Shelley It was an evening of clear blue skies and cloudy brown yellow beer. A concert at Shelley Community Centre. It’s a converted old school, dating from the late nineteenth century if one of the wall plaques is anything to go by. Edgar Atkinson is a distinguished former pupil and not a founder. There was some very complex metalwork up in the rafters. Someone said it was the lighting gantry, but it looked suspiciously like it was holding the roof up to me. The house was full, but the choir was short. Honley ladies had a ‘black tie’ event at Meltham, attended by a number of our tenors and basses. A friend of mine went and enjoyed it immensely, except for the locals talking at the bar. He suggested they shush and a minor skirmish followed. Ed Hambleton inexplicably went deaf at the eleventh hour and had to withdraw – yet another baritone having a senior moment. We always have the back view of guest soloists. Tonight it was Stephanie Hellawell who sang show songs. She wore a very engaging totally strapless thing. Edgar smiled a lot. The popular numbers were at the front and the more traditional choir pieces at the back. My childbride preferred the second half and thought our control during the quiet pieces outstanding. My mate, not the one who went to Meltham, is a little blue at the moment and enjoyed the first half more. Graham Dawson compered. He is a cross between a standup comic and a talkshow host. The audience were enraptured.