Page 38 - Cormorant 2023

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The Chicago Footnotes Feat. Multi-Domain Instrumentation
Wg Cdr Sarah Holt RAF
A WET DAY IN mid September, laptops issued, the Defence Research Paper outline briefed and the first essay’s set it was time for the real business to be dealt with; the formation of the course band.
A first meeting in the Fieldhouse
led by Wg Cdr Dom Magenty RAF, band lead and singer extraordinaire, brought together a wide range of musical talent and experience:
• The borderline professional drummers - Cdr Chris Cozens RN and Wg Cdr James Waller RAF
• Brass and jazz enthusiasts later know as ‘The Multi-Domain Instrumentation – Lt Cdr Ian Guild RN (Trumpet), WGCDR Shaun Reece RAAF (Sax) and Wg Cdr Guy Lefroy RAF (Trombone)
• Talented guitarists and bass players - Cdr Steve Moseley RN, Wg Cdr Sam Williams RAF and Lt Col David Landon
• The only person willing to admit to singing on day one - Wg Cdr Sarah Holt RAF
• The ‘all round talented guy’ on guitar, keys and anything else they can turn their hand to - Wg Cdr Dave ‘Higgy’ Higgins RAF
• The first timers wanting to learn
- Wg Cdr Nick Jones RAF and Lt Col Felix Toubert Ngato Cameroon Army
With the first gig set for less than
a month away the band set to task selecting songs through an elaborate spreadsheet and commencing
rehearsals. Syndicate Room 13 became the band hub, a B Div staff conference room by day, it became a jamming and open mic night every Monday night, much to the pleasure of the late night working B Div DS and passing runners.
The eagerly awaited ‘Oktoberfest’ gig arrived and it was time for the band to make their debut. The stage was built in Henderson Bar, the sound check was completed and the audience appropriately dressed and lubricated, the perfect setting to cut our teeth. A short initial set list tested the crowd, Felix starred on the triangle for Stand By Me followed by a mix of dance floor fillers and the emergence of additional vocal talent in the form of Sam. The band found its place on the course and became the act to book at every event worth attending!
By the end of the course the band had performed at 8 official functions
including the Christmas Party, Land and Air & Space Dinners, A and B Div BBQs, the End of Course Revue and Dinner, and, the highlight for all, ‘The Purple Ball.’ There was also the event that
we don’t talk of which saw the ‘CJEX Splitters’ not only take to the stage for the CJEX international BBQ but also create their own WhatsApp group. This was quickly snubbed out! The band had expanded by one with new vocalist and keys player in Maj Kate Breeze from ISCS(L).
The End of Course Dinner showed
how the set lists had expanded from
30 minutes to super sets of nearly 4 hours, and it was only right that the full back catalogue was performed in all its glory, along with some new additions. With the band dressed in tuxedos and ‘Chicago Footnote Merch’ (tour t-shirts), Felix had broadened his percussion talents from the triangle to include the bongos, tambourine and cow bell, and Nick was taking to the stage as the drummer for Sweet Home Alabama, Dreams, Shotgun and Rocket Man. Despite the broad array of genres on show the band was still incapable of agreeing a key to play in (mainly due
to ‘The MDI’s’ needing some special compensation due to ‘All the Flats!’), the tempo or actually who was going to be singing or playing what – some things never change!
In some cases new material was not only new for the audience but also for the band. Audience participation was actively encouraged and guests invited
to the stage including Olly Hucker’s performance of Ice Ice Baby, the Late Night Drinking club’s (Paul Bastiaens, Johnny Longland and Tim Andrews) rendition of Crocodile Rock and Suzy Flynn’s outstanding performance of Crazy. There were also band members who came out the woodwork following a trial karaoke event in Faringdon (which included travelling tambourines) to show their vocal talents including Felix rapping to Ignition (remix), Ian’s version of Two Princes and the highlight of Steve performing Mariah Carey’s All
I want for Christmas is you. We mustn’t forget Nick, not only a talented drummer making his debut on the ACSC stage, he was the committed ‘Sound Guy’ throughout twiddling the knobs no-one really understands to overcome the horrendous acoustics and feedback generated by the JSCSC building.
ACSC can be best described for members of the Chicago Footnotes Feat. The MDIs as ‘a full time scholarship to be in the band. We
have to keep our grades up to make sure we stay in the band and keep the music playing.’ It has been a pleasure performing throughout the course, seeing the band grow and develop, watching the chaos ensue on the dance floor and social evenings descending into musical madness to the chants
of ‘One More Song.’ The Chicago Footnotes have taken a break from performing whilst they pursue their individual artistic projects; however, there will be a reforming, UK and World Tour coming. Watch this space!
“The band found
its place on
the course and became the act to book at every event worth attending!