Socials
BLAGSS Winter Pride Bowling
05/02/08 19:00
Yet again, the keen Rainbow Chorus
team braved the wind and almost rain to reach the Brighton Marina
Bowlplex to 'go for gold'. Ahem. This year our largest choir posse
yet was represented by Adam, Michael, Ewan, Gill, Liam and
Stephen.
Although we didn't have such a cracking run of strikes as last year, and we're sure lane 23 was rigged so that we ended up with one 'pin' (to use the jargon) standing far too often, the team average was up considerably on 2007 and as you can see at one point here we were doing very well, though admittedly before all the scores were in ...
It was all great fun with all 26 lanes taken up with all sorts of local LGBT groups and even the four members of the Stonewall team who had come down from London just for this event. Stephen amazed himself (and everyone else I think) by actually scoring a strike for the first time in his many, many years! Remarkably, the BLAGSS Bowling Team did not get the title, which this year was awarded to the BLAGSS Tennis Team - a little hard for Liam to swallow as his partner was in their team. However, there was much noshing of sandwiches, wraps and dips and not forgetting some little pancakes as it was actually Shrove Tuesday to help forget that we didn't waltz home with the title.
Finally, where were we placed? Well in a beautiful piece of unplanned inter-choir harmony, we finished joint 8th with the City of Brighton Gay Men's Chorus. Ahhhhh.
We'll be back next year and maybe we'll see you there.
Although we didn't have such a cracking run of strikes as last year, and we're sure lane 23 was rigged so that we ended up with one 'pin' (to use the jargon) standing far too often, the team average was up considerably on 2007 and as you can see at one point here we were doing very well, though admittedly before all the scores were in ...
It was all great fun with all 26 lanes taken up with all sorts of local LGBT groups and even the four members of the Stonewall team who had come down from London just for this event. Stephen amazed himself (and everyone else I think) by actually scoring a strike for the first time in his many, many years! Remarkably, the BLAGSS Bowling Team did not get the title, which this year was awarded to the BLAGSS Tennis Team - a little hard for Liam to swallow as his partner was in their team. However, there was much noshing of sandwiches, wraps and dips and not forgetting some little pancakes as it was actually Shrove Tuesday to help forget that we didn't waltz home with the title.
Finally, where were we placed? Well in a beautiful piece of unplanned inter-choir harmony, we finished joint 8th with the City of Brighton Gay Men's Chorus. Ahhhhh.
We'll be back next year and maybe we'll see you there.
Paris Pride
30/06/07 12:30
On the 28th of June most of the choir arrived via Eurostar in Paris as guests of Podium and after a brief wander around Montmartre we went to rehearse with them in preparation for Sunday. They were very welcoming, kindly supplied us with food & drink and we ended the evening with a wonderful and moving singalong around the piano.
Their accompanist Antoine knew all of the accompaniment for such diverse songs as Hey Jude, While My Guitar Gentle Weeps, Supertramp's Downstream(!), The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Otis Redding's Dock of the Bay and so on. Antoine's a star. We then wandered back to our accommodation so generously provided in the homes of our hosts - they are all so lovely. Aaahhhhhhh.
Next day we did our own thing but several of us met for lunch and then that evening went to enjoy "La Nuit d'Equivox" (this link may not be permanent but they're on our links page too) - well, I just cried tears of happiness watching them. They were a sort of theatrical choir and sang around the theme of night and dressed appropriately as burglars, temptresses, sheep, vampires and more. Utterly inspired!
Saturday was Pride and we were on the first float with Podium and each choir took it in turn to do a little singing/lip-synching to our various pre-recorded hits along the parade which began at Montparnasse and wound it way to Place de la Bastille.
The weather was fine, the crowds were out in force, the speeches were spoken and we had a wonderful time, though some of the songs did tire just a tad after the 10th time ... The evening involved dinner in the Marais with friends from the other choirs, a fabulous South American cocktail bar for some of us and a late bed. Zzzzz ...
So, to Sunday. A picnic in Le Jardin de Luxembourg followed by the concert. Melo'men were first on, then us and then Podium. The songs we sang were Let the River Run, Steal Away, My Funny Valentine, Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps, Will You?, In This Heart, Some where and Tonight. We also performed Will I Lose My Dignity (from Rent) with the other two choirs.
At the end we all came together to close with Comme d'habitude (My Way) which a friend of mine now living in Paris said "gave me goosebumps".
We had an large and appreciative audience who enjoyed this free open-air concert whilst sitting under the lovely trees around the bandstand.
Then most of us walked briskly to catch the Vedettes du Pont Neuf
For those that had stayed the whole time, this was a last chance for a little browsing, wandering, gift purchases and perhaps a little more food and then finally off to Gare du Nord to catch the Eurostar home. It was a fantastic weekend for all of us which we will all remember for years to come. We hope to return the favour next year, so point your RSS feed here to make sure that you won't miss it and have a browse through some more photos here.
Au revoir pour maintenant.
BLAGSS Winter Pride 10-pin Challenge
06/02/07 14:22
The crack Rainbow Chorus team
headed down to the Brighton Marina Bowlplex to to battle it out for
the winning title.
Rob 'The Nazz' Collins, Stephen '26 Years since I last bowled' Watson, Liam 'Thunderball' O'Shea and Michael '3 Strikes' Gough poised for the challenge
Here you can see Michael's impressively high individual score
The whole event was a lot of fun with all 26 lanes taken up with all sorts of local LGBT groups. The scores are averaged over the number of team members so that having 9 members in the team doesn't give you an unfair advantage. We did very well in the first of the two games, but whether we were a little blasé or a little the worse for alcohol on the 2nd we didn't quite keep up our original momentum - having said that, Michael, as you can see below, managed a stunning 3 consecutive strikes (all the skittles down with one ball) and was obviously 'robbed' of some super special prize.
Ultimately, we didn't win, but if the BLAGSS 10-pin Bowling team hadn't done so well (as you would expect!) we would have been 3rd which isn't 'arf bad eh?
Rob 'The Nazz' Collins, Stephen '26 Years since I last bowled' Watson, Liam 'Thunderball' O'Shea and Michael '3 Strikes' Gough poised for the challenge
Here you can see Michael's impressively high individual score
The whole event was a lot of fun with all 26 lanes taken up with all sorts of local LGBT groups. The scores are averaged over the number of team members so that having 9 members in the team doesn't give you an unfair advantage. We did very well in the first of the two games, but whether we were a little blasé or a little the worse for alcohol on the 2nd we didn't quite keep up our original momentum - having said that, Michael, as you can see below, managed a stunning 3 consecutive strikes (all the skittles down with one ball) and was obviously 'robbed' of some super special prize.
Ultimately, we didn't win, but if the BLAGSS 10-pin Bowling team hadn't done so well (as you would expect!) we would have been 3rd which isn't 'arf bad eh?
Al Duomo social
18/03/06 19:30
It's not all singing you know,
sometimes we go out and have a convivial time at a local eaterie
which in this case was Al Duomo.
Basil's just been told he will be paying ...
Basil's just been told he will be paying ...
Team during Winter Pride event at Brighton Marina
28/12/05 19:00
We took the opportunity to go
bowling at the Marina during Winter Pride - and two of our number
won prizes.
The team
The team
Relaxing at Russell and Michael's hotel
31/08/03 17:00
Russell used to sing in the choir
and he and his partner ran a hotel and they very generously invited
the choir around for a summer social with loads of lovely food and
drink. There was even a bit of singing later...
Christmas Social
16/12/01 19:00
We had a party with food, drink
and a bit of singing for ourselves, friends and partners. It took
place in the hall where we still rehearse.
Bit of a natter
Bit of a sing song thing going on.
Matthew, Michael (in the days before being clean shaven) and Liam
Bit of a natter
Bit of a sing song thing going on.
Matthew, Michael (in the days before being clean shaven) and Liam