On Saturday afternoon, as one of the acts performing at Garforth’s G-Fest music event, I was part of an ensemble singing choral versions of popular contemporary refrains
Headlining the community stage, we (Garforth Community Choir) played a 15 minute set incorporating the songs You Gotta Be, Happy, Shackles, Is This Love, Lovely Day. Our audience several hundred East Leeds revellers – Discerning music lovers gathering at the Glebelands venue in search of the archetypal summer festival experience. Their main stage entertainment provided by local acts predominantly partaking in a Battle of the Bands.
Incidentally, several hundred attendees is an estimate on my part. As we waited on the stage pre-performance, I did seek to provide a more accurate indication of numbers who’d congregated to patronise the event bars, eateries and witness the entertainment on offer. Unfortunately, though, as the crowd weren’t very receptive to my stage cries of “For flip’s sake stop moving around the place!!….. I’m trying to count here!!”, I’m having to go with a wild guess.
If you’re really interested in accurate visitor stats I’m sure google will be able to assist in fulfilling that informational aspiration. Alternatively, I’m told Old Ted from the Garforth Uninteresting Statistics Team (GUST) took time out from counting parkland dandelion numbers to gather Glebelands venue’s attendee data.
Amongst other facts at their disposal, GUST are also able to provide statistical detail relating to musical director (MD) arm movement*** during each performance. Along with data on how many times G-Fest revellers were moved to exclaim “Bloody hell, they’re loud…… I bet they’ll be able to hear it over in Crossgates!”
*** – Garforth Community Choir MD Liz’s upper limb movements so frenetic during our 15 minute slot, if she’d have been connected to the National Grid she could’ve taken over from the generator as provider of our sets electrical power….. Possibly!!!
Clearly, any whimsical fictional references to GUST and their inane statistics are made with tongue firmly planted in cheek. In all seriousness, the main figure I’d imagine G-Fest organisers concentrate on is the amount raised by the event for St Gemma’s Hospice, Leeds.
It was only my second performance with the choir. However, I’d like to think this lack of experience at singing in public didn’t lead to me letting down my more experienced colleagues. Our efforts seemingly pretty well received by the Garforth public, who’d turned out en masse in support of the event and a fantastic cause.
After a successful collective performance, at the end of our 15 minutes on stage I left Glebelands with raised spirits. Emotions summed up in the following lyrics from the refrain Happy by US artist Pharrell Williams – One of the songs we performed during our set:-
It might seem crazy what I’m ’bout to say
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way
Huh, because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do
