By Caroline Oswald
Since our days of partying into the early hours are now behind us, my friend Sarah suggested we try a new way of marking the New Year, by participating in Beccy Owen’s annual SASS (Sing At Some Swimmers) Pop-Up Choir event. Sarah had long admired the talented Northeast musician, and had always wanted to try one of her one-off singing experiences.
We like to get out and about at the coast on New Year’s Day but we both agreed that we would rather be singing than swimming! We weren’t sure exactly what would be in store as we joined a small group of women (and one man) by the Rendezvous cafe on Whitley Bay promenade at 10:15am. As yet there were no swimmers to be seen and we wondered if the weather warnings for wind and storm conditions had made people think twice about stepping out and taking the plunge in the cold North Sea.
Beccy immediately put us at ease with her friendly and welcoming demeanour. As she handed out lyrics sheets, she explained that we had 45 minutes to learn a few songs before performing them to the swimmers and spectators. Daunting as this was, Beccy’s infectious enthusiasm and humour combined with the uplifting songs soon brought us all together to sound like a choir who had been rehearsing for years! The choir grew larger by the minute as more and more people joined us in song.
Before we knew it, hundreds of people had gathered along the prom to watch crowds of swimmers take the dip. Beccy continued to reassure us ahead of the performance, “Basically we’ll just do what we’re doing now but at 11 o’clock we’ll turn around to face the beach and do it again”. The selection of songs included simple melodies and inspirational lyrics, including ‘This Joy’ by the Resistance Revival Chorus and ‘Loosen’ by Aly Halpert. There were also traditional songs that Beccy encouraged us to sing in different parts and rounds, such as the Sami reindeer herding song, ‘Ole Le Loila’ and the Latin refrain, ‘Gaudeamus Hodie’, which means ‘Let Us Rejoice Today.’
Perhaps the most fun to sing was the traditional Geordie song, ‘Herrin’s Heid’, during which we listed what could be made out of various parts of the fish. The ‘heid’ becomes ‘loaves of breid’, the eyes, ‘puddin’s ‘n’ pies’, the fins, ‘needles ‘n’ pins’ and the ‘gyuts’ a ‘pair o’ byuts’. Beccy suggested that we employ our best skills in amateur dramatics by turning to different people around us when singing the line, “How are ye the day, me hinny-oh?” This further strengthened the bond between the group of strangers thrown together for just one hour. When we sang our finale of ‘I’m Gonna Lift’ by Faya Rose Touré, we reached out to the cold and wet beings wrapped in towels and changing robes who were beginning to emerge from from the icy waters: “I’m gonna lift my swimmers up, they are not heavy, if I don’t lift them up, I will fall down”. The swimmers weren’t the only ones to be uplifted that day. Everyone who took part in the Pop-Up Choir was visibly elated by the end of the experience, including my mother-in-law, who had decided to come along at the last minute.
Beccy has long been an advocate of the restorative powers of music. Having released seven critically acclaimed albums, she recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of her debut album, ‘The Sweetest of Tales from the Bitterest Edge’. Beccy explains how her unique inclusive
group singing experiences began: “The idea for running the Pop-Up Choirs came from me writing a new anthem for the Refugee Olympic Team at the 2016 Summer Olympics. I put the word out for people to come and record it, thinking that around 30 people might turn up. On the day about 200 came! I figured I was onto something and the annual ‘SASS’ began as a New Year’s Day tradition that very same year.”
Beccy was nominated as a Community Champion for her online choirs during the pandemic, and she continues to run her remote ‘Couch Choir’ and ‘Wake Up Singing’ sessions each week. As stated on her website: “The emphasis is on enjoyment, not perfection, and all voices are welcome.” This ethos was certainly evident on New Year’s Day, with Beccy having created an enjoyable and memorable experience for all.
To find out more about Beccy Owen’s Pop-Up Choirs, go to: https://www.popupchoirs.com
