The Rainbow Chorus: Can’t Take My Eyes Off You

I am a huge fan of Brighton’s gay choirs and in particular The Rainbow Chorus. There is something joyful about this group of amateur singers and the passion with which they perform. Their Brighton Fringe Festival offering was first class, a great mix of pop and beyond. Strong ensemble singing and impressive solos made for a fine evening of musical entertainment, and not an easy one either. Opening with drumming and African song was an impressive and stirring start to the event and their mash-up of Wonderful World and I Love You lifted the mood even higher. Musical Director Aneesa Chaudhry is not one to let the choir off lightly with cushy numbers either, far from it. At each outing you can sense that she has pushed them further forward, challenging their capabilities in every sense. It’s a tack that works and last night we saw the fruits of their labours shine in many ways, particularly in pieces like Jack White’s Nothing and Everything. The Rainbows are hitting the spot when it comes to precision in performance.

The evening was further enhanced by the inclusion of guest choral group Deep C Divas from Yorkshire, a lesbian a capella ensemble who combine harmonies, humour and camp to great effect and gave us a set of songs that shifted from sweet and melodious to sharply satirical with an easy grace. It was also wonderful to see the two choirs collaborate in the second half in particular for the Gershwin’s Let’s Call The Whole Thing Off and A Million Voices. I will certainly be back for more in July when they stage their next concert.

St George’s Kemp Town

13 May

Andrew Kay

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