The Golden Oldies Musicians Group

first performance
at Golf Ifach on 20 February 2012



Mike Lawson writes:
The first public performance of The Golden Oldies Musicians Group took place at Golf Ifach on the night of 20th February 2012. The group was created by John Hopwood who invited people who wanted to get together to play live music or read short poems etc (although, at present, we have only musicians). 		   
The group now consists of solo performers (or duets) and a band. When the band members first met, we were a shambles. Then along came Ruud and Stella Maarsman who both have a great deal of musical expertise. Rudd is now the band's "Musical Director".

photograph
Photo by Benny Davis  -  freelance photographer/journalist   benny.kelso@gmail.com


Apart from Ruud and Stella, we are all amateurs. We meet regularly to rehearse and, as far as the band is concerned, it has taken us 6 months of weekly meetings to achieve the level we played at this, our first, "public" performance at Golf Ifach


Paul Roberts
Photo by Benny Davis 		We are very greatful to Paul Wessendorf and those members of his Jávea U3A live music group who came to play along with us to support us.

The picture on the left is of Paul Roberts singing The Wild Rover. If you want to watch a video with sound, click on the photograph. The video was taken with an ordinary small camera - so the sound quality is dreadful. But it will give you a feel for what a wonderfully enjoyable evening this was for everyone.   The picture below is of me playing a boogie-woogie on the keyboard accompanied by Anna on drums.
 

photograph
Photo by Shirley Baehr


Present in the audience was Benny Davis who is a freelance reporter and photographer, not a U3A member, and who wrote a report of the night's event for the Euro Weekly. I have photocopied the report which you can read at the foot of this web page. I am very grateful to Benny for sending me some of the photographs he took and giving permission for me to use them on this page.


collage
Individual photographs above by Benny Davis

Top left: Paul Wessendorf (vocal & 12 string guitar).
Top right: Laurence Baehr (harmonica & keyboard)
Bottom left: Sue Lawson (vocal) & Mike Lawson (keyboard).
Bottom right: June Ward (vocal) with John Hopwood in the background.


If you want to watch a video (with sound) of Sue & I performing I Hear Ya Talkin' To Me, click on the collage above.
Once again, the video was taken on an ordinary small camera so the quality of the sound is terrible.


photograph
Laurence Baehr                   Photo by Shirley Baehr 		  John Hopwood did all the admin required for the event. Space is quite limited in the bar of Golf Ifach so we could only admit about 70 people. John had to close his attendance list very soon after this event was first publicised. Since we all knew one another, the atmosphere in the room throughout the evening was very friendly (particularly after the first few glasses of beer or wine) and the audience joined in the choruses of the folk songs which were performed. The music ranged from folk, through country blues, jazz, more modern pop, boogie-woogie and blues.
 
photograph
Andy Keen                                   Photo by Benny Davis


There were more performing artists than you see above. There was the Golden Oldies Band itself which comprised John Hopwood (vocals), Laurence Baehr (harmonica), Mike Lawson (keyboard), Anna Gabriel (drums), Des Pais (guitar), Ruud Maarsman (bass guitar) and Stella Maarsman (vocals).   Absent from the band were Dave Collins (guitar) who was not yet back from his trip to Australia, and Peter Becker (bass guitar) who was unable to play because of an injured hand.  Then there were the other solo performers: Ian McKenzie and Pam Dentith. The evening was finished off with several numbers performed by Ruud and   Stella accompanied by there superb saxophonist, Grahame Sheppard. Since the above night's performance, there have been some changes in the Golden Oldies Band. Anna has departed to join another band which plays music more to her taste. And we have two new band members: Geoff Cookson (drums) and Mike Creese (Tenor Sax).


Report in the Euro Weekly (1 - 7th March 2012)

Euro Weekly report



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