On Monday night, as part of the South Bank Centre's Meltdown Festival, I took a bunch of kids from school along to participate in the performance by a band called Elbow.
The girls were brass players who had been asked to play on Elbow's track "Starlings" - where they play strategic brass "blasts" throughout the piece (6 times to be precise). They were to be hidden in the boxes around the stage and then suddenly the lights would come up on them and they would just randomly play their concert G chord in the middle of the piece.
The concert was spectacular, the performance amazing, and what an opportunity for our kids. Here are some comments from the Elbow message boards afterwards (all typos their own!)
"If I never go to another gig again I could die happy after last night!
From start to finish an amazing night, Fleet Foxes supported and were brilliant, very funny and very talented guys.
Then Elbow, Guy walked on wearing all black and a trilby (this is relevant for later), started with Station Approach and that set the tone for the rest of the show, the fact that the venue was seated mad no
difference to the incredilble atmosphere. Guy waved to his family who were in the Roayl Box, then we had Bones of You, Leaders of The Free World (dedicated to George W), Grounds for Divorce, Mirrorball (with 3
mirrorballs sitting on the stage, creating a great effect), The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver and Great Expectations.
As Great Expectations finished, what sounded like a tape of Any Day Now started in the background, it was a choir of 35 blokes, dressed all in black wearing trilby's. They had all been recruited specifically for
this show and had 2 days practice. Guy called them Geoff not sure which. Geoff stayed for the rest of the show.
Next was Starlings, with trumpeteers in 4 of the boxes at the side of the stage as well as the guys on the stage, and the mixing desk man. Followed by a song they had only played once live before, because "we are s*** at it, and if Geoff wasn't here we wouldn't try it" Presuming Ed (Rest Easy). Some Riot was next and a storming version of Newborn which got a standing ovation. Geoff was still joining in with every song.
Then Grace Under Pressure, which Guy cocked up after Geof had started it off, the song finished with Geoff and Guy giving each other the finger Stops was the penultimate song, before the whole crowd stood up for One Day Like This, which blew the roof off the Festival Hall.
I didn't think I had the words to describe this gig, but I have waffled on now. Amazing."
From start to finish an amazing night, Fleet Foxes supported and were brilliant, very funny and very talented guys.
Then Elbow, Guy walked on wearing all black and a trilby (this is relevant for later), started with Station Approach and that set the tone for the rest of the show, the fact that the venue was seated mad no
difference to the incredilble atmosphere. Guy waved to his family who were in the Roayl Box, then we had Bones of You, Leaders of The Free World (dedicated to George W), Grounds for Divorce, Mirrorball (with 3
mirrorballs sitting on the stage, creating a great effect), The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver and Great Expectations.
As Great Expectations finished, what sounded like a tape of Any Day Now started in the background, it was a choir of 35 blokes, dressed all in black wearing trilby's. They had all been recruited specifically for
this show and had 2 days practice. Guy called them Geoff not sure which. Geoff stayed for the rest of the show.
Next was Starlings, with trumpeteers in 4 of the boxes at the side of the stage as well as the guys on the stage, and the mixing desk man. Followed by a song they had only played once live before, because "we are s*** at it, and if Geoff wasn't here we wouldn't try it" Presuming Ed (Rest Easy). Some Riot was next and a storming version of Newborn which got a standing ovation. Geoff was still joining in with every song.
Then Grace Under Pressure, which Guy cocked up after Geof had started it off, the song finished with Geoff and Guy giving each other the finger Stops was the penultimate song, before the whole crowd stood up for One Day Like This, which blew the roof off the Festival Hall.
I didn't think I had the words to describe this gig, but I have waffled on now. Amazing."
And a comment too from Guy, the lead singer:
To everyone at charles edward brooke school and the centre for young musicians last night was one of the greatest nights of our lives. Thanks for your skill, absolutely perfect. All our love elbow x
Plus a few pics taken by the professional guy in the rehearsal. If you look close you can see yours truly with a tenor horn...


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