Mama Popcorn Debut

I might have kept it secret from some of you that I was in a choir. That's probably because I was a bit embarrassed by the name although I admit it's beginning to grow on me now. ("Mama Popcorn" sounds like a Spongebob Squarepants character.) I also might not have mentioned it because it seemed like a group without definition; monday night rehearsals were a guilty pleasure but we hadn't performed live - and it was almost as if playing in front of other people would define the group's identity. The identity being, of course, funky soul rocking gospel. Yeah whoo whoo!

Anyway, on a cold wet monday night in Edinburgh we crammed 100 people into the room below the Cannon's Gait pub on the Royal Mile. The venue reminded me of what it must be like to do a gig at a Beefeater restaurant - all plows, mangles and old pots around the walls. We could have asked "Have you been to a Harvester before?" as people came in. The only decoration was "Mama Popcorn" scribed on a blackboard and two sets of fairy lights; one in a big clump because I couldn't untangle them. The 'choir' consisted of about ten singers (three guys and about seven girls - I'm always confused as to the exact number of girls as they tend to move around a lot) and a four-piece band groove machine known as 'the band'.

The music was funked up workings of some soul classics (Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder), some gospel greats and some new originals. Actually one new original. Actually, not that new since I've sung "Hold On" in at least four previous concerts with four different choirs. Dave, who wrote it and leads the choir, is on the quest for the "perfect arrangement". One day you'll be happy with it Dave. We have always liked it.

The audience looked a bit shocked at times, but smiled a lot and took part in the best gig sing-along I think I've ever experienced. No-one rushed the stage but they were too squashed in really. If one person had stepped out of place the audience would have imploded.

Best moment? Not an obvious one; I love sopranos dearly - in my conducting experience they are a law unto themselves. There was a classic moment during the break-down of one song, where the tenors sing a phrase, then the altos loop it a bit, then when Dave pointed to the Sopranos they just starred at him as if to say "excuse me, we'll come in when we want, thank you" and didn't do anything. Classic soprano attitude.

Great gig. What a great way to end the year.