Re-living the Bertie

My blogger friend from across the pond, Nicky, left a lovely comment on my last post and was asking if I'd have some nice photos of the choir gig. Judging by the amount of flashing that was going on, I'm pretty sure we'll have some good photos to treasure. In the meantime though, some folk in the audience were recording the concert with their phones. Since 'Fix You' has had a fair few mentions in my blog, I thought I'd post the choir's live version here for posterity. Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed singing it on Saturday.....

Buzzing from the Bertie

“I can’t wait till tomorrow night. Often the anticipation gives just about as much pleasure as the thing itself....”

This is the first line of the blog post that I never got round to finishing on Friday night. I’d intended going on to explain how excited I was about taking part in the choir’s concert in the Albert Halls in Stirling the following evening. I was going to say that I thought it would be a different kind of gig in comparison to all of the others that I’ve taken part in since joining the choir back in April. I would’ve explained that most of the other gigs have been part of something else; singing a few songs before the switching on of the Christmas lights; providing the entertainment at the interval of a fund-raising football match; warming up the crowd before a firework display; performing alongside other acts at various charity events and, of course, backing Annie during her TV appearance. I would probably have gone on to say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed every single one of the things we’ve done so far - even when things haven’t quite gone to plan; like the time we stood out in the rain in the middle of a field, or the times the microphones haven’t worked properly, or the occasions where the stage hasn’t been big enough – and have so many happy memories of each and every one of these gigs. But I would most likely have said that the Albert Halls gig was going to be different because it was going to be the choir’s very ‘own’ concert. The bums on the seats would be there because the members of the audience had bought tickets to come and see the choir – the whole choir – and nobody but the choir. And, I’m pretty sure I would’ve said how excited I was that some of those bums were going to belong to nearly all of my family along with some of my closest friends (most of whom wouldn’t have heard the choir sing until the concert) and how special it would be to be up on stage - having an absolute blast - with my lovely choir family while my lovely real family and friends were out there in the audience to share the experience with me. I think I would’ve finished the post by saying that I was pretty sure I would be really nervous to begin with - and couldn’t imagine how nerve-wracking it must be for the choir’s fantastic soloists - but just knew that once we got going I would hopefully relax and have an absolutely brilliant night. The post would most likely have ended with a prediction that all the hard work that Annie and Jane put in, week after week, to ensure that we can all stand up, sing our hearts out, thoroughly entertain the crowd and have an awesome time to ourselves would more than pay off. The last line of Friday night’s post (had I not been distracted by a chattering Ross and Alex) would’ve said that I just couldn’t wait to have a night filled with special moments that, I was sure, would leave me with some very special memories.

.....the morning after the night before I’m still buzzing from the Bertie! So, it would seem that I would’ve been absolutely right on every single count with Friday night's post – and with bells on!