Double delight as Spinnaker have an amazing time at LABBS 2019 Convention in Llandudno.
Following an eight hour, 300 mile journey, two Diamond Travel coaches safely delivered 67 Spinnaker Chorus members to Llandudno for the Ladies Association of British Barbershop Singers Convention 2019. En route Spinnakerettes had the pleasure of singing Defying Gravity and One Fine Day for Pudsey Bear at Keele Services as part of their Children in Need appeal event.
We stayed at the Risboro Hotel, Llandudno where we were virtually the only residents for the weekend which was fabulous. Staff were so friendly and welcoming and nothing was too much trouble.
On Friday we presented our donations for the Aberconwy Refuge Appeal. Spinnakerettes, Karen Hewson, Jo Odell, Jo Elrington and Lin Bowen had been busily packing, wrapping and labelling shoe boxes, with Spinnakerette’s generously donated items, prior to departure day. We hope each box brings some happiness to it’s recipient this Christmas.
Our brilliant quartet, Sapphire (Jenni Slee, Karen Harland, Liz King & Colleen Potter) competed in the Quartet semi-final as well as our lovely Bari Debs Thompson, who competed for the first time as new member of GinSing quartet (W.London). Spinnakerettes supported and cheered them on from the auditorium during a fabulous competition. What superb performances, we are so proud of them and huge congratulations to Gold Medalists Sound Central Quartet, Silver Medallists Venus Effect and Bronze Medallists Nightfall.
Saturday was all systems go as Team Spinnaker were up bright and early prepping for our turn on the competition stage. With hair coiffed, make up perfected and breakfast eaten all by 9.45am we started gentle physical & vocal warm up with Juliette & Cathy in the hotel ballroom! John Palmer our Musical Director then took over rehearsal, expertly keeping us focussed during a final sing through of our songs. A short coach journey followed and we arrived at Venue Cymru and changed into our sparkly new shimmering tunics, black trousers and black bolero costumes.
At 1.15pm we took our places on the stage with nervous anticipation as stewards closed the doors, contestant no.10 (out 28 competing choruses) was announced, the lights illuminated and it was time to showcase our much rehearsed set. Firstly our beautiful ballad What kind of fool am I, followed by a superb parody of the classic Let’s Do It, lyrics written for us by our very own genius John Palmer. The audience were fantastic, thankfully they laughed in all the right places and with a gratefully received standing ovation post performance we walked off stage delighted to hear the rousing applause. That in itself was reward enough but to be announced as LABBS 2019 Bronze Medallists with an improvement of 31 points on our score last year was phenomenal. Our cheers and screams of delight filled the auditorium and many a bubbly filled glass was held high in celebration at dinner that evening. Congratulations to the amazing Amersham A Cappella (Amersham) and The White Rosettes (Leeds) on their gold and silver placing, we are totally in awe of their amazing talent.
We also had five ‘newbies’ competing on stage with us in their first convention as Spinnakerettes. They were fabulous and you would never have known they were new members, they did a wonderful job.
Convention 2020 takes place closer to home, in Bournemouth and planning is already well under way with hotel booking, costume and searching for new songs to showcase. We can’t wait!