The Choir Of Man @ The Moa at Gluttony, Adelaide 17/3/2019
“We’re not gonna sit in silence, we’re not gonna live with fear”, as 600 voices sang these words, led by nine amazingly-talented men, it was evident that many in the Moa on Sunday evening were thinking of those terrible events in Christchurch last week. Not culled by acts of terrorism, music has the ability to lift hearts and strengthen spirits even in the face of such senselessness – and The Choir of Man proved that with their final Adelaide Fringe performance for 2019.
On this last balmy evening for the Fringe, the Moa was packed to the roof with eager punters keen to get one last show in. Thematically set in a British pub, complete with sticky floors and bar tenders pouring beer for keen drinkers, it was very easy to believe that these good blokes liked to frequent any one of countless pubs around the world.
The nine-strong ensemble all graced the stage with beautiful harmonies, showing off their own prowess at different times during the 1.5 hour performance. These boys were very slick and brought down the house singing hits such as Adele’s Hello, a comedic turn at the urinal with Under the Bridge, a great bass singing The Impossible Dream, and some every funny audience serenades with Escape (The Pina Colada Song) and 500 Miles.
But it was the spine-tingling moments which set this performance apart from the many polished, rehearsed and tightly timed performances at this year’s Fringe. Their a cappella version of Chandelier heralded the start of the moving, evocative second half of this act. Following up with the previously-mentioned rousing rendition of John Farnham’s You’re The Voice, the boys had everyone in the audience up on their feet chanting along to the chorus. The final song for the evening, was introduced with the sentiments that many were already thinking – paying tribute to those who had lost their lives in the senseless tragedy in Christchurch this week. Nine male voices, all singing in harmony to a traditional Scottish song, The Parting Glass, was a fitting tribute and finale for this amazing performance. For anyone who has raised a glass in love, friendship or loss. For anyone who has joined in to sing with others in a chorus. And for anyone who loves a fun, exuberant and flawless performance. These guys are for you. The Choir of Man is now set to travel around Australia starting with the Sydney Opera House this week.
Fringe Review By Kim Burley