Here Comes the Sun...

No, this is not a weather forecast... You may have noticed the growing popularity of flashmobs around Spain lately. These are groups of people who, either spontaneously, or (more often) having rehearsed, perform a song and/or dance in a public place. Flashmobs can be anything from 20 to 200 people. Last year the Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla organised one in Santa Justa train station - they posted a video showing the steps on their website, so people could learn (it looked very complicated to me!) and practise at home; and they also held one rehearsal prior to the event. Then, on the day, about 40 people turned up and strutted their stuff surrounded by a fairly large audience, and the performance had a joyous and charged atmosphere. The same dance was performed simultaneously in other cities around the world. One of the latest flashmobs here in Spain - for there are many; one of the most-watched (1.5m views and counting); and one of my personal favourites, is the Beatles' Here Comes the Sun. This was performed in one of the less cheerful sorts of place in Spain these days - an unemployment office, a place where people have plenty of time to wait, and are the ideal captive audience. It starts with an oboe solo, then a clarinet joins in, followed by a bassoon, strings, more wind, until you have a chamber orchestra. And then a pretty, smiling girl with a lovely voice, and reasonable pronunciation (nothing more irritating than mangled vowels), starts singing. And people look surprised, then puzzled, then delighted. Watch the "smiles returning to their faces" (less so the funcionarios, who look distinctly unamused) - it still brings a tear to my eye when I see it, and I've seen it many times over now. The audience's enthusiastic and joyful reception, and the uplifting effect it has on them, are a delight to behold. A clever ad for a radio station, granted, but also a delightful gesture. Perfect to cheer you up on a day when the weather's uncharacteristically gloomy too, though the rain is always welcome here in Andalucia!
Blog published on 24 January 2013