Melbournaires - Back to the Future

Melbournaires - Back to the Future
Type of post: Club news
Sub-type: No sub-type
Posted By: Dick Bushell
Status: Current
Date Posted: Sun, 18 Aug 2019

The rain came slowly at first, drop by drop, gradually increasing, until suddenly in a great crescendo of noise, the heavens opened, it teemed down, lightning flashed and thunder roared. Another mid-winter day in Melbourne? No, the Melbournaires were engaged in a special concert, together with the Sweet Adelines ladies chorus at the Karalyka theatre in Melbournes’ outer east.

The opening number was “Africa”, well orchestrated by our own Clive Metz, and although not barbershop, was endorsed by tumultuous applause and a cheering full house for the self-generated sound effects and spectacular lighting.

The show was a two hour event with five costume changes including having to dress as “Hippies”. While for some in the chorus the word Hippies meant very little, for others it was more of a “come as you are” type of dress, but the overall effect was both amusing and colourful and for the audience, well worth the price of admission alone. This was a fund-raising event but also a learning curve for our Committee of Management. To gain maximum benefit from such a large production, ticket pricing plays an integral part, and determines audience numbers, production costs, performance time, intervals etc.. Needless to say, performers and audience alike enjoyed a magnificent Sunday afternoon show.





On Monday July 29th the Melbournaires, once again played a role in the induction of migrants to Australian citizens. The Manningham Council in Melbournes’ outer East held another citizenship ceremony and invited the Melbournaires to participate. We performed for half an hour while the certificate recipients were arriving, and at the closing stage led the New Australians their families and friends, singing the National Anthem. There were seventy one New Australians from twenty different countries; multiculturalism at its best.


Terry Phillips