UNAM CONCERT

A spectacular concert in the YACC’s German Hostel marked the end of a thoroughly productive (and busy) Crayfish festival weekend ’09. UNAM Choir, hailing from the University of Namibia, and Lüderitz Secondary School’s very own student choir combined on Sunday the 12th April to put on an evening of vocal treats. After the inevitable opening blessings and speeches (it was a gospel choir concert after all) the performance began with the clean tuneful notes of a lone trumpeter, soon joined by a tenor soloist and eventually accompanied by the warm harmony of the combined choirs. Whilst this was certainly a dramatic beginning it was unfortunately then followed by a bizarre mix of soloists and small a capella groups who shuffled on and off stage in a manner reminiscent of a variety showcase. However, all this was soon forgotten when L.S.S. Choir took to the stage. In simple outfits of grey and white the 30+ strong choir stood before their audience marching in place and piping out tune after tune. Although some members were slightly preoccupied with the intricate foot and hand movements that accompanied each song the choir had all the right components needed for gospel music; rich harmonies, accurate sense of rhythm and movement, the right level of enthusiasm and so on. However the key to gospel music is volume; it must be sung out joyfully and watching the swaying choir was like listening to an excellent CD with the volume turned down- TURN IT UP! UNAM certainly did know how to blast it out though as they marched on stage and stood like a wall of crimson and zebra print ready to dazzle the crowd. The semiprofessional choir opened with a haunting version of Steal Away which was so beautiful that it commanded one of those rare moments of silence once the song had ended in which the audience tries to digest what it has just heard. “[The choir’s] response to the conductor was so slick it was like watching a set of cogs clicking together” said one audience member as the choir reeled off a series of traditional gospel songs in a sweet and less abrasive style that gospel choirs normally have. Using elements of the jazz scale and some unusual barbershop-esque suspensions, the choir put gospel music in a whole new light the perfect end to a hectical
weekend.