Octagonal Chapel, Heptonstall
Alan Dearling in a quick report from the Summer Solstice event
The Chapel Cat and Chicken were early in the queue for the Summer Solstice concert in the John Wesley Octagonal Chapel in Heptonstall, West Yorkshire on 21st June… It was very much a concert-style event and during the afternoon it featured six sets of acapella harmony and acoustic musicians. Here are some pics of the 14-member version of Waiting for Dawn, Naked Truth duo and the Remingtons Women’s barbershop quartet (there are five of them; think about it!)
“We are ‘Waiting For Dawn’, featuring a 7 piece acapella music group that weave harmonies to warm the soul… but friends often join us too.”
Waiting for Dawn (WfD) publicised this event in advance saying: “We are known for our eclectic repertoire of harmony acapella singing… (We offer) folk songs from many different traditions.”
The acoustics in the Octagonal Chapel are stunning.
Neil Bennett acted as the well-humoured master of ceremonies and also contributed on flute, as well as singing in various collaborations. WfD’s set was well modulated and mixed: Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess’ interspersed with songs and tribal chants from native Americans and the Pacific islands.
The Remingtons Women’s Barbershop Quartet. Based in the Calder Valley area, this all-female vocal group is known for singing barbershop harmonies and close-harmony folk and popular songs. They are pretty lively and their performance bounced along rhythmically to great applause. I felt at times that I was being transported to 1940s, a world populated with swing, the Beverley Sisters, and evocative black and white films. These songs were interleaved with some popular favourites from across the decades including The Simpsons’ ‘Baby on Board’, ‘Sentimental Journey ’and, I think, ‘Songbird’. The founding members have been singing together for 15 years, specialising in close four-part harmony, plus solo spots.
The Naked Truth are the duo of Jenny Goodman and Neil Bennett. “We keep our clothes on. It’s all about the songs.” Plenty of wry humour, but an interesting choice of material too. High spots included Dougie MacLean’s ‘Caledonia’, and songs from the underbelly of strife and warfare – a Ukrainian lullaby, and a song of freedom and redemption, I think entitled, ‘I have a million nightingales’ which attempts to unite Palestine and Israel in the name of humanity. The pair also offered some environmental sing-alongs including, ‘Leave it in the ground’.
Video: Waiting for Dawn in Sheffield Street Choirs 2024: ‘Lunatics have taken over the asylum’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOUF39hjW2o&list=PLb4Pgr6Rj4_dlFIUFJowzEisIYOV2wKHH
The Octagonal Chapel has sat proudly in place since 1764. Apparently, its design and construction was overseen by John Wesley himself, who frequently preached there.
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