{"id":6261,"date":"2020-03-01T21:51:45","date_gmt":"2020-03-01T21:51:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sleigh-munoz.co.uk\/quims\/?p=6261"},"modified":"2020-03-03T07:48:16","modified_gmt":"2020-03-03T07:48:16","slug":"commoners-choir-mark-thomas-harmony-choir-the-wardrobe-leeds-16-02-20","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sleigh-munoz.co.uk\/quims\/2020\/03\/01\/commoners-choir-mark-thomas-harmony-choir-the-wardrobe-leeds-16-02-20\/","title":{"rendered":"Commoners Choir, Mark Thomas, Harmony Choir \u2013 The Wardrobe, Leeds \u2013 16\/02\/20"},"content":{"rendered":"

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To Celebrate the release of their new CD \u2018Untied Kingdom\u2019 The Commoners put on a gig at the Wardrobe at which there was printmaking by the wonderful Helen Peyton<\/a>, free cake that several of the choir had lovingly made, support from Harmony Choir and a hilarious set by Mark Thomas.<\/p>\n

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Harmony Choir<\/a> are based in Burmantofts in Leeds and proudly support refugees amongst their members. Singing a wide range of songs that included lovely African harmonies, they had us all singing about love and hope ( and there\u2019s a snippet of them singing at the end of the new Commoners album).<\/p>\n

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Mark Thomas<\/a> had us all laughing as he talked about some of the suggestions that got voted for in his \u2018Manifesto\u2019 series of gigs (2 goats on the floor of the house of commons at all times that must never be referred to\u2026..free class A drugs for pensioners\u2026.) and noted that on virtually every occasion, someone would complain about the British National anthem. He contacted Boff Whalley to see if a new one could be made which started a looooong process of write and re-write as choir members argued the toss about the focus and direction of the song. Eventually \u2018Not the National Anthem\u2019 was completed and finishes the new album.<\/p>\n

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The CD is available in this lovely tied box with booklet badge and sticker<\/a>\u2026..you know you want one…….it has a thread theme of \u2018Home\u2019 running through it and the tunes are linked with snippets of foreign songs, sung by friends of the choir, who are UK residents but don\u2019t originally come from here \u2013 what does \u2018home\u2019 look like to them? Here\u2019s a little film by Phil and Carolyn that sets the scene.<\/p>\n