floor rumbling, screams and thunderous applause suggested a considerable disinhibition on their part which was too genuine to fake.

Forever Motown was our official ending song, but because we made two curtain calls, Johnathon came forward and asked them (rhetorically) whether they wanted to hear any more. So to excited cheers we performed La Mer. Well, the French really, really loved it, and I have to say that as a choir we really fed off their energy. Paris will go down as one of our best gigs in living memory. We love Paris, and we love the Parisians!

Symphonik Sounds In Malta

I had a chat with Andrew F yesterday about our trip to Malta, and he was telling me about our host choir there called Symphonik (horrible Flash website warning!). They seem to be a relatively new choir, but, obviously being quite young as well they have their Facebook and MySpace pages up and running too. These two pages are of particular interest because they have sample music on it so we can hear them in action. And they are indeed unlike any other choir we have performed with. They appear to be a bit more of a backing chorus, and their performance includes a rock band and solo singers as well. I'm a bit old to classify the music but to me they sound a lot like 80s synth. Everything seems really chirpy and fun, and I'm looking forward to what should be a really interesting juxtaposition of sounds.

Des Voix Contre Le Sida 2009

In Paris this April? Well, the Pink Singers will be too! We've are very honoured to have been invited to join our great friends from the city of lights: Les Caramels fous, Equivox, Mélo'Men and Podium Paris in a joint concert to raise awareness and funds for all those touched by AIDS. The event is called Des Voix Contre Le Sida, and while the website still shows last year's event, I can tell you that it is all happening on Thursday 9 April 2009 at the Trianon theatre. Previous events started at 2030h and a ticket costs just 20€ for a chance to hear all five choirs, and of course it is all for a good cause too. This is the first year a non-French choir has been invited, so we are really thrilled to have been chosen. More details when the Pink Insider gets them!

Let The Sunshine In

Liang has been a busy bee and uploaded a recording of Equivox and us performing Let The Sunshine In at the post-concert brunch on the Sunday. It brings back great memories of our trip to Paris and the fantastic people we met there. And what a great time it was too!

Oh Paris!

In a first for me I am writing a blog post on the train on the way back from Paris. Now the weekend is over, I can look back on it with a mixture of relief and contentment but the feeling on Friday morning was quite different.

There was, first of all, the excitement of simply departing from the new Eurostar terminal at St. Pancras; and what a beauty it is. Having a coffee at the platform level and seeing the blue sky shining through the glass roof of the train shed, itself supported by sky blue ironwork was of itself an amazing experience, made better only by the wonderful and not so expensive bacon butties with tomato chutney of the Baby Betjamin café.

In contrast to the good weather in London, Paris couldn't have been damper. Clouds rolled in shortly after the tunnel crossing, and by the time we arrived at the Gare du Nord, a full storm was underway. As we arrived in the early afternoon and our host was still working, we had a couple of hours to kill. Liang, Simon and I spent it in a random brasserie: hamburgers seem to taste so much better when they are called steak haché!

Our hosts were a lovely couple called Stéphane, a long-serving tenor in Equivox, and Harald his partner (a.k.a. choir widow) originally from Vienna. Not having known anything about them before going, apart from their names, I was pleased to see that we were very similar in age and temperament. In fact, Simon and I could not have asked for more gracious hosts, and made better friends, over our time in Paris.

After settling in, we took them out to dinner at their local restaurant called La Domaine Léopold which specializes in simple rustic food from the area around Toulouse. Harald and Stéphane are obvious regulars because we were treated to free aperitifs and a wonderful starter of the most amazing warmed fois gras I have ever had. Just don't think about the duck. We were supposed to meet the other Pink Singers at the Open Café later, but as both the wine and conversation were flowing so well, we decided not to interrupt either.

The next morning was largely filled with preparations for the concert. We met Philip G and Michael for lunch at a bistro next to the town hall and were joined by Ben P, Sue, Liang and his host, also called Stéphane, so it became a rather impromptu party.

The Pinkies are very much like a large extended family, and gathering in one of the side chambers in the town hall for the warm-up was therefore akin to a family reunion. We have only been apart for six days, but you just couldn't avoid the "How've you been? What have you been up to? Where did you get that pink accessory?" type questions. To complete the picture, Liang's and Mike's cameras were out in force, as was Celso's, so I cannot be accused of being the only photo addict!

The first real contact with Equivox was when we watched them perform on stage for the first of the two concerts. Their musical director, Babette, has definitely put her mark on the choir, and their incredible stage presence, theatricality and enthusiasm reflects her own background in street performance. Watching Equivox perform is a real spectacle, and although their outfits are more restrained than previous years (their current theme being a summer party), their stage presence cannot be denied. This is as much their signature as (I hope) musical fidelity is for the Pink Singers.

A minor upset occurred after Equivox had finished their set. We were under the impression that there was to be an interval, but when the compere began doing our introduction we vacated the seats at the back of the hall and trooped on stage. It is not easy going from being unprepared to launching into Dies Irae! I was especially impressed at the comedy double act of Johanthon and Philip R who managed to get the audience laughing and applauding in their bilingual introduction, no mean feat!

The stage itself was very small and apparently has safety regulations limiting the number to a maximum of 42 at only one time on it. That explains why Equivox singers took it in turn to sing in either concert. Even with only 40 Pinkies (and Mladen) there was a bit of a squeeze and I was in the fourth of five rows when normally I am in the third of four. The cosiness meant that I was singing into Liang's right ear and Celso was singing into my left, and I have to say that it the tenors sounded pretty tight as a result. In fact, the whole choir sounded really polished, and if anything the second performance was even better than the first because we were more relaxed. The usual adrenaline rush after a concert wore off by the time I was on stage for the second time, so I must admit I also enjoyed it much more. The break between performances also gave Philip G, who was already showing off his long, toned, stockinged legs, a chance to experiment with novel decorative uses of a feather boa…

The Parisian audience really loved our attempt at the French songs Dirait'on and Hymne a l'amour and the applause and whoops were very reassuring. So I was slightly amused, and partly deflated, when Stéphane said we were very "charming with our English accents". Aww, I was trying so hard too to "parlez la Francais" [sic]. The audience were also very generous in their donations, and by the end of the night we had raised €1,500 for Sidaction, the organization fighting AIDS in France.

The after-party was a mad rush through the rain to a venue called Le Tango, Paris’ (and probably France’s) only gay and lesbian dance hall. There was something somewhat surreal about getting ready for a night out in your jeans and T-shirt finery, to arrive at the venue where couples are doing the Viennese waltz around the dance floor. Clearly it is really popular, but being timorous souls and having four left feet between us, Simon and I elected to spend most of the evening nursing our beers and watching from the side. This did not stop Stéphane for whom Le Tango is virtually a second home. Where does he get the energy! I did get a chance to chat with one of the new altos, Christine, who for some reason I kept introducing to other people by a completely different name most of the evening – sorry about that Christine! Later that evening the music turned to Eurotrash (eek!) and then to 80s English pop, so not much of an improvement then!

The next morning it was with some difficulty, entirely self-induced, that we made it to the venue where the group brunch was to be held. This is where Equivox normally rehearses, and is a primary school near to where we were staying. Ah the mem’ries of small, low, tightly-packed and rather stinky urinals… Stéphane took Simon and I on an abbreviated tour of some of the arcades in Paris, these elaborate and often sealed short-cuts through the buildings between streets; by the time we got there a spread had been laid out. What was better was the chance to chat with some of the members of Equivox like Florian (Stéphane's - Liang’s host’s - partner), Karim (who is the only bloke singing in the altos) and Marc, a rather studious-looking and musically knowledgeable chap.

It is always good to hear feedback from other choirs. I am very much a perfectionist, and I always go back over my own, and the choir’s, performance with a fine-tooth comb to pick out the mistakes made and identify areas for improvement. So I can be quite a downer sometimes, and it was a timely reminder that the Pink Singers really are very good, and we do have a clean, tight and very polished sound, and one that impresses other choirs! We had a chance to whip out that sound again in a spontaneous sing off between Equivox and us, and then reprised Let The Sunshine In which metamorphosed into a conga line snaking around the hall. What fun!

All too soon it was time to get back on the Eurostar to return to London. Unlike Paris, it wasn’t raining when we got back in, thank goodness for small mercies, but for dinner I defrosted a pizza; it certainly ain’t no fois gras! Sigh…

Lost In Paris?

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Finger OnThe Pulse

I am guilty. Guilty of not checking up on the Pink Singers' website regularly. But I met up with Nathalina, our super new webmaster, last night and was compelled to have a look. What a great job she's doing! She has most recently posted the official event report for Helsinki and our performance with Out 'n Loud (i.e. not the Pink Insider's view). This one comes courtesy of Mikki, and is particularly significant, because it was her first trip overseas with the Pinkies. Head on over for her experience of our visit to Finland, and while you're there take a peek at the official photos too.

Marriage Made In Heaven?

I just paid a visit to our own website and noticed the bumph for the Paris concert is up. We are, of course, performing with the inimitable Equivox, and the picture on our home page comes off the Equivox website. They have most definitely changed their stage wear. The last time I saw them perform was back in Various Voices 2005 Paris, and they were a hoot, dressed as they were in a cross between panto and Village People outfits. Not sure that the current bridal wear is an improvement, but it is most assuredly striking!

Looking at the order of the performance as well, it appears we will be following the pattern as set up by Out 'n' Loud where the host choir sings first and we will be bringing up the second half. Traditionally it is the other way around. I guess it just adds a little pressure on us to perform. Then again, our concert gear is comparatively staid in comparison, so for entertainment value, the only way is up!

Fast Train à Paris

If you've been following this blog you'll realize that we're off to Paris in just under 4 weeks' time (!) The details are on our website, but basically, make a date for:

Saturday 8 December 2007
6 p.m. and 8p.m.
Mairie du IIIeme
2, Rue Eugene Spuller
75003 Paris

You will notice that there are two times listed, and that's because we will be performing our repertoire twice. Word on the street is that the venue is quite small, and to make the exercise worthwhile financially, two seatings will be required. this is, I think, the first time we will be performing the repertoire twice on one night which will be a bit of a novelty. But I am worried that with some of the very high notes of You'll Never Walk Alone and Come What May, at least in the tenor line, I personally will have trouble getting through it once, let alone twice.

A potential highlight is that the Mayor of that arrondissement will be opening the concert, although I do wonder whether he/she is inclined to sit through both sessions. The definite highlight is just the fact that we will be in Paris at the start of winter when the days are short and the sky is (hopefully) clear, singing with friends and wowing the audience.

Oh, and watching Mladen panic the week before!

Ironically though the main attraction for me is the outgoing journey from St. Pancras Station via Eurostar. The Barlow shed is opening this week and looks totally gorgeous.

From Helsinki With Love

What? No post since Pride - time to rectify that...

We kicked off our winter season in style by performing in Helsinki with Europe's youngest gay choir - Out 'n loud. While most Pinkies flew there directly to take in the best of Helsinki, some of us took the scenic route by flying to Tallinn and catching the ferry to Helsinki. From all accounts, the night before the show was one to remember with Pinkies exercising their vocal cords as only the Pinkies can - by singing all night in a karaoke bar (gay, of course).

The day of our concert (Sat 15 Sept)dawned wet, dull and cold. Our rehearsal reflect the weather with Mladen tearing his hair out as we were all flat. But as the day brightened to reveal a sunny blue sky, so did our voices so by the time of the show we were raring to go.

Our host choir provided the warm up act by performing in the first half. Stepping onto the stage to rapturous applause, we knew we were onto a winner. We kicked off with Fancies, and followed up with the classical section.

After a brief interlude of Nathalina and Carol provided the audience with an amusing take on a Brit learning a foreign language, the rest of the concert flowed effortlessly. "Love Song For A Vampire" hit new peaks and "This Woman's Work" was a treat especially for one of the Helsinki choir members who declared this his favourite song. "Abba Pink" brought the house down and we closed the event singing a joint song in Finnish with Out 'n loud (a song about ducks and being by the water). The audience was hugely appreciative and the reception we received was heart warming.

We trooped off to a bar-come-sauna afterwards for some entertainment. While some Pinkies warmed themselves in the sauna, others were dancing to the perpetual stream of Eurovision songs blasting from the speakers. As Adam said "...all the songs sound the same..."



However, Andrew F seemed to know every word to every song... What more could a Pinkie want except to go clubbing afterwards - so while Hercules was being explored by the men, DTM was being invaded by the women.

The next day found just Ben and Liang accompanying our single Finnish host Jaakko (hope I spelt this correctly) on the proposed city tour. I guess everyone else was just too tired or partied out... Later on, a number of bleary eyed Pinkies were seen at the airport checking in and waiting for their flights home.
We had enjoyed marvellous hospitality, experienced a Finnish sauna and tasted a Finnish sandwich (chemical) cake.

Thank you Nathalina for getting the ball rolling and thank you Tanya for completing the organisation. Roll on Paris...

PS. I mustn't forget to thank Lynne for her endless organisation energy, Mladen for conducting us fabulously, Michael for his tireless nimble fingers and Andy for his wonderful arrangements.

Suomen Tasavalta

Woo hoo! Had some really good news today - the Pinkies are heading to Finland for a concert with Out 'n Loud. It is a big relief, because there was a worry that we wouldn't have an overseas trip this year. Thankfully, Nathalina's been hard at work, and she met with the Helsinki-based choir last week and we have sorted out a tentative date in September.

If you've been following the saga, you'll know that we were supposed to be going to Paris as the guests of the zany Equivox. Unfortunately, the venue fell through at the last minute, which has left us a little in the lurch. One of the highlights every year is our joint trip away to some European city. Last year's trip to Copenhagen, hosted by the wonderful and ever so gracious Carmen Curlers, just left us wanting more!

Apart from Linus Torvalds, I must say that my knowledge of Finland is minimal, but I guess I now have six months to brush up on the language and culture. It looks like Out 'n Loud have a single out with two songs: Var är min midja (Where Is My Waistline?) and Shoppaileen (I'm Going Shopping). My first words in Finnish, strangely useful.

Taking A Stand In Riga?

I have to say that I am in no way a gay activist. I like to just get on with my daily life, do my work, spend the weekends with Simon, maybe catch a film. It is all quite humdrum really.

This summer though, the Pinkies have been invited to perform at a Pride march, not in London, but in Riga, the capital of Latvia. Apparently, the London and Riga Prides are twinned. The official website is here, but I must warn you that it is possibly the most visually annoying page I have seen, ever. There is also a really noisy song which cannot be turned off, so make sure your volume is down before clicking on the link.

Anyway, today Tim sent a snippet around by email which is quite eye-opening. In particular:

In an interview with Diena newspaper, Janis Birks said he was ashamed at events last year, when bags of human excrement were thrown at gay marchers.

This almost begs some kind of light-hearted response. But we are really very lucky in London, and can take things for granted. Looking at the BBC archive, the combination of "Riga" and "gay" don't seem to sit well together. The Pink Singers were formed to sing at London Pride in 1983, perhaps we should be singing in Riga in 2007?

I wonder whether my pac-a-mac is pee and poo proof.