‘We’re still going strong’
Only Men Aloud are celebrating a decade since winning a BBC TV series with a gala concert in Cardiff. Amanda Powell finds out more
IT’S 10 years since Only Men Aloud won the BBC talent show Last Choir Standing, and they’re celebrating with a gala concert at the Wales Millennium Centre this Sunday.
Sunday’s concert has “a few surprises in store,” says founder Tim Rhys-Evans MBE, who’ll be conducting the boys’ choir Only Boys Aloud which is also making an appearance at the concert.
Only Men Aloud, has been an octet for several years now, managed by Craig Yates. Craig says Sunday’s repertoire has been inspired by suggestions from fans, and the concert is almost sold out.
Craig says although Only
Men Aloud has been going since 2000, the anniversary of winning Last Choir
Standing is certainly time for celebration.
“I know we were around eight years before we won the show, but there aren’t many groups who won a reality show and are selling out a venue such as the
Millennium
Centre after
10 years, so it’s a huge thing that we’re still going strong and we’re still popular and doing what we love to do, and we’re still going to new audiences as well, which is great,” Craig says.
“Weirdly, after 10 years, it still feels quite fresh and new when we’re going to new places around the world, it’s good fun.” The youth spin-off Only Boys Aloud, which wowed Britain’s Got Talent judges in the TV talent show in 2012, is now part of a charity called Aloud, which has 14 boys’ choirs all around Wales.
Lads aged between 11 and 19 are able to join, without an audition, and it’s all free, but they have to make it a commitment.
“We are hot on making sure that attendance is good, that discipline is good. “The boys have never, ever failed to surpass any expectations we have of them,” says Tim Rhys-Evans, who’s originally from New Tredegar.
Mum Teresa Heron and her adopted son, 22-year-old Andrew, are voluntary community leaders at the Caerphilly Only Boys Aloud choir and will be going along to support the boys at Sunday’s concert.
Andrew joined as a chorister when he was 16 and is now studying on a degree foundation course at the University of South Wales.
He has autism and ADHD and says joining Only Boys Aloud played a big part in supporting him educationally.
“Only Boys Aloud came to my school, Blackwood Comprehensive School, and did a workshop.
“I went home and said to my mum,
‘I’d like to go to Only Boys Aloud.’
“I became a member of OBA, I went to Buckingham Palace with them, I did Britain’s Got Talent with them, loads of other gigs with them.
“I’ve gained more confidence and self-esteem, gained new friends.
“Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to read music.
“In the role of Only Boys Aloud community leader, my job is to look after the younger ones, make sure they’re on the right track, make sure they know the music, go to all the events with them, their ties are done up, their shoes are tidy.”
Teresa adds, “It teaches the other boys not to be prejudiced. There are a couple of other boys with learning difficulties and disabilities.
“We’ve got children from all different backgrounds.
“They don’t know they can sing, but every child can sing and they enjoy it.”
Only Men Aloud are at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on Sunday at 4pm. Visit www.wmc.org. uk