Yo-Yo’s & No-Go’s – Are They Having Fun Yet? (Part II)

Welcome to a series of only-just-slightly irreverent but hopefully informative articles written by me: Jon Paul – Wedding Singer, Host & DJ. 

This time (to quote Pete Tong) “we continue.....”

Yo-Yo’s & No-Go’s – Are They Having Fun Yet? (Part II)

Following on from the FIRST PART of this article >>[HERE]<< we continue to look into how evening events – and audiences – “work,” examining why groups of people do or don’t dance and why. 
It’s worth reiterating that just because people don’t immediately dance on that square wooden thing, it *doesn’t* mean they’re having a miserable time.  To re-use my own phrase: “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it dance.”  Unless it’s a pantomime horse, naturally.

Also as I’ve previously said, good planning is paramount to help assure successful events.  Some faux-pas that hinder the hearty-party, however are:

Mistake #1:  You’re Rushing ‘Em. 

Pop Will Eat Itself.
But the buffet food won't/

Most guests actually want to eat during the buffet you’ve paid for and laid on. 

While I do see guests continue to dance while others stand in line, if everyone’s cleared out of the room to eat, they can’t be on the dance floor at the same time. 

I have had the occasional bride rush up 4 minutes after the buffet has opened, and bark
“Quick!  Put something louder and faster on!  No-one’s dancing anymore!” 

I do however resist responding in full-on “guest on Rikki Lake” mode...
“Oh no you di’n’t...Er: hal-lo?  That’s might be ‘cos they’re-a where the sandwiches are?!  Girlfriend – they’re wantin’ vol-au-vents, not ‘Voulez Vous’.”  J

"Quick!  They want to re-start the
entertainment!"

To be blunt, realistic expectations are important for clients here – although the evening is the less formal part of your wedding there is still a certain flow and order than is de rigueur (= the done thing)... often expected as a natural order of events.  They acts as triggers for guests to react in a particular way.

I’ll say again: you will know your friends and family best but discuss this with your entertainer.

Notwithstandingly, I will say that when guests choose to stay for my performances (as a singer or a DJ) over-and-above the offer of free grub, it’s a real confidence boost, for sure! 

Mistake #2: In your music planning, you’ve already exhausted guests.   

We always recommend starting the evening with more laid-back (but not boring!) music, as assaulting guests’ senses from the outset with a barrage of high-volume & high-energy music will likely have the opposite effect many imagine. 

Guests (especially older ones) will back off from the outset, or they will peak too soon and lose interest later in the evening, when the party should be getting a glow-on. 

I often speak with clients about the “shape” of the evening – taking guests on a journey, so to speak.

In other words, Pro-entertainers should know when to put our proverbial foot on the gas.  If you have hired a pro, while the final choices for the night are yours, you have also hired all of his (or her) expertise to call upon – so call on it. 

Artists - think about your song-choice in building to a full dance floor.  Without resorting to playing tracks from ‘Now That’s What I Call Retirement Home Songs Volume 4’ an experienced entertainer can build to a massive finale from even smallest, most subtle opening, if that’s what’s needed. 

The background music you play and the flush of the lighting, even before you step on stage, will help affect positive reaction when you start your performance.   J

Mistake #3: In your music planning, you’ve already bored guests. 

We always recommend starting the evening with more laid-back music, (am I repeating myself here?)

but if this plays for *too* long it can make starting the party harder, later on.  A night’s entertainment should “grow”, with some appropriate ‘dropping back’ to accentuate the impact of key moments – like a rollercoaster ride or a good movie – that “journey” thing again.

The Long Dark Cocktail-Hour of The Soul.

This is especially true when guests are normally dancers but they’re being kept on a leash by seemingly endless ‘lift musak’ – even when their favourite tunes are finally played, they may have lost their party spirit. 

I once entertained at an August wedding some years ago where the bride was enjoying the sunshine on the terrace so much she kept telling me to just keep the light background music going, as “nobody wants to dance yet”  (ie she didn’t). 

In the meantime I had requests for floor-fillers and party anthems piling up from frustrated guests.  When the sun eventually set (after 10pm) the bride reluctantly agreed to skip the light fandango with her new husband, after which her guests were also allowed to dance.  The floor was thin...more than a few guests had left already.It was a difficult night for me, as guests then needed a lot of nurturing to rekindle their interest.  (But I’m SUCH a hero it worked out alright in the end!)

In essence, couples might again consider the suggestions of the expert they’ve hired: if (s)he’s on the 20^th time suggesting your first dance be played, perhaps you’ve not noticed guests leaving like (s)he has. 

In other words, Pro-entertainers should know when to put our proverbial foot on the gas.  I often talk to clients about the ‘shape’ of their evening……

(Yep – repeating myself like my very own Granny.)

Mistake #4: There’s not enough variety in your entertainment schedule. 

Two hours of happy hardcore might be OK for a 21^st Birthday (and even then…. :-/ sheesh) but a mixed guest ‘demographic’ (eg ages and backgrounds), will get bored with the same style all night, especially if they’re the mix of ages and tastes you typically get at weddings. 

This is particularly true if clients have insisted entertainers ‘do not play’ anything other than their personal pre-selections and then most people want something different to this.  Your day – yes – but I recommend a degree of flexibility for the sake of your guests and therefore party success.

"By the 3rd hour of Leona Lewis songs,
Gary was close to breaking point."

I once had a bride forbid ALL forms of R’n’B, and then fly off the handle at songs she even thought sounded like R’n’B (but weren’t) – songs that 95% of her guests were requesting and dancing too.  Another demanded purely her list of obscure 70s & 80s funk (which I was loving!) but again it cleared the floor. 

It is the bride and groom's perogative of course to stipulate what they love and avoid what they hate...but some flexibility -is a fabulous way to make a party a success without entirely compromising a couple's "vision" or style.

As a solution, we often suggest “increments” of styles or eras, which will at the very least “rotate” dancers who like different types of music, but not stray too far from the music you love. 

DEVASTATED.
"But I thought EVERYONE *loves*
wall-to-wall Norwegian Death Metal!!"

A great memory of the night for everyone is a admirable target to work towards...not many of the guests going home early and complaining: “tsk! they only played that Emo stuff that *they* like... all night!”

AGAIN - it is “your day” *of course* and you are paying the proverbial piper. 

When I am hired to provide entertainment for a party *of course* the final choices are my clients’ and I will play their choices and to the best of my ability... BUT equally I feel a part of my pre-event service is to be candid about the path being set upon. 

Feedback I receive from many happy clients tells me than most couples even value this expertise.  I am fortunate that most of my clients want to share their happy occasion with a range of their friends and family.

Next time – we will discuss some Hard Uncomfortable Truths about why and how events can splutter and stall, and consider some ways a Professional artist can over-come issues & ‘reignite the night’.  You read the final section of the article >>[HERE.]<<

But for now: 

Take care….and have fun.

Jon Paul

- x -



Jon Paul offers unparalleled live and DJ’d entertainment solutions, including free consultation on which services would suit everything about your wedding’s style, size and budget!

Visit our main website for some ideas or contact Jon Paul to start your personalised entertainment planning.

Jon is available throughout the UK including South Wales, Bristol & the West Country, Cornwall, Devon & Dorset, West Midlands, Home Counties plus Greater & Central London.







Yo-Yo’s & No-Go’s – Are They Having Fun Yet? (Part I)

Welcome to a series of only-just-slightly irreverent, but hopefully informative articles written by me: Jon Paul – Wedding Singer, Host & DJ. 

THIS TIME

Yo-Yo’s & No-Go’s – Are They Having Fun Yet? (Part I)

putting four-to-the-floor?

This (increasingly burgeoning) article is designed to inform upcoming performers but also aimed in part at customers thinking about hiring (especially live) entertainers for their weddings or other special celebrations.  

As the old saying (kind of) goes:
“You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it dance.” 

Many newer DJs and live entertainers, especially in the private events market, struggle with this concept, taking more difficult gigs personally.  Hell: I still do. Darnit, why do I have to care so?!

Equally, if you are planning your own party, understanding how audiences (ie groups of your friends & family!) ‘work’ is useful to help to put to rest one of the biggest concerns people have during their events: ....are my guests having a great time?

We do lots of parties where loads of guests are up dancing, often even from early in the evening and despite the buffet being served.  They’re grrrreeeeaaat!  For Pros like myself who take pride in their job, these events feel amazing to perform for – a real buzz of energy!

Equally there are events where people seem to "yo-yo" on & off the dance-floor – these feel pretty good too, as people are still dancing as a response to what the artist is doing.  More often than not, it also shows you’re doing your job in providing something for everyone and rotating the dance floor.  This ebb and flow is quite normal.

However, at some events, sections of people can occasionally be unresponsive no matter what the artist (or DJ) does.  These "No-Go" people at gigs are hard work for all performers, who can spend their sets wondering:

“Is it me?  This song worked so well last week!!  Is this mic even on?!”

It’s all part of the decidedly unglamorous world of mobile entertainment, and why many of us don’t just charge sixty quid to do what we do.  For artists, understanding the fact that wedding guests are not there to see you as an performer is an ego-crushing but pivotal breakthrough in becoming a seasoned pro. 

Nonetheless, experienced entertainers will likely agree with the following observations:

FACT #1.  Some guests are just drinkers and talkers.  This is particularly so in the early part of the evening, when new guests are arriving.  However, the right music to support this part of the event means they’ll still be having a great time – particularly as family and friends catch up or unwind from the more formal part of the day. 

Earlier in the night guests *do* want to chat

If you are an artist who also offers cocktail hour & lounge music, bearing in mind that your raison d’etre is meant to be mainly as atmosphere/background music.  Sets constructed to nurture energetic conversation can both build and wane. 

Discuss with your clients what else they imagine happening while you perform, and build this into the shape of your set.
You might need to even consider abandoning the “W” shape set-list you may be used to from the club circuit.

REMEMBER - You are not the clock-face of the night – but you are the winding mechanism.  If guests do notice you, that’s brilliant: don’t be shy to engage with them.  If other guests are generally chatting to each other you can share a quip or “private moment” with just one lady or gent.  In cabaret, you probably already single out individuals in the audience and talk briefly as if just to them, right?  In both cases you have won an ally, and it makes your performance instantly lifted. 

Beware that there is a difference between the banter in cabaret and what is suitable for a wedding, however.

The hum of conversation while you sing is actually a good sign.  Recognition & eye contact from the audience (guests) is an absolute boon.  People running out room screaming: “Please Moma!  Make him stop!”...hmmm....perhaps not-so-good.

FACT #2:  People won’t dance until they’re ready to dance. 
You can’t just throw a switch at 8pm that gets everyone on their feet.  
Even the highest paid, most experienced entertainers will tell you this – if they’re being truthful.   Not every gig, from start to end, is like the final scenes from an American high-school rom’com, with the whole crowd all singing and dancing in sync.  We wish – how good would *that* look on all the promo shots?! 

Too much Buble, or too much bubbly?
You decide.

Alcohol usually helps (inside the guests, I mean…) AND ALSO experienced planning is a useful tool.  Typically for weddings, building up to a well-timed first dance will act as a catalyst for other people dancing.  Speak with your clients about how to help them achieve the best reaction at the right time.

For couples looking to hire entertainment, you should make informed decisions.  A committed entertainer will plan with clients – his experience alongside your knowledge of what your guests are like
are two huge ingredients to party success. 
A full personal service, with more involved than just a 2 minute phone call to confirm the venue, will be hugely important here too.  From my point of view I am aware that this provides peace of mind for my clients – and also (if I’m honest) it does for me too, knowing I’m providing what my clients expect.

FACT #3:  Some guests simply want to be ‘passively’ entertained.  
Simply put: they’re watchers, not dancers. 
This is where live entertainment adds something that some (note: SOME...) DJ-only shows cannot – a specific focal point or ‘show’.  With higher end entertainers this includes mobile stage/performance lighting for them, and/or disco lights to create movement and colour across the room and audience. 

If you are a performer moving from the cabaret circuit to private events, consider how you will be lit.  Most hotels and country houses will not have in-built pars and floods like clubs on the circuit do.  So let’s be blunt here: a set of house-party traffic-light effects on the floor just won’t cut the mustard for high-quality weddings & events.  Professionals use professional gear.  Period.

A major benefit of live entertainment is
a focal point for those not ready to dance. 

As an aside, Wedding & Events professionals should highlight themselves without detracting any of the glory from the celebrant(s) – the entertainer is *not* the star of the day and walks a tender line between showmanship & ostentation.
So, for artists, another important lesson is learning to reflect praise and attention back onto the couple. 

Equally, make sure you observe your audience: if they aren’t dancing their expressions and body-language will indicate whether you’re doing a good job: tapping fingers, nodding heads and smiles are all good. 

Consider guests might have been at the venue since mid-day and might already getting tired.  Can you adapt your show on the fly? 

Eye contact is hugely important and why I sometimes arrange (in earlier sets) for house-lights to be only partly dimmed: if you can see guests you can give them the energy to enjoy themselves as much as they can give you the energy to pull out a great performance.

FACT #4: The Performance Space Influences The Audience's Reaction. 

Subconsciosly, when guests enter a function room, if they see an unruly mass of wires trailing everywhere, tattered speakers or playout equipment just plonked on a table, they will immediatly judge (even if not aware of it) that the artist isn't really bothered about how they are percieved.  Immediately the artist is setting the audience up not to be bothered either. 
Besides this, your set-out should ideally look like it's a planned part of the look or design of the function room, rather than some ugly barnacle 'tagged on' or flung into the corner. 

When it comes to the mainstay of the party, (when the artist is there to encourage people to dance), more darkness in the room is often better.  Low house-lights will (a) make performance lighting more effective and (b) reduces peoples’ inhibitions nearly as well as alcohol does.  Liaise with the venue/duty manager on what is practicable.  Health and safety always needs to be considered.

FACT #5: Artists' performance STYLE Influences The Audience's Reaction
Both ‘talkers’ and ‘watchers’ can be nurtured onto the dance-floor when they are good and ready, but a skilful entertainer can also involve them from their seats via performance interaction and moving focus.
Personally, I plan the style of this to compliment the party style my clients want.  For some weddings a more particular, formal or sophisticated style is in order.  Others just want to fight for their right to party, so a more interactive ‘Butlins’ approach is wanted and needed.  I pride myself on being able to adapt to either.

There are many and varied techniques for a Pro’ entertainer to involve the audience (especially upon forfeiting a DJ booth to hide behind).  The skills run on a sliding scale between cool sophistication  - like Dean Martin’s raised eyebrow – right through to full-on Freddy Starr-ism.



Clients have different perceptions
of what is too 'Cheesy' or inapproriate
for their special event. .

All technicques have their place, according to ideas of bride & groom or organiser.  Establishing style with clients is VERY important – interaction and cheesiness can teeter on a fine line.  For most clients ‘cheese’ creates a Marmite reaction.  To illustrate, picture the image of wedding groups sat in a line on the floor to ‘Oops Upside Your Head’.  This should create one of two very strong responses.  Q.E.D.

Are you adaptable as an entertainer?  Are you aware of the details of wedding or event etiquette and how/when it is needed?  Or do you only perform like it’s a cheeky seaside special in *every* event & venue you gig at? 

For couples planning their day - if you thinking of hiring an artiste, consider the kind of atmosphere you want to create and ask them how they would adapt their performance.  Are you imagining a Sinatra tuxedo or Neil Diamond sequined shirt?  Evening gala or boozy knees-up?  Can the performer do both?  What is your priority?

REMEMBER - your choices reflect on you as a couple and the atmosphere you're trying to create.  Neither is wrong, but both will be remembered and talked about. 

We will continue this article, considering some mistakes both artists and couples might make in planning their event, which are to be discussed in PART II  >>>[HERE]<<

But for now:

Take care….and have fun.

Jon Paul

xxx

As well as a vocal artist, DJ & events Host (Master of Ceremonies), Jon Paul is

executive-entertainer-manager-in-chief-boss-head-commander and primary job-title maker-upper here at Phat Aahs’ Entertainments. 

Visit our main website for some ideas or contact Jon Paul to start your
personalised entertainment planning.

Jon is available throughout the UK including South Wales, Bristol & the West Country, Cornwall, Devon & Dorset, West Midlands, Home Counties plus Greater & Central London.



NEW SONGS 2012 – Going from the Sublime to the ROCK-diculous. (Part 2)

New ballads & air-guitar anthems added to repertoire. 

(Re-wind to HERE if you want to read about me being all touchy-feely and romantic!)

In an unusual move, I spend a chunk of my rehearsal time in The Summer of ’12 dedicating my vocal folds to the slightly heavier end of the music spectrum. 

I had been asked to perform an all-Rock set for a theme wedding in August , and while including several guitar-led numbers from my existing repertoire was a snip, I wanted to add more all-time rock classics that would appeal across the spectrum.  Some might disingenuously call it Dad-rock... but let’s face it: there’s no school like the old school. 

SO NOW... as a extra special bonus to all my clients, at no extra charge and during the live performance at *every* gig where I perform these songs, as a free gift to all guests of all ages I am delighted to supply an unlimited supply of high-quality, hand-crafted air guitars. 
Use ‘em or lose ‘em wannbe axemen.  ;-)

The guys in the old band didn't take
it well when I said I was going solo...

Now, I ought to hold my hands up with a wee confession.... when I say these are “new songs” in my repertoire, they are new for me as a solo performer.  During Ye Olde Dayes of Yore, when I worked with an array of live bands, I used to perform all of the tracks below.  Notwithstanding, I was a little worried working solo about recreating the raw energy I was used to alongside  4, 5, or 9 other all-live musicians...

Even so, by quality vetting various backing tracks it was possible to single out versions where the studio musicians and track producers had allowed the verve and energy of !rock! music to seep into the recording.  Some, cheap midi & karaoke backings, sounded artificial and weak to me:  I am delighted to be able to use high-quality arrangements that have that ‘live feel.’  Audiences would probably only notice if you play they tracks side-by-side....but it matters to *me*!

Clients also don’t have the live-band inconvenience to newlyweds of needing to provide a dressing room and pick the blue M&Ms out of the bowl.       “Shaaarrrrrroooonnnnn!!!!” ß Ozzy impression.  ;-)

So without further prevarication, the “new” songs I have now added to my stand-alone repertoire are:

Born To Be Wild (Steppenwolf)



Dude: where's my car?



This has to be the ultimate Bikers’ anthem, drawn from the soundtrack of seminal 1969 buddy-cum-road-movie “Easy Rider.”  I actually really like the way the vocal balances a wire between softer-than-you’d-imagine phrases and pure unbridled rawness as you rip into the chorus. 

I don’t need to do my usual quote-the-lyrics bit here: everyone seems to know ‘em, and that’s why this song is perfect for a mixed-group event AND themed shows alike, where everyone wants to rock! 

Bad Case of Lovin’ You (Doctor Doctor) – Robert Palmer

Yorkshire’s own Robert Palmer is undoubtedly one of the artists who have influenced me the most since I was just a teenager £&%$ years ago.  (£&%$ is not a typo... I’m not telling YOU how long ago I was a teenager!!!)

Palmer, suffering some ugly, ugly women

What I love most about Palmer is, no matter how eclectic the style he sang, he always injects a soulfulness into the track.  He saw most commercial success in his ‘80s pop-rock period, videoed alongside miming black-dressed super-models, (the poor man!) but for me the rawness of this 1978 classic echoed a return to the unencumbered intensity of his vocals with band Vinegar Joe.

This track really gives me a change to wail, but what I like most is that people react like they’ve forgotten the song and are suddenly reminded just how much they loved it – literally jumping out of their seats!  Alongside other songs I perform by the sadly departed Palmer, it’s a chance for me to tip my hat to (in my opinion) probably one of the finest rhythm ‘n’ blues voices the UK has ever produced.

Jump (Van Halen)



Just go ahead and jump...



Ironically, one of the hugest hits for these 80s stadium-fillers was also the basis of the rift between Eddie Van Halen & vocalist David Lee Roth: with Roth wanted to move away from the keyboard/synth riffs that make this track so outstanding. 

The synth part works so well building the music to crescendos and (for me) leaves space for some utterly enjoyable vocals howls and almost melodramatic vocals, plus acts as a perfect counterpoint for the wailing guitar solo

More than this, the closing repetition of the anthemic chorus is purely wonderful to get my audience bouncing & singing along, plus I can vamp off-beat call-backs as they shout the words to me! 
Plus I get to pogo around the performance space like an idiot aged 21 again....it’s quite euphoric!

For those who know the band’s music video, please note I do not attempt the jumping high-splits like DL Roth.... I’m clearly not 21 anymore.  :-/

All Right Now (Free)

Paul Rodgers et al in Free. 
I merely *dream* of such hair....

This is a perfect show-closer:  it grows and grows to the first chorus, ideal for encouraging more and more people onto the dance floor. 

It’s a huge challenge to perform but a sheer joy, crossing an expanse in my vocal range from some recitative* (*almost spoken) lines thrown away in the verse through to huge screams and series of belted high-notes as the chorus intensifies.

Also it has a superb instrumental, a perfect length for dipping music volume and offering some valedictory thanks & dedications on behalf of a happy couple, then getting all the audience to cheer the newlyweds as I segue into a scream, swoop and holler before the song’s repeating chorus finale.

Don’t know if you can tell I’m well-enthusiastic about this one?!

So there we go – a whistle-stop tour of new rock-party songs now available to anyone booking my services.  An hour-long Sounds of Rock show is also an option that can be book ed to juxtapose similar length Sounds Of Swing, Sounds of Jazz and (soon to be finalised) Sounds of Soul sets... a melange of different styles that is available from few other artists in this area.

Crumbs: hark at Mr Egotist here!....I think I’ve been playing at being a Rock god too long....

Take care...<rock on> and have fun  ;-)

Jon Paul.

NEW SONGS 2012 – From the Sublime to the ROCK-diculous. (Part 1)

New ballads & rock anthems added to repertoire. 

(Fast forward to HERE if you’re impatient to Rock out!)

Try not to drop sideways with shock people, as Procrastination Boy here actually gets around to telling you about some of the song’s he’s added to his list of live music choices for 2012.  I’m always fiddling about with new song ideas – mainly by trying them out in the shower, as my long-suffering wife and kids will tell you....

However, prompted to learn them ‘properly’ for weddings & events during 2012 here are some of the salient new numbers I wanted to tell you about available from summer 2012 onwards....

This I Promise You (Ronan Keating)

I was asked to learn this delightful number for a lovely seaside summer wedding I entertained at Tenby.   If you’re on Facebook you can see pictures and commentary HERE....

Now I’ll admit, my automatic reaction to the name ‘Ronan Keating’ is to mock-sneeze “schmaltz” into my hand.... however this is not the first time I’ve set my personal tastes aside for a client... and (man, this admission is gonna hurt) not the first time I’ve been proven wrong about songs by Ronan Keating.   (Good grief, my elan is decimated!)

Ronan: Irish charm & good looks.

This song from Ronan’s 2006 album ‘Bring You Home’ has some of the most poignant first-dance lyrics I’ve ever sung.  It’s not just about love, but about that strange mixture of joy, anticipation and vulnerability one feels stepping out in front to one’s friends and family to declare vows of love AND to undertake that all-important first dance. 

The lines “take my hand, only you can stop me shaking” and “don’t let go, ‘cause I could almost cry now”
express how many of my clients say they feel about these huge moments in their special day – and I remember too the intensity of those 3 minutes ‘in the spotlight’ in the middle of a dance-floor that felt to me about as big as Wembley Stadium. 
(Which is strange considering I stand in the spotlight all the time for my job as a performer! )

In the approaching 20 years I’ve been performing at weddings, (oh good lord I’m old!), I’ve seen intricately choreographed first dances, right through to simple two-steps where the couple have just clung to each other in swaying bewilderment...and every first dance is unique, special and beautiful.  My advice to all my clients (especially those nervous about this keystone moment) is to just focus on each other and be themselves. 
(Even if being themselves *is* doing an epic 7-minute multi-song comedy dance routine!!!)



You don't have to be Fred & Ginger

The well-planned first dance is an essential mechanism in the success of a party too: my research among wedding guests shows that attendees feel short-changed and frankly a little lost without the structure of some formalities within an event.  So even if you are terrified by ‘performance anxiety’, if you have booked a committed and professional entertainer you will be able to find options or alternatives that will tick the boxes and tailor each part of the night to your tastes and personalities. 
A weddings specialist can offer plenty of advice and suggestions to make the whole event a success.

I Loved Her First (Heartland)

I first performed this song to an audience just after the Ronan number at the Tenby wedding I write about above.  Typically within the fee for an evening-only package I’ll learn one new song not in my repertoire for a special dance...unless a song request is one I’d be able to use for other events and I’ve just needed a darn good excuse to learn.... ;-)

I’d been aware of this touching country ballad for a long while: several of my purely-DJ associates have pressed play for brides to dance with their dads to it with great success in the past.  Some have often said I would be wise to learn the song myself - so the opportunity to add this number to my live repertoire, with all the emotional energy only a live performance can add to an event, was a request that could not be overlooked.

Heartland: Southern Charm and...average looks

The premise of the song is of a father looking on at his daughter’s wedding-day joy, sharing her happiness but simultaneously fighting the nostalgia & subtle pang of loss as his  ‘little’ girl seems to grow up and move on from him and away, as if before his somewhat dewy eyes. 
(Clearly at this juncture, he’s not considered the empty-nester savings on his phone bill.  ;-)     )

The simple violin part within the arrangement really tugs at the heart-strings in this highly emotive number – and the simple but touching lyrics are very stirring:

“From the first breath she breathed, when she first smiled at me, I knew that the love of father runs deep.”

When I sang this song live for the first time at the Tenby wedding, the closing words ....

“Someday you might know what I’m going through, when a miracle smiles up at you...
I loved her first.”

...seemed to have extra-special resonance with the family, as one proud father embraced his daughter and they glanced over at her 6-week old baby girl cosseted in the arms of a newly-proud husband and father, with happy tears budding in all of their eyes. 

Magical, unique, moments like this are one of the reasons I love performing at special family celebrations such as weddings – it can be a real emotional rollercoaster even for me.  J

Which brings me neatly to:

Danny Boy (Irish Traditional)

The family gatherings I help facilitate are not restricted to the expansion of loved-ones through marriage, but also the re-joining of relatives in celebration.  In March 2012 I was booked to entertain at a family reunion in Abergavenny.

While the event was partly a life-time landmark celebration – as Irish matriarch Mary had reached 90 years – it was also a perfect excuse for all parts of the family to re-gather from all corners of the UK and Europe.  Many of the family – including some of Mary’s older siblings, had travelled over from the Emerald Isle to join Mary and the extended family in Wales.

Irish charm and good looks? 
(The Pogues' Shane MacGowen.)

As a special surprise pre-request, one of Mary’s sons had requested I perform a traditional Irish ballad, and suggested the classic ‘Danny Boy’ aka "Londonderry Air."
Folksy songs are not a typical part of my repertoire, and finding a suitable arrangement proved a challenge at first as they last thing I wanted to do was ape a cod-Irish accent or be a Josef Locke wannabe!

Likewise, I wanted to leave space for the highly-poetic lyrics to ‘breathe’, and not become embroiled in too much instrumentation. 

The version I eventually found seemed to strike the right balance between the traditional and the soulful...a lesser know arrangement as sung by Elvis Presley.  (You know... that famous Irishman, Elvis Presley!?!)

The backing I’ve chosen hits a good mid-pace that is not too elegiac nor does it become an inappropriate jig.  I love the way I can add light and dark to my performance, cutting short some notes to emphasise the imagery, then applying sustain and vibrato in spades without it becoming too 'music-hall' in style. 

The pacing of the final phrase is quite difficult, but by using a smattering of stuccato I’m able to elongate the final phrase “I’ll simply sleep in peace until you come to me” so the final notes flutter away like petals in the wind.

The song is well outside my typical style: and (I’ll admit) one that I struggle to sing as well as I’d like...however seeing Mary’s family gathered together, holding hands around her as they joined in was another brilliant moment that reinforces why I probably have the best job in the world.

 - - -

Not all the new songs I’ve learnt during 2012 have been about tenderness and reverie...sometime The Boy Just Gotta Rock.... you can read more about the high-energy numbers I’ve undertaken in Part 2 of this article HERE.

In the interim, I’m greatly looking forward to what romantic songs my clients ask me to learn during the 2012-13 season...and I’ll let you know in due course.  (For “in due course” please read “eventually”!  LOL.)

Take care....and have fun

Jon Paul