Singing is good for you, there’s no question of that. Countless studies have confirmed that it benefits our physical and mental health, but why do we love singing along to our favourite songs in public?
The obvious answer is it makes us feel better – but why?
There’s the social aspect of course. People will pay big dollars for rock concerts and then scream the tunes so loudly they can’t hear the band; but they’ll still go away saying it was one of the best experiences of their lives. Doing it in the shower doesn’t quite have that same magic; you need to be with like-minded souls sharing what this music means to you. We’ve all had that moment when you find that other person who knows all the lyrics to some obscure song and you immediately irritate everyone else in the vicinity by singing through the whole thing.
Antony ‘DrH’ Hubmayer fully explores this phenomenon with his suite of 12 Piano Cabaret Singalong shows at this year’s Adelaide Fringe.
Some focus on well-known brands like Queen, ABBA, 'Rocky Horror', Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel and Elton John, while others explore less frequented artists like Tom Lehrer, Monty Python, Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper. There’s even a Eurovision show for those who love the glam.
But one of the most popular is the 'Singalonga Pub Quiz'! That one does what it says; it’s a singalong and it’s a general knowledge 'pub quiz'. As Betty said after seeing last year’s show, “This show is great fun. Perfectly balanced for people like me who like to relax, sing along and feel good as a result!”.
In other words, it has that wonderfully elusive quality where you can feel part of the show without drawing any attention to yourself. Brilliant!
The 'Singalonga Pub Quiz' works on another level. While DrH’s themed shows appeal to fans of a particular genre, 'SPQ' (for short) covers a vast range of songs from pub standards like 'Sweet Caroline' through to musical theatre and Disney bangers like 'A Whole New World', as well as pop and rock classics from the likes of ABBA, INXS, and Taylor Swift.
There’s plenty of interaction and energy with the playlist and questions varying each performance so you can come again and again and get a whole new show. There’s even an AFL-themed 'Singalonga Pub Quiz' for footy fans keen to sing and test their footy knowledge.
There's no big money behind any of these shows, just a passion for entertaining. . . And judging by the countless Fringe Feed reviews from last year, this passion certainly shines through in all his shows.
As part of this year's Adelaide Fringe, The Ballroom at Ayers House hosts six of the 'Singalonga' shows on Friday and Saturday evenings featuring ABBA, Queen, 'Rocky Horror', Eurovision, Meat Loaf and Alice Cooper. The Jade hosts the other six shows Sunday to Thursday featuring the 'Singalonga Pub Quiz', Tom Lehrer, Monty Python, Billy Joel and Elton John, Frank Sinatra and the AFL 'Singalonga Pub Quiz'. Keep an eye out for DrH taking singalongs to a whole new level this Fringe with his street piano singalong show in Rundle Street and Rundle Mall.
