We have asked for ideas to make Low Fell Ukes even more fun and the suggestions have been pouring in. The Committee will explore these and we will come up with plans for any changes by the end of October.
• Themed nights e.g. Status Quo, Phil Collins, different styles of music
• Workshops with professional leaders
• Use of different instruments
• Open mic nights with no particular theme
• Should we sing the songs we know and love or include a challenge / something unfamiliar each week
• Include some silly / comedy songs
• Get songs and tunes ‘right’ rather than ‘perfect’
• More nights like the Folk Night on different themes
• Simple music theory sessions
• Flip chart to illustrate new chords / different ways of playing chords
• Social evening – drink, play, dance
• Playing at ‘commercial’ gigs – weddings. Birthdays etc particularly at weekends so working members can be involved.
• Move club night to afternoon (I would resist this as this would exclude working members and we already have an afternoon session on Monday at Shakey)
• How do we get people to know anf hear others across the room – is there a better seating plan.
• Can we make more use of the microphones eg solos and “bracketed” parts
• Would we benefit from putting the higher singers together
• We could do with some percussion
• Occasionally having a themed session (or half session) with only songs covering a certain decade – 50’s/60s/70s/80s etc. i think this would bring memories back concentrating on one era. Also inviting folk to dress up or just wear a item symbolic with the era!
• Have a little Birthday slot each Monday for anyone who is celebrating a birthday that day or week (for those who own up to it!☺️) If its a special birthday then they can do that little dance in the middle!
• introduce more differentiation. eg more call and response from different people/ groups; women or solo singing the verse, all the chorus (eg Fields of Athenry, Wellerman)
• More practising new songs and spending time getting them right as we have done with Care home songs, Eleanor visits, alongside the ‘belt it out’ singalong items. But not a debate over finer points/ chords.
• Books sometimes seem a bit jaded – same old things, which are lovely to go back to occasionally, or stuff we have never/ can’t play. Not sure how we can get a better range without lots more books. Projecting new songs might be good – but then we can’t practice at home.
• Performances – I do think when we are a big group the ukes overwhelm the voices, eg Christmas at Tesco. Better use of mikes to focus on voices and solos like Jim’s. Care homes work fine as we’re not as noisy!
