Enjoy It While It Lasts
Project 365 here 365Pieces
Apr 1st, 2011 @ 8:17 pm
Variety Night
Every year in my school the transition year classes put on a show of all sorts. It’s called the TYP Variety Night and it’s just that. There’s dancing (a lot of it), singing, comedy and umm… violinning. It’s nothing revolutionary in terms of structure or content - get the students who can play/sing/dance to do so in front of a paying crowd and that’s that. Ours took place on the 23rd of March.
Everyone in TY does Dance as a class every Wednesday and has been doing it since September. The main purpose of that class is so we have something to perform at the Variety Night if all else fails. My class was doing two dances - Poker Face and The Cha Cha Slide. The other class danced to Say It Right by Nelly Furtado. Our Year Head also organised a TY choir to sing two songs - California Dreamin’ and Imagine.
The choir practicing
In other years there always seemed to be this big build up to the Variety Night all around the school, not just with the TYs. But this year no one was even remotely anticipating it. Not even people in our year. It was strange. I had said to Eoin and Stephen that I’d play a song with them on the night months ago and then two weeks prior to the actual event we realised we hadn’t practiced. Like I said, no one was anticipating it so we never really realised that it was so close. It was always this thing in the near-future that, once it was close, everyone would be stressing over. So it was kind of awkward when it was two weeks away, then a week away, then a few days, and still no one was making much of an effort.
Not many of the acts were finalised or confirmed until the week before the 23rd. I was kind of worried that the night would be a massive failure seen as it was looking like there would only be about two acts that weren’t the choir and the dancing. After a while it all pretty much came together though. Everyone got themselves in gear and we were pretty much ready. All the readiness only really seemed to happen the day of the actual show at the soundcheck. At least it happened, I suppose.
Eoin playing his violin at the soundcheck. Babe.
So the night came about and everyone was fairly pumped. It was weird to see everyone so set on doing well because not only was there little or no enthusiasm from most of us before that day, but the tickets had under-sold. It was such a pity but it didn’t really matter.
I was on stage for three performances - Poker Face, Cha Cha Slide and as the drummer in a band. We (Eoin, Stephen and I) were playing Howlin’ For You by the Black Keys. First up we did our dance to Poker Face which went pretty well apart from when I forgot the moves (d3rp) and I was int he front row. I was morto.
Lookin’ fly like a G6, Ian…
Next up was our “”“”“dance”“”“” to the Cha Cha Slide. It was surprisingly fun to do on stage because every time we had practiced it, it went really badly. Lucy took a video of it. The sound is pretty bad and also it contains me dancing. Watch at your own peril
Yeah, looking back it was pretty shite. But someone dressed up as a banana and another as a penguin so we were too fierce to give a fuck.
After that I was a bundle of nerves because I’d be playing the drums and I was so afraid that the sticks would fly out of my hands or mess it up. Luckily they never did and we only went out of time like twice! Unfortunately I don’t have a video of it (I’d love to watch it back) so I can’t post it but if I ever get my hands on one I’ll shtick it up here. They got my name wrong on the programme though
TWO Gs. LIN-G!!!!
I was in some weird state following that performance. Because we kinda fucked up a but I was so upset with myself or something and was like “tra la la get out of my way bitches” and went and watched the rest of the show. I got so emotional it was so strange (during Gives You Hell oh my god). But then again I get emotional really easily these days so I’m sure it was nothing too strange.
Even though we didn’t sell-out I think everything went really well. We’ve gotten great feedback from people, students and teachers alike, (someone even said that the drummer and guitarist from the band were their faves!!!) so I don’t mind that our audience wasn’t massive. I had such a good time doing it and I’m delighted I got up and played in front of people. I don’t know where all this confidence has come from but I’m liking it.
Everyone did really well, and even if this is a week and two days late, well done everyone!
