Lights, camera and Gospel at Glór this weekend

ARISING from its popular two-night run in Glór last January, the Ennis-based Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir will host a one-night performance of Gospel at the Movies this Saturday night.
Fiona Walsh, director of the choir, said that due to demand, they decided to perform the show again.
“We intend to scale down our performances a little in the coming months and we thought this would be a good thing to do before that. We call Gospel at the Movies a multi-sensory show. Basically, the show includes a number of songs from the movies, which we will be performing in Gospel style. These songs would not necessarily be considered as true Gospel songs but we’re doing a Gospel take on them. The songs inspired a Gospel style performance for us,” she explained.
Some of the songs in the show include Lovely Day by Bill Withers, Will you Be There by Michael Jackson, I Believe from Honey and Hallelujah, which was recently made popular again by Alexandra Burke.
“So the songs cover a broad style and would suit many different tastes but we will be performing them with a Gospel twist. We have gone all out to make this similar to a movie experience but it’s very much a live show. We’ve had a lot of fun with it – even our programme are on popcorn cartons,” Fiona added.
She said that there is a surprise at the beginning of the show in the form of a multi-media clip and it includes some comedy with Colm Flynn, formally of Clare FM who is now working as a researcher with the John Murray Show on RTE Radio 1.
There are currently between 30 and 50 people performing with the Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir. The choir is a non-audition choir and its aim is to allow people find their voice by singing with them. The choir has been together now for five years and it is going from strength to strength.
Also performing at Gospel at the Movies will be the Ennis Youth Gospel Choir, now in its third year. The choir is for children up to the age of 12.
“The youth choir is going very well and are definitely getting stronger. There are about 30 children in the choir now. Originally, it was to be a mainstream choir but the members kept insisting they wanted to do Gospel songs, so we gave in and it’s turned out that they were right. The youngest member of that choir is only three,” Fiona said.
The youth choir will perform an accomplished version of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, which is known to children through the movie Sister Act. “They were a big hit in the January performances of the show and we’re expecting no different this time,” she added.
The band that plays with the famous London Community Gospel Choir will perform with the Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir at Gospel at the Movies. “They are an excellent band and definitely strengthen our show. They have worked on X-Factor for many numbers. The band’s director, Howard Francis, has had much of his work recognised at this stage and he wrote a piece for a recent papal performance,” Fiona explained.
She added that the stage for Gospel at the Movies is purpose built and is dominant colour is purple to blend with the choir’s robes. “The stage is quite spectacular including the lighting which is very specialised and adds a wonderful dimension to the performance”.
The performance will also be recorded for the choir’s first CD. “We have thought about bringing about a CD for some time but this is the ideal opportunity, so our first CD will be our live performance of Gospel at the Movies. The CD will be released in time for the Christmas market. Proceeds from the sale of the CD will go towards funding the choir,” Fiona said.
A UK agent who deals with choirs is also taking on Gospel at the Movies and is planning to tour the UK with a professional Gospel choir.
“He saw the show in January and was so impressed that he is going to acquire the rights from the movies involved and take our show with another professional Gospel choir on tour. We are absolutely delighted, because it means that he saw great potential in the show and the idea, so we must have got something right with it,” she said.
The choir has been busy rehearsing for the show, as well as performing at weddings and various other events in Clare and further afield. Three members of the choir, including Fiona, performed with Stevie Wonder at this concert in the O2 during the summer.
“We were part of the Irish Super Gospel Choir, which was made up of representatives of a number of Gospel choirs from throughout the country. It was a fantastic experience and a great opportunity to meet with members of other Gospel choirs,” Fiona explained.
Fiona added that this would be the last major performance by the Really Truly Joyful Gospel Choir until 2012.
“We’ve been very busy, so we need to slow down a little bit to let our members have a life outside the choir. We will be continuing to rehearse and perform at events and at weddings and private functions, but we won’t be organising any events of our own. So Gospel at the Movies on October 16, will be the last chance for people to catch us on that scale for some time to come,” she commented.
Tickets for the show this Saturday are available from www.glor.ie.