Wakeylele leap into a New Year at the Ridings. YAA Gig 19th January 2024

By Philip Barr. Videos Jane Barr

No doubt every member of the band woke up feeling positive on the first day of 2024, knowing that they had an extra day of the year in which to practise and hone their strumming skills. 

   Now, nineteen days on, it was a suitably nithering January morning for all those able to perform once more – it being the season of flu and colds and other debilitating conditions.  There were at least three notable absentees from regular gig personnel in Malcolm, Dave Blackburn and Richard. It was also nithering inside the Ridings but a combination of multi layers of clothing and Maria’s handwarmers overcame this well anticipated problem. Furthermore, the sight of Pop in a garish coat of many colours, dubbed aptly as Joseph’s by Beryl, banished any thoughts of winter from people’s minds.

I also couldn’t help noticing that when I took a photo of Pop in the aforementioned garb, there was an advert of an M&S model wearing a plunge bra behind him – that he didn’t see it is maybe for the best as it might have given him ideas for his next outlandish outfit. 

 Onto the actual gig and as David got the ball rolling once more it was soon evident that the band hadn’t lost their touch over the festive period, banging out all the familiar crowd favourites with growing confidence. Bad Moon Rising went with a swing

and Hank William’s Hey Good Looking was met with appreciative applause while  Come Up and See Me showed the band at its best, witnessed by the number of people stopping to take video clips. Similarly, the level of  performance of Carolina in the Morning  continues to rise and, incidentally, Thelma, making a welcome return to gig action said how it reminded her of how she tap danced to that song as a girl – the lasting power of music! Today, though it was a workman, dressed in a high – viz overall who could be seen doing a dad dance to the same tune.

 Before you could say It’s Now or Never, it was time for a break and the usual frantic rush to be first in the cafe queue, Roy for one diverting from one location to another with the probable added bonus that he got the circulation flowing again.

 The second set showed no signs whatsoever of fatigue or frostbite and as we continued, we were rewarded by a growing number of people who paused to listen to a song, two young women amongst those who were obviously enjoying the lively scene even videoing part of The Glory of Love (1936)!

Even better and … finally, after much past grinding of teeth on David’s part, the whole band, rather than 95%?  of it managed to play in sync right to the end of The Union of Different Kinds.

Mind you it should be said that David had to  make rather exaggerated hand movements and gestures to achieve the required levels of timing together with warnings of the consequences if the offenders failed to do this; I think the word ‘gulag’ was mentioned. Having overcome this hurdle a collective sigh of relief could be heard and there was much celebrating, which may be evident in Jane’s video. With David now no longer having to resort to a gimlet gaze aimed at past miscreants, the remainder of the set was a breeze as we signed off with the usual knees up and calls of More… from within the band.  

  Thanks once more to Mike for arranging the gig, to the YAA staff for their enthusiastic support, to our faithful family followers and not least to David for leading us into what we hope will be another enjoyable and successful year.

 Next up is the Burns Night do at Gaskells, although Burns Lunch would be more accurate, next Wednesday, 24th January. Kilts are optional but underpinnings are essential unless you have a strong stomach.