YAA Gig at the Ridings, 29th April 2025.

Springing into Action 

By Phil Barr Photo’s, video Joe Fisher

Our present leader referred to the opening paragraph of March’s Ridings report as a ‘masterpiece’ so I briefly pondered whether to frame the quote and put it on the mantlepiece. Then I thought, no, that looks a bit show – offy and in any case masterpieces don’t come along very often so in order  to take the pressure off expect this report to be average at best –  besides,  the omens were not at all promising: firstly one group member’s apology for being unavailable for today’s grew into four as Malcolm failed a late fitness test and then just before the start a bloke in a gilet ambled up to David and asked if this was the Wrenthorpe band. (As he was standing adjacent to the large Wakeylele Band banner at the time maybe he would have been better asking for the whereabouts of Specsavers.) Furthermore, David had been told that we had competition from the upper floor from a Horbury choir but fortunately the only hint of this was at the interval when Peter J was stretching his legs and came across someone singing into a mike with a small group of people seated around him. 

 So, to the start and with our Beverley ‘Sisters’ front row of Maria, Mags and Sue unavoidably depleted and even Mags only making it with the aid of a stick and true Yorkshire grit after a recent health scare the rest of us had to double our efforts to make an impression. Fortunately, David had assigned On the Road Again as the opening number and with plenty of people in attendance the show got off to a rollocking start with loud applause encouraging the band to display their wares in their own version of Liberation Day- MWG- that’s Make Wakeylele Great without the need for Again – well, there’s nothing wrong in blowing your own Trump-et. 

 Talking of which… Roy, Mags and ‘My Car’ were apparently the stars at Walton club’s Open Mike last night. (I didn’t go but I did hear the strains of a chap attempting to belt out Together in Blue Jeans from our garden – as I don’t know who was singing it, I’d better play safe and say no comment.)

  Meanwhile back in the present the first half mix of old, quite old and relatively new tunes went down a bomb with the public with two security guards swaying their hips while a group of seated ladies were singing along throughout the performance and another man who had been in attendance turning to applaud our efforts as he moved on just as I’m into Something Good concluded the first half. 

    Prior to the start of the second set David quickly briefed us about replacing Pop’s Wakeylele rallying call    with a full band cry as even Pop’s rich tones wouldn’t reach Wakefield from Ipswich and so we were away and we Let (Our) Love Flow, before going onto Maxwell’ s Silver Hammer where Mags, amidst a

frantic flurry of arms and good leg soon overcame a mini – crisis when hunting for her special annotated ‘percussion’  copy of the song which was hiding among my papers –

a change of pace to the gentle Slow Boat to China offered her a welcome space to recover her equilibrium.( I should add that I had to blag my way through Chatanooga as I only found my copy lurking when it was too late.) There soon followed the catchy riff accompanying the gritty Sunny Afternoon which attracted the attention of several folk with the wistful Glory of Love adding a broader perspective of life in the round. 

  There only remained The Union of Different Kinds and You’re Sixteen and in what has been a significant week for the church it crossed my mind that with all the talk of how humble the pope was he may well have approved of the words of the Fisherman’s Friends song and might even have joined in given the chance which would have pleased Mike no end.

   Thanks for the umpteenth time to David for holding the ship together, to our regular supporters and to Joe for doing a good job as link man as well as hopping from his chair in between playing to fit in a bit of photography. In talking to a visitor to the YAA stall Joe was told that a friend of his son who was involved in the tragic car crash near Bretton in January had the services of the air ambulance to thank for saving his life, so we are grateful for the efforts of all their staff including our volunteer, band member Richard. Meanwhile you will be pleased to know that our other Richard, the tech supremo, has received some good news on the health front recently which has spurred him onto even greater heights in beavering away at getting the best deal possible with web hosting companies and he is in the process of moving from 1- 2-3 REG, ( not to be confused with 2- 4-6-8 Motorway) to another one called NameCheap which to a layman like me who has no idea about these things sounds reasonable.(Chortle.)

  David is unavailable on Tuesday but Mel has kindly offered to step up to the plate.

 p.s Beryl gave the group an update on Maria who is making a steady recovery. and everyone of course wishes her well and looks forward to her return.