• Light in the Stable - Selah
• Winter Wonderland
• This Christmas Time – Chris & Susan Norman
• Old Time Christmas – Randy Travis version
• God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
• O Holy Night
So here are some snippets of ‘crowd shot footage’ of the songs. I’m at the right-hand side as you look at in a red top. If I get an official version, I will add it later.
As it seems the norm recently, we only had four practice sessions together so that makes it quite a challenge. As the second group had some songs with electric guitars, they were set up in the mixing desk, so we just played unplugged apart from the microphones.
In the light of all the discussion on the internet and in the community recently, I would confirm this was totally live, no autotune, pitch correction, postproduction adjustments or AI were used.
Well done Michael.
Sounds like everyone was joining in and having a good time.
Obviously your wife on the camera doing the close-up!
What struck me though is that the audience are singing and swaying along with the songs but the band are very static.
I think if the band are joining in and swaying along too, the audience will love it even more!
Great stuff Michael. Sounds like it was a great night and a good time was being had by all.
The audio wasn’t great so it’s difficult to comment on that aspect but the audience was swaying around and singing along so they were clearly enjoying it.
Well done on bringing some Christmas cheer to your audience.
I remember a year or two ago you posted about joining the local guitar club and were a bit apprehensive about it. Well it’s all paid off hasn’t it.
Perhaps next time get someone in the front row to record things.
Well done Michael. Playing with other musicians to an audience is a great feeling isn’t it? I play in a rock and pop covers band and we hosted a Christmas ‘bash’ at our local village hall on November 30th which turned out to be a great night.
Yes, I think the audience did join in as they were encouraged to do and yes Dorothy did take the video.
I know what you mean about looking static, I think we were concentrating so much. As you would expect we were using chord sheets, there is no way in the limited time we had could we do it all from memory and also remembering how we had arranged the songs. Perhaps the hardest part for me was keeping in time with the others, much harder when there was no drummer or bass player, and we were not plugged in so difficult to hear what the all the others were doing.
I think it was a successful evening; the audience was around 60 which was not bad, perhaps it was the free food that attracted them.
Yes, it was definitely the right decision to join the club, it has brought my guitar playing on in ways that just doesn’t happen when you are playing at home by yourself. They are a very friendly lot and willing to offer advice and tolerate beginners like me.
The problem with ‘crowd shot’ footage you can’t always get right at the front.
I have got a copy of the ‘official’ version which gives a better view of the proceedings and will post it up when I get a chance.
Thanks, yes playing in front of an audience with a band is a great experience. I count myself very lucky to be able to do that and having achieved one of my goals when started to learn guitar nearly three years ago.
Hi Michael,m
It’s nice to see that this continues and the fun you have with it … shockingly, another year has flown by/disappeared behind us, I wanted to type yesterday, but apparently something came up…
Yes it was fun but hard work to get the songs into a reasonable standard. I think it is inevitable you think could have always done them better no matter how long you spend, but with a one take performance it is what it is.
I try not to think how quickly time goes, my third Christmas concert unbelievable.
… shockingly, another year has flown by/disappeared behind us, I wanted to type yesterday, but apparently something came up…