Collabro We're Not Controlled Like Other Boy Bands - The Gay UK

Click on this link to read the article!!
Collabro We're Not Controlled Like Other Boy Bands - The Gay UK: Those Collabro boys are cheeky chappies - and aren't afraid of having a little fun on tour...

Collabro - Run Away With Me #giveback concert!

Click on this link to watch and listen to the beautiful Collabro voices!!

It's Here! #CollabroTour #ActTwo

So it's finally here, Collabro's 2016 Act Two Tour!!  I have to wait until April for my chance to see them live again but I'm enjoying seeing all the tweets and Facebook posts so far!  I have heard they sing live a few times and I would challenge anyone to have not been utterly moved by one of their performances! The guys are also great at engaging with fans and are always thankful for their support, adding to their appeal.

Collabro at their first Act Two Tour Show - Photo courtesy of Roxy

Collabro are unique in what they do and have successfully introduced musical theatre to the masses and I'm sure many more will become Collaborators after their second tour! On many occasions they have also reignited a love for this type of music in those who may have forgotten how great it can be! They have breathed new life into much celebrated music with their polished vocal technique and passion for what they sing!  Their consistently dazzling performances has earned them great respect from peers as well as fans, there is certainly no one else like them!  A meeting of voices that blend together so seamlessly that at times it sounds like one voice, producing a sound so pure it's breathtaking! Their fans are regularly reduced to tears by the emotion they convey and the rapport between the boys is obvious too!

I have often wondered if it is as easy as they make it look, the way their voices overlap and brilliantly and blend, their musicality plain to see!  The arrangements at times seem so complicated and multi layered how is it possible for each member to remain focused on their own part!

The guys rehearsing!

Their ability to perceive and reproduce different aspects of music including pitch, rhythm and harmony has been demonstrated many times when they have been asked to sing something unusual for them such as a pop song.  Often using a slower tempo allowing more time for their style to shine through. 

Backstage on opening night!

Yay the selfie is back!!

Skilled at singing in different registers from tenor to baritone and counter-tenor at times they have also demonstrated extending their range to sing in falsetto; for example Richard at the beginning of 'Bring Him Home'.

Collabro are supported by Catriona Murray and A J Brown for this tour who are both amazing performers too!  

If you haven't got tickets yet or would like to go see them more than once don't forget to try ringing the venue direct as sometimes there may be some left even if its showing as sold out!

@Collabro Chat - Crockery Shrinking and Tom the Wolf!!

So this is part two of an interview Collabro did with the Daily Star back in August 2014!  It is old but I loved listening to it again after all this time!!

Below is a transcript and its well worth a read...too funny!!

SK: So is there anything you are particularly bad at?
RH: I'm terrible at doing washing up...I'm very lazy.
SK: So it's not that you're bad at it, you just don't
RH: Well and I am bad at it, even if I wash stuff it usually shrinks so there you go!
MP: What like a plate?
RH: (Laughs)
JL: I was gonna say why...
SK: "Sorry I can't wash the dishes because they shrink!"
RH: Yeah you have a dinner plate that turns into a tea plate!
JL: That's either really bad or absolute genius!
MA: "Do you need a tea cup...let just get a plate and wash it for you...here you go!"
SK: I think that counts as a talent so next year on Britain's Got Talent, with your magic trick on the show!

You want a teacup???

SK: Who would you guys really like to meet...is there anyone that you would possible go a bit teary if you met?
MP: I want to meet Vin Diesel
SK: Vin Diesel?
MP: Yeah
SK: For his acting ability.
MA:  I actually think meeting someone like Jessie J, we've talked about Jamie being the male version, I think if I met her...
To this Jamie pulls a face and they all laugh stating that he is making 'that face' again! Jamie makes a funny seal like impression, then says to Micheal 'do yours, its much worse than mine'  Michael does and they all laugh!  Matt states that he's never seen that before!

SK:  If you had to say one word description of your character role within the group what would you say?  Like if you all had to choose which one of the Spice Girls you were?
MA: We all know which one of the Spice Girls we are.
RH: Which one am I?
MA: Scary...(Richard bursts out laughing)

Scary Spice!?

JL: Michael you are Posh Spice
MA: Tom's Baby
TR: Does that make you Ginger? (to Matt)
MA: Matt is Sporty Spice
JL: So I'm Gerry Halliwell?
They all agree but Jamie doesn't seem happy and jokes 'That's what you get'
MA: Even though Toms the eldest but he looks the youngest.
SK: So if you had to describe yourself with one word that's not Spice Girl related...and not something like 'organiser', something a little more sexy than that!
MP: Dull...(to Jamie..smiling)
Jamie can't seem to find an answer and just laughs
JL: Funny (to Matt) Funny Spice (laughs)
TR: Should I be nonchalant Spice!  (looks around) I'm just relaxed!
JL: Nonchalant Spice?
SK: It's got a ring to it!
JL: We'd be the worst band ever!
RH: You're still Posh Spice (to Michael)
MP: Grisly Spice (to Richard)
RH: Grisly Spice!! (laughs)
MA: It's not that he'd beat you up, but that he's really cuddly...is that a word.
TR: Rugged Spice (to Richard)
JL: Rolo Spice...hard on the outside and soft on the middle!
RH: Rolo Spice...

SK: Name one thing you are proud of that's not to do with music?
MA: I got an accounting and finance degree from Bath University.
RH: I played for South East England and had England trials for rugby
TR: I'm a fantastic riffer...demonstrates
MP: I'm quite proud I played for the same football team for 15 years, so I'm quite happy with that!
JL:  I climbed Kilimanjaro
SK: Save the best till last, that makes the rest of you look rubbish!
JL: Take that accounting and finance degree!
MP: I blindfolded myself for three days and met the queen!
JL: Except that was me!
TR: I hiked all over Canada it was really cool!  I met some Maoris and I stayed in their hut in Canada.  They are still there!
JL: That is my favourite Tom quote ever!

Tom talks Maori!

RH: You met some holiday goers in Canada and you stayed in their hut?
JL: I stayed with the natives in Canada?
TR: They gave me an animal name which is Sticia which in Maori is wolf.
JL: Are you sure this is Maori and not native American
TR: They might have been taking me on!
JL: Taking you on?
Tom demonstrates fighting while laughing.
JL: Yeah they might have been (quotes) 'providing you join our sex circle!'
To this they are all in fits of laughter

I have to say that as I've been transcribing this I have been laughing out loud...Tom you really are too funny leading the conversation into such a bizarre place!!  Oh and I think they were having you on as I've looked it up and it appears the word for wolf is Wuruhi! I've learnt a bit more about the guys too!!

Jamie's Friendship with Jade from Little Mix

This article explains the friendship between Jade from Little Mix and Jamie Lambert!  It's got a lovely bit about the Friends Theme Tune!

Jamie and Jade at Christmas!

Click here to read the article!
http://www.tv3.ie/xpose/article/entertainment-news/192787/Jade-Thirlwall-and-Collabros-Jamie-Lambert-were-singing-pals

@Collabro Promise Biggest and Best Shows!!!

Here Collabro talk about the upcoming Act Two Tour!!  It's getting so close!!

Collabro at recent tour rehearsals!

Click on this link for the article!!
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/leisure/features_lancashiretelegraph/14269159.Collabro_promise_biggest_and_best_shows_to_date/

Tom Redgrave - Simon has the last say!

Thomas!!

Here is an article where Thomas talks about Simon Cowell's input and the upcoming tour!

Click on this link!
https://www.list.co.uk/article/78469-collabro-simon-cowell-has-the-last-say-on-our-albums/

BBC Radio Lincs Interview Collabro - 3rd Feb

So the guys were interviewed by BBC Radio Lincolnshire's Jono Brine on 3rd February 2016
Here is the link if you want to listen to it however I have done a transcript of the interview!
http://bbc.in/1nRoImg

Jono travelled to London to speak to several Lincolnshire born people who are currently doing well in their musical careers!  He joked that he doesn't get to leave his studio very often!

A recent picture of Collabro looking suave

JB: So it's just been an incredible few months for you guys, you've just been in America, right Tom?
TR: Yeah...we got a really good reception when we went out there last time, we went to New York and LA and people actually flew across America to see the shows which was amazing!  This time we just did the east coast, we did Natick, Sellarsville and New York and again people couldn't have been more supportive.  It's amazing the sounds you get from the crowds over there!
JB: It's amazing, the Collabro story, just remind us for anyone who may have forgotten, just remind us of how Collabro came about?
JL: Well...basically Matt and I were on a contract to holiday companies abroad, he was in Spain and I was in Cyprus.  We were just a bit sick of not getting auditions for the west end and its very difficult nowadays so we thought we'd try and get something together that would be for corporate use like cruises and stuff and it was a five piece musical theatre boy band.  Then when we sang together for the first time we were so bowled over by the sound that we were making that we wanted to take it to a bigger audience and then the Britain's Got Talent auditions came around and that's where it all happened!
JB: So how did the five of you come together?
RH: Well...above a pub at London Bridge, we were all just there randomly...(he laughs) err no...so basically the boys looked on Facebook and contacted each one of us separately, they found myself on YouTube!  We all got together and started singing and when we realised actually we could do something bigger than just cruise ships and corporates which obviously is fun but, we thought hey...we wanna take this to a bigger audience and BGT was the answer!

JB: So the first time you sang together it must have been instant realisation that this was not just the normal five piece band singing together.  It must have felt incredible to hear the sound!
MP: Yeah...originally we were gonna sing 'Bring Him Home' for the first audition but, we decided we'd sing 'Stars' lets just have a run through and see what it sounded like.  There's a chord on 'The Flame, the Sword' and we hit that chord and we just thought wow this is the song we need to do and we did it and it went a bit better than we thought it would!

JB: I think the incredible thing about Collabro is you started off being a band singing musical theatre songs, you've occasionally moved away from that, you can pretty much sing anything in Collabro style, that must be amazing!  You must get such a good reception from that!
MA: Yeah definitely, I remember the first day we went to Simon Cowell's office and there was a piece of paper on the desk in front of us and it said 'All of Me' John Legend.  We thought, that's not from a musical is it?  That was the first pop cover we did in the studio and we just started singing it and we thought 'this is amazing!'  We have an amazing vocal arranger Richard John and it's great...we've coined the term 'Collabro Sound' so give us any song!  We now do swing songs, pop songs, musical theatre and we've even tried a bit of opera in a different language, when we went to Japan we sang 'I Dreamed a Dream' in Japanese, that's pretty exciting so yeah...we can do anything!

JB: So I've travelled to London to meet some of the people from Lincolnshire who are doing really well and here we have Tom from Louth! And Tom you've done so much in Louth before you came to London, you actually moved here before you were in Collabro.
TR: Yeah...I moved here quite a while ago actually, I came for Uni.  Before that when I was in Louth I was in the local Playgoers for a long time, for a good few years!  I did a show when I was 8 called 'All My Sons' I played the little boy...was it Bert...I think that was his name!  I kept doing shows until I left.  I was in the local choir at St James' church as well.  I came to London for Uni and tried to get into the west end and it's very, very difficult as Jamie said so I was pleased as pie when Collabro came along!

Collabro performing on tour in 2015

JB: How do you decide where Collabro is going next?  Do you have a say in what you are doing? Are you able to go to your label and say this is what we want to try or are you still at the stage where you're being dictated to...dictated is probably the wrong word...are you being told what they expect you to do?

TR: In the start we'd never been in the music industry before obviously we listened to their opinions and we followed what they thought would be best.  Now we're kind of thinking we want to do something different, something a bit more upbeat so we've started to add some swing numbers into our sets and it's always good to do that at corporate shows and stuff cos you can gauge a reaction from the audience and they've been absolutely loving it!  So I think we're going to add some more for the tour and some surprises in there and some more upbeat stuff just to get people going!

JB: The thing I have noticed about you and so many bands say this, that they are still grounded and that they are just normal people.  I have noticed that you are so normal and you haven't changed since the first time I met you!  You were in the reception area of this building that we are in now and were showing each other your new shoes!  What do you do when you are not working, when you are not on tour?  You've had a few days where you haven't seen each other, what do you do to try to relax and to feel normal?

JL: I think we all do different things...I personally like to play Xbox, that's my kinda escapism.  Also I joined Laithwaites Wine Company so keep getting boxes of wine delivered, I've got the most ridiculous amount of wine!  So that's what I quite enjoy doing.

TR: Every time I have a day off I still chat to the others, we're constantly sending each other funny pictures and things so really we're never apart!

JB: So the new material you're working on when can we start to see that coming out, will that be during the tour?

TR: Yeah...last tour we tried out a few songs just to kinda gauge the reaction and they ended up on the second album!  We gonna go away and have a think about what we want to try out on this second tour whether it be swing, musical theatre or pop and see how the audience like it, see the kind of reaction from that and you know you might be seeing it on the next album!

JB: So just remind us again, you're coming to Grimsby, when and how can we get tickets?

TR: That's on the 1st April and I promise we'll be there it's not an April Fool, you can get tickets from Gigs and Tours or you can ring Grimsby Auditorium themselves!

The interview ends with the host playing Memory from Cats!

@JamieCollabro on The Wright Stuff - Jan 29th

So Jamie joined UK panel show The Wright Stuff Friday 29th January where they discuss current affairs.  Jamie's quite well known for not holding back on sharing his opinions on Twitter so I was really looking forward to watching the show!  I knew he would be a great panellist and would have some great points to make!!

When the host Matthew Wright introduced him he asked Jamie to recap how Collabro was formed! A clip of the guys performing Music of The Night was also shown!

Music of the Night

Matthew asked him about his dog Peggy who has her own Twitter account with lots of followers! Jamie replied that when he got her they were touring so it was really difficult to toilet train her, they would have to pull the van over really quickly sometimes!  He ended up having to give her to his mum who'd just retired, 'it worked out well' he laughed.

Jamie with Peggy

Matthew asked Jamie if any of the group had any previous voice training.  He explained that he'd had some opera training, that Tom was in a choir for a long time and the other have also had some lessons.  When asked if he would swap what he was doing now for a main role on stage in an opera Jamie stated that he wouldn't as he loves what he is doing, taking a song and making it a little more classical.

He also talked to Jamie about his love of taking selfies and some appeared on the TV screen!  In one of them Jamie has a face mask on!  Jamie explained that the mast got stuck in his beard and took over half an hour to remove!!

Some of Jamie's selfies

During the show they look through the days newspapers and pick out stories.  The first one was about British students being the most illiterate compared to other countries.  Yet pensioners are the highest ranking...he thinks that we used to read a lot more and explained that his favourite shop was Waterstones!  He would read a book a week.  The other day he saw an eight year old on a bus with a smartphone adding they read comments of Facebook that are often incorrectly spelt and grammatically wrong!

There was an article on one of the papers about Barbie introducing some dolls which are different shapes and sizes to reflect real women of today.  Matthew asked Jamie about this and mentioned that Jamie had spoken out in the past about body image.  Jamie nodded and agreed that dolls do influence children and that as a child when he played with dolls it was escapism for his imagination.  That sadly it's almost brainwashed from an early age and that young children want to play with beautiful princesses!  He thought that the new Barbie was a great move but a publicity stunt and looking at the one that's supposedly the curvy one is a bit of a slap in the face for curvy women as it looks like a size 8!  But he thought that it is perhaps a step in the right direction!  He added that children have such a vivid imagination and may think that the Barbie size waist is normal.

With the panel

They discussed a news story about electric shock dog collars, Jamie didn't agree that these collars are a good thing at all.  He said that dogs can be trained using other techniques.  He told the story of when he first got Peggy.  He lives with Michael and Peggy used to keep using him as a toilet so they used reward based training and now she's the best behaved dog ever, its just not necessary, he explained.  He added that a dog that gets repeated electric shocks as punishment is going to react badly and be dangerous.

Another newspaper article was about someone who'd complaned at being charged £4.50 for a lime and water in a pub.  Jamie joked that this person obviously had too much time on their hands as was probably the twitter troll of the pub world!  He explained that if she was using the establishments facilities and space than has to pay something for that.

He also spoke about the 5p plastic bag fee that has recently been introduced in the UK, telling a story of a woman in a shop who'd just brought a joint of beef at £40 but wouldn't pay 5p for a bag!  He felt that she was missing the point, the bigger issue of the environment and that the money goes to charity.  He believes that the whole thing has had terrible press and I have to agree!

At the end of the show Matthew Wright mentioned the Collabro tour and held up the Act Two CD! He thanked Jamie, I think he'll definitely be back on the show!!

Being thanked at the end of the show!

Having fun on the show!

Host Matthew Wright

With another panel member