Pub Choir

It’s approaching 7pm on sweaty Thursday night in Brissy. The Elephant Hotel in the Valley is filling rapidly and there’s a nervous energy in the air. Small groups gather and eyes keep darting to the make-shift stage at the front of the room, as more and more people squeeze into any spaces available. A figure steps onto the stage and greets the audience. She looks expectantly at the crowd, about to sing, but first Astrid Jorgensen issues a clear warning to the packed room of almost 500, “This is my favourite song people, don’t fuck it up!” No, this isn’t your typical night at Karaoke, this is something so much better. Welcome to Pub Choir.

Pub Choir is such a simple and beautiful concept that it’s hard to believe that no one has jumped on it before. Bring together a bunch of music loving strangers, marinate them with their favourite drinks and convince them all that they actually can sing. The Pub Choir crew work show the crowd how to actually harmonise and mix their voices to take their favourite songs to another level and Brisbane audiences can’t get enough of it.

Pub Choir has become something of a sensation in it’s very short life. What started out as a simple idea between two friends who studied music together just over a year ago (singing with strangers, plus drinks – who knew), has turned into one of the must attend events of the month. The first Pub Choir was held at the Loft in West End, with a tidy group of 80 of Brisbane’s and it quickly outgrew far beyond the expectations of the organisers. By the third pub choir, they had to turn people away and start looking for a new venue. And each month, the Choir keeps growing. This month’s Pub Choir #11 was help at The Elephant Hotel in the Valley and by the time the night kicked off, the venue was at capacity, almost 500 people, and they were turning people away again.

So, what makes Pub Choir, so popular? A lot of it comes down to the able direction of Astrid and Guitar Wizard, Waverney Yasso, who live by the ethos that everybody can sing, and it’s their mission to prove it. Each month, they choose a song, break it down into harmonies and effortlessly guide the group through the song until they’re singing in glorious harmony. All in under 90 minutes. Past song choices have included Throw Your Arms Around Me by Hunters and Collectors, Brother by Matt Corby and Teenage Dirtbag by Wheatus. One of the punters, who’s been coming religiously since the 3rd Choir, told me that he believes passionately that the song choice can influence the audience, with a much younger crowd belting out Brother than the one who was here tonight.

This month’s song was Zombie by the Cranberries, of course. As if it could have been anything else after the recent passing of Dolores O'Riordan, former lead singer of Cranberries. It is a song close to the heart of the Pub Choir crew and to many members of the audience. After her warning, Astrid and Waverney quickly get to work. They break the audience into three sections, low, middle and high and go through small segments of the song with each section, before mixing them together. The harmonies are simple and effect and smiles start lighting up around the room as people realise the power of mixing voices together in harmony. Obviously, they didn’t spend their childhood in church, because hymns were always the closest to the G.O.D. that I ever got.

This would be powerful enough by itself, but it’s Astrid’s passionate and enthusiastic direction and her irrepressible energy that really takes the night to another level. Most of the time she was the supportive teacher, convinced you WILL get it, and that it was all on her teaching and nothing to do with the fact that you’ve always been tone deaf and your childhood attempts at Sing-Star caused all the dogs in the neighbour to howl in pain. Her instruction came with complete with diagrammatic representations of the harmonies for the ooos and aaas, unique descriptions of harmonies (“I would like a waterfall of notes here.”) and ample encouragement at the right times (“Is it making sense? Yeah, we’re not fucking stupid, right?” and “Damn guys, that’s kinda hot!”).

But, in order for us to get through the song before dawn, she also swings between task master (“Oy, no one is allowed to enjoy it without my permission”) and playfully ribbing members of the audience (“Oh my God, someone is in full on yodelling through that section”. ) In less than an hour of we’re there and we’re sent on break to lubricate before we do a full sing through. In the break, I asked a few of the punters what they love about Pub Choir.

“Because I feel like I’m Alanis Morisette, but this is the only time I feel like I can sing in public outside of the shower!”

“In two hours she teaches three parts of the song and it sounds awesome”

“It’s Astrid, she’s a full on comedian!”

“Dude, there’s at least 3 times more women than men here – it’s a great way to meet chicks”

“Because it’s choir man”

Because it’s choir. Look, I don’t want to over analyse things, but I will. While everyone at Pub Choir comes for their own reason, you can’t underestimate the power of being a part of something bigger than yourself, where just for a moment, everyone is working together and the sum is greater than the parts.

When we come back, Astrid and Waverney take us through a few small sections that need polishing and then we are ready to sing. And sing we do.

As one we break into song and life the roof off the Elephant and the Wheelbarrow. Looking around the room, there were people losing themselves in the song, sharing smiles across the room and singing with more passion than they ever thought possible.

“Holy shit, goosebumps everywhere! Good work everyone.”

Astrid, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Check out our chops here. And if you aren’t even a little moved, you have a cold, dead fish for a heart.

Astrid has one final announcement for the group - Pub Choir 11 will be the last time the event will be held in The Elephant Hotel, as more than 500 of Brisbanites just want to sing, dammit. Pub Choir #12, will be its first birthday celebration and is scheduled for Thursday 15 March and will be a celebration of their first birthday, at their new home, the Triffid, which has a capacity of 770. Astrid promised the crowd there will be a few surprises and a special guests, so come and join 770 new friends and raise the roof at the Triffid. You’ll find the details here. And if you’re on the Sunny Coast or you just can’t wait until March 15, you get the chance to be a part of the Sunny Coast Pub Choir at your new favourite Sunday session at Solbar in Maroochydore on Sunday 1 March. Deets here.

Pub Choir is:

Director: ASTRID JORGENSEN

Guitar Wizard: WAVENEY YASSO

MC: MEG BARTHOLOMEW