I've thought long and hard (fnarr fnarr) about this for some weeks now, wondering how or even if I should start something like this up. I just thought it might be a nice idea to discuss or review experiences of any live performances we may have enjoyed, or not whatever the case may be.
I'd like to kick off by sort of reviewing a group that has actually been around since 1985, though I'd never heard of then until about three years ago. They are The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and they've toured practically everywhere you can think of, though perhaps their biggest single performance was at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms in 2009 (which I was given the DVD of as a xmas present that year). They are a serious musical troupe but with comic overtones.
We, that is Sam and I plus a couple of friends, went to see a performance they did after the Proms; maybe the one immediately after but certainly sometime afterward anyway. All I can say is, if you ever get the chance to see them perform live, don't even think - just GO! Think of it as an order! They're not just musicians and singers, or performers, they're genuine entertainers.
There's eight of them in the full lineup, unchanged since they formed: from left to right as the audience sees them there's Dave Suich (who can really get into his music, headbanging away like no-one's business); then the bespectacled Peter Brooke Turner who stands something like six foot nine inches tall; next is the gorgeous Hester Goodman, then George Hinchliffe who is I think essentially the leader; then Kitty Lux who, like the rest of them, has an amazing voice. Next is often Richie Williams, who is occasionally absent for some shows but bears an amazing resemblance to William Shatner. Then Wil Grove-White, and finally next to him is Jonty Banks on the "Bass Uke". They all wear formal evening wear for every performance, just like a 'real' orchestra, but the only instruments they play are the ukes.
They're based at Cecil Sharp House, so-named (according to George) after that famous collector of folk songs Cecil Sharphouse.
The only way to illustrate their sheer awesomeness is with a video or two, so I do hope you'll indulge me with this. I know some people - me included - sometimes just skim right past embedded videos without bothering but please take a look, I beg of you. Crank up that volume and just kick back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMT-oEIQuo
(Incidentally, they tend to tailor their jokes to suit the audience and location; so for instance when they played this one in Melbourne, it went "What's the collective name for the white fluffy animals you see eating all the grass?" "Sheep!")
There's nothing they won't handle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KZjnFZvCNc
They do straight covers, though in 'inappropriate' styles, but they also do what might be called audeince-pleasing stunts, as in this one. They've just finished their "Smells Like Teen Spirit" when this happens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMnCkg8dJXI
Then they illustrate how seemingly unrelated songs are often more similar than you realise, as with this example (this always has me streaming in tears, seriously, as it's not only a beautiful performance but there's a personal element to it regarding me and my Sam as well):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW0ACEOEq6w
and with this one, called "Fly Me Off The Handel". This is the best example I could find but it misses the intro, in which George wants to play a Handel classical piece but the others are protesting for Gloria Gaynor, or Sinatra or the Eagles - anything but Handel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTIv8hP-UIA
I don't want to try your patience with any more vids, they can all be found on YT or their DVDs from their website. However there is one more I want to share to illustrate how popular and entertaining they are. Jonty is 'scoobying' the intro in a way that shows how much he hates jazz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF0VaBxb27w
When we went to see them, they came in, bowed, sat down. Then George introduced themselves: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, we are the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain" etc, then they launched into their first track (which sadly I've forgotten). When they'd finished, two people who'd turned up late came in and sat right at the front - big mistake. They're now targets. After some banter about turning up late, George leaned right down so he was practically in their faces, then went "Good evening, lady and gentleman, we are the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain..." etc.
Later they started trying to sell their DVDs and CDs; Dave had a Barbra Streisand one or similar from a magazine that he didn't want anymore and sold to someone for about fifty pence.
Towards the end of the set, they announced there was only time for one more song, and of course we we all groaned "awwww". Dave Suich, in mock offence, snapped at us and sai "No - we've got to do it!"
Afterwards they got up to leave, took their bows and went off. The audience were on their feet, standing ovation, and they came back for another bow. More clapping and cheering, and they came back and sat down again, with the line about "You, er, you can't actually get out that way!" pointing the way they'd been.
All in all, however much the tickets and travel etc costs if they perform anywhere in your area, you really must go. For a final for instance, they did a version of Psycho Killer that shook the walls. I've never known live music to be so entertaining.
I'd like to kick off by sort of reviewing a group that has actually been around since 1985, though I'd never heard of then until about three years ago. They are The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and they've toured practically everywhere you can think of, though perhaps their biggest single performance was at the Royal Albert Hall for the BBC Proms in 2009 (which I was given the DVD of as a xmas present that year). They are a serious musical troupe but with comic overtones.
We, that is Sam and I plus a couple of friends, went to see a performance they did after the Proms; maybe the one immediately after but certainly sometime afterward anyway. All I can say is, if you ever get the chance to see them perform live, don't even think - just GO! Think of it as an order! They're not just musicians and singers, or performers, they're genuine entertainers.
There's eight of them in the full lineup, unchanged since they formed: from left to right as the audience sees them there's Dave Suich (who can really get into his music, headbanging away like no-one's business); then the bespectacled Peter Brooke Turner who stands something like six foot nine inches tall; next is the gorgeous Hester Goodman, then George Hinchliffe who is I think essentially the leader; then Kitty Lux who, like the rest of them, has an amazing voice. Next is often Richie Williams, who is occasionally absent for some shows but bears an amazing resemblance to William Shatner. Then Wil Grove-White, and finally next to him is Jonty Banks on the "Bass Uke". They all wear formal evening wear for every performance, just like a 'real' orchestra, but the only instruments they play are the ukes.
They're based at Cecil Sharp House, so-named (according to George) after that famous collector of folk songs Cecil Sharphouse.
The only way to illustrate their sheer awesomeness is with a video or two, so I do hope you'll indulge me with this. I know some people - me included - sometimes just skim right past embedded videos without bothering but please take a look, I beg of you. Crank up that volume and just kick back:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlMT-oEIQuo
(Incidentally, they tend to tailor their jokes to suit the audience and location; so for instance when they played this one in Melbourne, it went "What's the collective name for the white fluffy animals you see eating all the grass?" "Sheep!")
There's nothing they won't handle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KZjnFZvCNc
They do straight covers, though in 'inappropriate' styles, but they also do what might be called audeince-pleasing stunts, as in this one. They've just finished their "Smells Like Teen Spirit" when this happens:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMnCkg8dJXI
Then they illustrate how seemingly unrelated songs are often more similar than you realise, as with this example (this always has me streaming in tears, seriously, as it's not only a beautiful performance but there's a personal element to it regarding me and my Sam as well):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW0ACEOEq6w
and with this one, called "Fly Me Off The Handel". This is the best example I could find but it misses the intro, in which George wants to play a Handel classical piece but the others are protesting for Gloria Gaynor, or Sinatra or the Eagles - anything but Handel:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTIv8hP-UIA
I don't want to try your patience with any more vids, they can all be found on YT or their DVDs from their website. However there is one more I want to share to illustrate how popular and entertaining they are. Jonty is 'scoobying' the intro in a way that shows how much he hates jazz:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FF0VaBxb27w
When we went to see them, they came in, bowed, sat down. Then George introduced themselves: "Good evening ladies and gentlemen, we are the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain" etc, then they launched into their first track (which sadly I've forgotten). When they'd finished, two people who'd turned up late came in and sat right at the front - big mistake. They're now targets. After some banter about turning up late, George leaned right down so he was practically in their faces, then went "Good evening, lady and gentleman, we are the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain..." etc.
Later they started trying to sell their DVDs and CDs; Dave had a Barbra Streisand one or similar from a magazine that he didn't want anymore and sold to someone for about fifty pence.
Towards the end of the set, they announced there was only time for one more song, and of course we we all groaned "awwww". Dave Suich, in mock offence, snapped at us and sai "No - we've got to do it!"
Afterwards they got up to leave, took their bows and went off. The audience were on their feet, standing ovation, and they came back for another bow. More clapping and cheering, and they came back and sat down again, with the line about "You, er, you can't actually get out that way!" pointing the way they'd been.
All in all, however much the tickets and travel etc costs if they perform anywhere in your area, you really must go. For a final for instance, they did a version of Psycho Killer that shook the walls. I've never known live music to be so entertaining.
At the age of five, Skagra decided emphatically that God did not exist. This revelation tends to make most people in the universe who have it react in one of two ways - with relief or with despair. Only Skagra responded to it by thinking, 'Wait a second. That means there's a situation vacant.'
![[Image: DTDCP.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=i.imgur.com%2FDTDCP.jpg)
). Most awesome music live, and a brilliant performance from the band to get the crowd absolutely rabid and awesome light shows. 
![[Image: harmlesskitchen.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/yxR97P23/harmlesskitchen.png)
