We ARE the UOOGB!

A few weeks ago we got a text from Nick & Tay asking if we’d like to go to a ukulele concert. Since Nick has become quite a ukulele player (and amassed a pretty good collection of ukes), we of course said yes. We had no idea what they had in mind, but were imagining sort of a folk concert with a couple of players at a local coffee shop or similar small venue.

The day before the concert, we find out that we’re going to hear “The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain” – sounds interesting!

When we got to the concert, the crowd in the lobby was being serenaded by a local group of uke players called “The Volcanoes”. It was a great warm-up for what turned out to be a long wait. We learned that the group had been delayed because of an accident on Interstate 17, but that they were definitely on their way. When they finally arrived, over an hour later, we learned that they had persevered through 2 canceled or delayed flights and that the promoters had arrange for a bus to get them to Flagstaff, only to be caught in the traffic jam on the highway.

Our reward for the wait was that they did their sound check in front of the audience, which turned out to be a great thing to watch. Then they started their program, which always starts with the pronouncement “We ARE the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain” – just a sample of the dry British sense of humor that showed that these serious musicians didn’t take themselves too seriously.

Here’s a sample of their program. “The Happy Song” is probably the most fitting song I can think of to be performed with ukulele – how can you listen to ukuleles and not smile?!

The Happy Song–The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain