The Churchfitters' Christmas Cracker
22 December 2023
Just before Christmas, we were entertained by the lively, energetic multi-instrumentalists known as The Churchfitters.
I know you’re going to ask why they are called ‘Churchfitters’. When asked, they say: 'Nobody knows! We’re not fitters and have absolutely nothing to do with churches. The name’s origin is lost in the mists of time but there is one aspect that suits us perfectly – quirkiness.'
Well, they had everything to do with our church in December and were definitely quirky. They played a fabulous two-hour set of original and cover songs on a variety of instruments, including a banjo made from an old saucepan, a musical saw and their famous ‘glass organ’, a tray of wine glasses filled with different levels of water, played by rubbing the rim of the glasses to produce an ethereal sound.
They entertained us with a range of seasonal songs, including references to pantomimes, The Holly and the Ivy, Good King Wenceslas and, best of all (but not seasonal), A Windmill in Old Amsterdam, better known as A Mouse on the Stairs. Everyone in the audience joined in with the chorus.
Churchfitters closed a memorable season of folk concerts on the altar stage at St Andrew’s in 2023. In 2024, Eliza Carthy has already made an appearance (review in the March magazine) and upcoming concerts include Martin Simpson, (John) Spiers and (Jon) Boden and Julie Fowlis. Tickets are on sale now!
Forbes Mutch
Meet The Churchfitters
Rosie Short
Vocals, banjo, tin-whistle, saxaphone, flute, ukulele, strum-box, guitar, percussion.
Rosie's achingly beautiful voice is equally at home singing husky blues, plaintive femme folk or ethereal originals. A talented songwriter, she's also a 'one woman orchestra', deftly swapping between flute, saxaphone, banjo, tin-whistle, stum-box, ukulele and any number of things you can shake, rattle or whack with a stick.
Chris Short
Fiddle, musical saw, mandolin, vocals.
Chris is a feverishly fast fiddler who has the annoying habit of getting people, who are sitting comfortably, out of their seats and dancing. When required, he also plays slowly and most of the other speeds. A mean mandolin player, he sings great vocal harmonies, too. Finally, he's a raconteur with a great sense of humour - but then you need that to play the musical saw.
Boris Lebret
Scarp metal basses, hubcap bouzouki-bass percussion, vocals.
Part bass player, part mad inventor, Boris hates to play a regular instrument when he can cobble together a better one out of scrap metal. Like when he discovered four strings weren't enough for his driving bass rhythms, so he simply reached for the Black and Decker and bolted on another six.
Find out more about The Churchfitters
www.churchfitters.com
facebook.com/churchfitters