So, where to start?! It was half a dozen evenings rolled into one, a
reunion / first meeting of forum / fanclub members, a meal out, a
really fabulous and varied concert, a united band of rather loud
support for Aled who sang fabulously, a chat with him afterwards, lots
of laughter and giggles and a post concert high and reminiscence.
People
had come from all over the UK for this concert, from Sheffield and
Derby in the north to Kent and London in the south. About thirty of us
met in the restaurant for our pre-arranged meal and to collect the
large badges Wendy had organised, which said, in black on white, “Aled
Rocks”. Suitably labelled we made our way to the Colston Hall, where we
occupied most of the front 2 rows.
And then came Aled, in his light fawn
suit, with white shirt, sleeves hanging rather low below the cuffs. He
looked fixedly at the back of the hall, refusing to glance down at all
as he sang ‘All Through the Night’. And finally, having got through the
first song without laughing, said “Hello, front row!” – at which the
said front row erupted with “Hello Aled!”, and he hastily added to the
rest of the hall “They’re ever so slightly noisy”. Then we had a good
offer – “If anyone wants to wake up with me tomorrow morning…” and some
info about GMS followed.
“This was the most requested
piece on my old radio station” said Aled as his usual introduction to
‘Did you not see my Lady’, one of the perennial favourites, which Aled
sings with such feeling.
“It is so hot in here” Aled
said as he finished – and he was quite right! – “Could you all stop
breathing?” He turned to face the choirs, and, for some reason, flashed
the famous blue lining to his suit jacket. “Go on, Go on!” was the
chant and he turned and flashed to the audience also. “You thought this
was a serious show – now you know it’s not!”
‘It’s Magic’
followed. As Aled sang, it was noticeable that he was fiddling with the
loose shirt cuffs hanging below the sleeves of the jacket, and as he
finished he explained his problem! – “It’s so hot I thought I’d not
wear cufflinks, but its not such a good idea, I have to keep trying to
stuff my shirt sleeves back!”
“As the forum are here,
I’ll now let all you know some news.” Aled mentioned his forthcoming
Australian tour, saying that he had been doing some telephone
interviews with Australian broadcasters, and all they asked him was how
much he hated Julian Clary, and how much he had enjoyed the dancing!
“Is that all everyone thinks I have done?” he asked! He then said that
an album would be coming out at Christmas, with the best of his first
five, plus two more, together with a DVD. And he was commissioned to do
another Talking Book, maybe the Bible, except that it will be a small
book, so maybe not! There would be a new album in March for St David’s
Day (which we did already know about). “And then some more news – this
lot “ – indicating us, of course – “will go mad. This Christmas I’m
doing only a small tour. I was here 5 months ago, and keep thinking it
I’m going to Worthing tomorrow! But I’m doing Panto – my daughter made
me do it! And you haven’t seen the tights yet!” How this was received
can be imagined…. We learnt later that the panto will be “Jack and the
Beanstalk at Richmond.
And to finish the first half, Aled
was to sing ‘Panis Angelicus’ with the Ladies choir behind him
(“Someone switch the lights on them please!”). Aled had been working in
Chester that day and had driven down from there, so could not have had
too much rehearsal time, but they blended perfectly together.
In
the interval the news came that Aled would stay and speak briefly to
the group before heading up to Manchester, so expectation and gratitude
rose, as did the chatter level.
The second half started with
another brief intro from Chris Vacher, during which he told us that the
Bristol Male Voice Choir included a grandpa and grandson - and asked
them to stand up – great applause! The Llanelli Male Voice Choir
started the music with a medley from Jesus Christ Super Star. So many
of the songs are catchy, and certainly, where I was, people were
singing along and mini-bopping in their seats. We then had a solo – an
addition to the programme – from one of the members, who played up to
the audience, exactly as Aled had. It was good to see that the happy
atmosphere had pervaded the choirs too! New Harmony Ladies Choir
offered the traditional sea shanty, ‘Bobby Shaftoe’ and then the
Bristol Male Voice Choir followed the musicals theme with ‘Bring Him
Home’ from Les Mis?©rables. And then something special – an African
Trilogy, with one choir member on drums, and another at the microphone,
soloing and clicking away with his fingers, creating a sort of mini
hand dance! Aled himself could be seen jigging around to this in the
wings! And the African medley finished with the South African National
Anthem, ‘Nkosi Sikele’
Simon Lole returned to play Mushel’s
“Toccata”. I love organ music and he was extremely good, but I have to
admit I did not get into this piece – I found it rather repetitive –
and I was not the only one!
And so to Aled’s second appearance.
The cufflinks were clearly back in place, and the shirt sleeves neatly
tucked into the coat sleeve, heat or not! We had ‘David of the White
Rock’ followed by a wink to us all, which distracted him so much that
he backed into the conductor’s rostrum behind him! “I’m still dancing!”
he said. And then ”Are there any Welsh in the audience?” Marie next but
one to me and Rosina and Tom behind me shouted “yes” and Rosina madly
waved her Welsh flag she had brought. “Well, this is a bit of Welsh –
and I’ll play the piano”. Aled went over to the piano, and we had the
one note which introduces ‘Bugeilio'r Gwenith Gwyn (Watching the
Wheat)’ which he sang, as usual, unaccompanied. “Did you like that? –
just checking with the Welsh people.” Rosina waved her Welsh flag
enthusiastically again!
“It’s an honour to be here with such
fine choristers” said Aled, turning to clap them “Two of them were
having a nap – did you see them?!”
And then came what turned
out to be the real highlight – ‘You Raise Me Up’. Aled’s version, which
has been around for some years, is so gentle and so inspiring, no other
version touches it, but he had appeared to have decided to not sing it
further – I personally had not heard him sing it in a concert since
last July. So this was a treat in itself. And it was wonderful, as
ever, and the voice was fabulous. I know of people who had tears
rolling down their cheeks, and at the end there was a spontaneous
standing ovation. Aled looked amazed, and said afterwards that he would
consider putting YRMU back on his concert schedule, in view of the
reception – he has also said that he received 20 e-mails to his Good
Morning Sunday studios the following day commenting on YRMU! And as the
applause eventually died down, he looked round and said “I was waiting
for the three members of Westlife!”
“Now we come to the final
number – ‘Walking in the Air ‘ – No! – ‘San Damiano’. Join in if you
wish “ and my goodness, people did, singing and swaying to the music.
As he finished we had clapping to the audience and then a clap along
the front row and a smile and wink to us all as he left.
The
Male Voice Choirs completed the concert programme with ‘Morte Criste’ –
also very moving. And then came the presentations – flowers to the
ladies (the conductor of the ladies choir etc) and wine to the
gentlemen (Simon Lole, the piano accompanist etc). On came Aled to be
given a large basket, of which only the flowers showed – but he was
told there were things for the family too – so Aled pulled out a bottle
of wine! – typical!! The choirs rose behind him and we had ‘How Great
Thou Art ‘ as the rousing and inspiring encore. Deep bows, more winks
and claps to us as he left the stage – and Aled returned to sing the
National Anthem of Wales – with the whole Hall standing, of course. A
clap to everyone, a blown kiss to the audience – and he was gone. A
collective sigh arose.
Giselle (management) peeped in to tell
us Aled would come via the corridor on the right and we all moved over
and waited expectantly. And 10 minutes later, Aled appeared, now in t
shirt and jeans, to another round of personal applause. We knew that he
then had to drive to Manchester (a journey of at least 2 hours, or so
Paul the driver said, I suspect it was somewhat more), and he then had
to be up at 5.00 am for GMS. Nonetheless, Aled stayed for 10 – 15
minutes, laughing, joking expanding on the info already given, and when
he finally had to leave and we all said thank you, and
he thanked
us!
Wendy
later had an email from the BRACE organiser, Pat, to say that they had
raised in excess of £20,000 on Saturday night which exceeded their
wildest dreams! They were absolutely over the moon about the success of
the evening. And, fortunately, they thought we brought a light-hearted
touch to the evening and that our banter was hilarious!
Check out Aled's gallery here on ClassicalX for a couple of photo's from the concert:
CLICK HERE
