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The Wayside Serenaders’ branding is now complete – and don’t you like our new motto: “Musica Longa Vita Brevis”? Yes, you can take the “Graveside” out of the band name but our brief time upon this earth should never be denied.

As always, the hugest of huge thanks to our loyal artiste, Mr Andrew Paterson RA, for a sterling job with pen and ink.

(Ankle and foot: model’s own)

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The Wayside Serenaders, with their new six-person line-up, had a jolly time at Speakers’ Corner on Saturday. Here is a picture:

Pete Joyless, Ali Vagrant, Emily Blue, The Rev J. Olly Glum, new Serenader Mandy Downat-Heel and Ian Doleful wondering what on earth they were doing beside Minster Pool in Lichfield. Passers-by who lingered (there were some, promise!) were similarly confused.

And here are a couple of videos:

A little bit of St James Infirmary…
… and a tiny chunk of Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)

Many thanks to Gerbo Huisman for the vids, pic and for his enduring enthusiasm.

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Half the band in the days before colour photography.

The Wayside Serenaders will be playing at Speakers’ Corner, beside Minster Pool, Lichfield, tomorrow (Saturday 21 May) from about 11am to about 1pm. Do drop by on your way to or from the shops, while taking a breather on your morning run, after having brunch at a cafe or before going for a lunchtime pint.

We might have some new tunes to play… and perhaps a new instrument too. And I think it is safe to assert that you will not hear two Swanee whistles in harmony anywhere else in town!

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… or to be more accurate, on the pavement again. The Wayside Serenaders will be at Speaker’s Corner or thereabouts, beside Minster Pool in Lichfield, this Saturday, 16 April, from about 11am to about 12.45pm. Why not drop past for a little sing-song when you’ve done your Easter egg shopping or picked up your leg of lamb ready for the Easter Sunday feast?

Oh! And we have new “business” cards which include our new website address. Mind you, if you are reading this, you already know that!

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We’ve changed our name! The original one seemed like a good idea back in the late teens of the 21st century when all the world felt complacent in its invincibility and the words “memento mori” might have been a useful warning to all. Now, with the dreaded C-19 having brought our limited time and fragile place on this planet into sharp relief, the name Graveside Serenaders seems like an unnecessary reminder of our mortality.

But we continue to be Serenaders, we continue to busk alongside the byways of this fair land and we do it in an old-fashioned manner, so we’re adopting the descriptor Wayside instead.

With the weather warming up, we hope to see you along the way very soon…

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Here’s one of the 994 entries that didn’t make it into the shortlist of six for this year’s BBC Radio 3 Carol Competition. But I’d rather have these lovely people sing Christina Rossetti’s words to my melody any day of the year! Huge thanks to all the singers who joined us for our three 2021 Christmas outings, and extra thanks to Kate for this video. We made £180 in total for the Crisis charity. Until next December… and have a peaceful and joyous Yuletide.

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We’ll be at Speaker’s Corner on Saturday 18 December with all your old favourites – God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen, In The Bleak Midwinter – plus some surprises like Love Came Down At Christmas, Must Be Santa and Last Month Of The Year. Do pop past between 11am and 12.30pm. All donations will go to Crisis to help the homeless.

And in the New Year we’ll be back singing about death… Yay!

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Huge thanks to the singers who turned up to help the Yuletide Serenaders this morning. We managed to get through our full set and one repeat before two very apologetic people in hi-vis vests told us we were not allowed to perform on this spot, our usual beneath the Yew. Owned by somebody, or the council, or something, apparently… Thankfully their intervention came just as it started to rain. Tomorrow we’ll try Speakers’ Corner, next to Minster Pool, and see how we fare… And perhaps next Saturday, when there isn’t a Food Festival on, the hi-vis peeps will be busy elsewhere and the shade of the Yew will once again be free for harmless buskers collecting for the Crisis charity. (Thank you, Louise, for the video.)