04-05-2010
Hi all, David here with the latest jam packed installment of the Only Men Aloud blog. This week all the latest news from our appearance on Songs of Praise, live from London. Our appearance on Songs of Praise, celebration of choirs, was the first time we had appeared on the show since 2008. On that occasion we were all a bit blurry eyed as we had returned home late from London the night before after being crowned the Nations Favorite Choir! Yet on this occasion - and even more so after a 9am start, most of the boys were still a bit blurry eyed as Wales had played France the night before in the Six nations championship. Need I say more?!? We arrived at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London where we quickly set to work on the sound and camera rehearsals. We had been given the privilege of opening the show with our rousing version of One Voice, but on this occasion we had to get used to performing it with backing track as there wasn't the time or room on the stage to perform with our regular band. The opening of One Voice is unaccompanied, so for the first time ever I had to wear an earpiece that played the opening notes, then a click track so I could keep time. As the track started for the first run through I looked at Tim (who also had an earpiece) in bewilderment as nothing was happening. 'Turn the volume up' he gestured to me from the front of the stage, 'Oh' I said, 'that's the problem'! (Good for me Tim is such an old pro these days!) After that little technical hitch everything went perfectly and we continued the rehearsal with our version of the classic Welsh hymn Cwm Rhondda. This was slightly more straightforward as we have performed this many times with backing track both in the UK and across the pond in the USA. And as always, the tribal, Haka like opening goes down a storm with audiences everywhere. With rehearsals finished, we waited patiently for the opening of the show. And when it was finally time for us to take the stage we were given the same rousing reception that we have been lucky enough to receive during every one of our recent tour shows. We came off stage that afternoon feeling very pleased with our efforts, and looked forward to the next time that we could link up with fellow Welshman Aled Jones, and the brilliant team at Songs of Praise.