The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Returns to the Assembly Hall

The world renowned Ukulele superstars return to the Assembly Hall with their toe tapping music, hilarious banter, and sheer superlative entertainment.

Last year they celebrated 30 years of ukulele action and have sold out shows all over the world, from the Royal Albert Hall to Sydney Opera House.

dwnTWn finds out more...

How have the current performances/rehearsals been coming along?

We have been reflecting on our 30 year anniversary. We have played at Sydney Opera House, The Royal Albert Hall, and in front of festival crowds up to 170,000 (that was in Hyde Park in London). Where do we go from here? We are trying to give up our corny jokes! (Sample: What songs might be useful for a dog show? You could start with ‘Then I saw her face, now I’m a retriever’. Or, what song would be good for a feature on hair loss: ‘Comb on over to my house’, or ‘Alopoecia en Regalia’. (That one only works for Frank Zappa fans perhaps.))

We have a great band, we all get along, more or less, we still have a lot of fun, we still enjoy the music, and our fans still enjoy joining with us and having a great time. And we take care of business. We manage our own company; we are our own record company, our own management company. We look out for each other and we all know each other very well.

We have been looking forward to our UK tour, we have some new music and some of our old favourites. We usually get fans who have seen us before or who we have seen us on our Youtube channel, calling out for their favourites. Usually of course, the point is that we slightly twist all the songs and tunes that we do so that they become something new. Because we are using ukuleles we can make Mozart sound like a Taylor Swift backing track, or Kraftwerk, the German band, sound like EDM. By the time it is played on our ukuleles it sounds like a different thing anyway.

Tell us more...

Some people say that we have played ‘virtuosically’ on the ukulele. That is nice to hear. Some people say that we have made it look easy and so people want to buy a ukulele after seeing our show. That is great news for the ukulele manufacturers and retail shops. Some people say that we have showed that the ukulele can play real music. We say that one of the interesting things about the ukulele is that it is a ‘common person’s’ sort of instrument, it isn’t an elitist instrument. With a ukulele everybody is a celebrity. The cost of a round of drinks and you have got yourself a band. People say, learn three chords and start a band. We say, three chords, why so many?

What is most difficult about writing/performing with a ukulele?

A gig with a solo ukulele gives certain problems; there are no bass notes. Maybe that doesn’t matter. We did a gig once with a guy who we liked, Manitoba Hal, and he does some great blues, singing with the ukulele and he doesn’t need a bass.

We are an orchestra though, so we have bass, baritone, tenor, concert, soprano, and all the other registers. We are more in tune with an orchestral conception than a ukulele enthusiast’s preoccupation. Having said that most of the time we play rock music – Nirvana, The Clash, Lady Gaga, Pharrell Williams, Talking Heads and so on. All viewed through the prism of the ukulele.

How does your sense of humour and personality influence the group's playing?

We always try to get on with the audience, to make the show as entertaining as possible. Humour comes about because we interrupt each other and we all have different perspectives. We are like the dirty dozen, the wild bunch, the magnificent seven, a legendary league of super heroes who acknowledge that they are not so super, but have flaws, foibles and characteristics which set them apart from each other. Sometimes it seems that there is no good or bad trait, but how it is viewed. You might say that someone is a generous fellow, always buying drinks. A different view would be that he is a foolish fellow spending our money and giving it all away.

What can the ukulele do that other instruments cannot?

A ukulele often comes across as disarming; it is hard not to smile. The instrument is like a little dog; friendly and making a high pitched noise. It is fun, but too much of it can get irritating. Our audiences maybe think that the show will be simplistic; with a ukulele maybe the bar is set pretty low in people’s expectations. After that, anything positive is a bonus. We often get repeated standing ovations, whooping and cheering. Let us hope it continues. The audience usually has a good time with the orchestra.

What makes your live performances so special?

We bring to the audience a great variety of music, genre and style. It is right across the board but always on the ukulele. And the songs come thick and fast. We give them ‘one plucking thing after another’.

What can audience members expect from your performance?

One reviewer said that our unique gimmick is that there is no gimmick. We turn up on stage with a ukulele each. That is it. There is no flamboyant production, fireworks or hoopla. Just no-nonsense music. And we tear the house down, raise the roof and get the audience hyped up. Once we start it is like a magic carpet ride and we and the audience just have to hang on for dear life.

What if audiences want more?

We have a new album just about to come out. It is an issue of heritage tracks; classic punk rock songs from the twentieth century, recorded by the orchestra back in the day, and only just available. You will only be able to get it from www.UkuleleOrchestra.com

Where? The Assembly Hall Theatre

When? Saturday 11 June at 7.30 pm

Cost? £24, concessions £21, groups 15+ £21 (plus a £1.75 per ticket booking fee (£1.50 online))

To book or find out more: www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Box office 01892 530613

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