Onward and Upward

Vincent Black Lightning

There was a pleasing increase of bums on seats this week – just as well since we had the additional expense of sending the regular scribe away on another holiday, and remunerating his Deputy Scribe. In all there were 20 attendees, with 13 (12a if you are superstitious) performers. The word performers rather than singers is specifically chosen, because we had a welcome visit by Kath and her Koncertina, who gave us such tunes as Planxty Irwin (Turlough O'Carolan) and Salmon Tails Up The Watter (James Allan - yes, you non-Geordies, the second "t" IS compulsory).

Waterloo Sunset

It was good to see Richard who hasn't been to the club for some time, no doubt looking after Lesley, who has been recovering from injury. Our beloved leader, Maggie, also made an appearance. More surprisingly, at least to Mike, Gary and Helen were both there without a medical excuse, or as he put it, Helen was there "voluntarily" - something which is definitely to be encouraged.

Colin was MC and he asked Derek to start us off.

Derek sang this gloriously geographically inaccurate version of Higher Germany (Roud 904) rather than the more usual version.

Battle of Waterloo by William Sadler

Serendipity

Walking sticks

It was an evening for bringing along friends, which is definitely to be encouraged.

Steve brought along Jane, who told us some of her fine stories. Simon's friend Chris came along for the first time in years and even made his singing debut. And Henry, who himself hadn't been to the club for a year or two, brought his "entourage" of young ladies. Yes, this sort of behaviour is absolutely to be encouraged.

Colin took his now customary position as MC and while Mike was present at the start, he didn't stay long enough to sing. After a short debate about the order in which people arrived, Colin asked Steve to start off the proceedings. His first song was Just As The Tide Was A-Flowing (Roud 1105). This is a May song ("One morning in the month of May"), which he hoped to excuse by saying he hadn't visited us in the previous month. Simon had no such excuse when he later sang The Galway Shawl ("...one pleasant evening in the month of May").

June, evacuation, invasion and remembering Jean Ritchie

British troops evacuating Dunkirk's beaches

It was good to have two young and apparently enthusiastic visitors even though they didn't perform. Roger told us later they were army cadets. Colin took up his now customary role as MC and asked Derek to start us off.

Derek made his theme June, this being the first DFC session of the month. His first was The Three O'Donnells ("As I roved out one morning, was in the month of June"). Mike followed up with Thousands or More (Roud 1220).

Simon, having noticed that Jean Ritchie died earlier in the week, sang his version of her The L&N Don't Stop Here Anymore, based on the singing of Michelle Shocked.

Colin noted that it was the 75th anniversary of the end of Operation Dynamo, which saw a flotilla of "little ships" evacuate British and French soldiers from Dunkirk. To mark the occasion he put the poem, The Little Boats Of England to music.

Loud and proud

1961, Dancing Bonny Green Garters in Canterbury, Kent:
Woodside Morris on one of its regular Whitsun tours

After a very poor showing the previous week, last week's session was better attended though there is still plenty of room for improvement. What's more, due a very long running wake going on in our usual bar we were consigned to the main bar and it seemed sensible to most of us to sing loud and proud. The regulars didn't appear to mind and I even heard them joining in once or twice.

Colin took up the role of MC, sitting rather mister speaker-like at the pool table and taking no nonsense, though applause was permitted. Mike kicked off the evening with Sixteen Tons (Merle Travis).