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The Spooky Men’s Chorale bring poignant wit and improbable facial hair

As thunderous as a herd of wildebeest, as sly as a wagonload of Spike Milligans, and as sonorous as a cloister of monks, the Spooky Men’s Chorale are a gift that keeps on giving. The 13 improbably bearded vocalists tour regional New South Wales for Musica Viva, taking their unforgettable concerts and workshops in collaboration with Arts North West. With repertoire ranging from Georgian table songs to immaculate ballads, vaudevillian nonsense and a mock Sufi ode to the Bee Gees, they have earned a reputation for highly amusing and entertaining performances built on a solid musical base. Standout Australian appearances include the Woodford Festival, The National Folk Festival, Blue Mountains Festival, Port Fairy Festival, and Hobart Festival of Voices. They have featured on ABC TV in Spicks and Specks and The New Inventors, and live on ABC radio many times. Internationally they have enjoyed great acclaim during six UK tours, giving 170 performances to 80,000 people at music festivals, theatrical venues and local concerts. They have also appeared at festivals in Denmark and Sweden. The “How to be Spooky” workshops reveal secrets from the spooky lexicon, including how to get in contact with your inner chieftain, the four states of spookiness, and how to sob like a man. Audience members are free to either witness the whole experience or become guinea pigs in a grandiose experiment where they may learn a ditty or discover how to grunt properly. They can also conduct the spooky men as they demonstrate how to achieve both ridiculousness and beauty on stage. Oh, yes, and they might sing a song or two as well. Spooky Men’s Chorale – Grafton Schedule Friday, February 24: Clarence Valley Conservatorium, 8 Villiers Street, Grafton from 7pm $25 / $15 http://cvcon.com.au/what-s-on.html Tickets available from Clarence Valley Conservatorium. Saturday, February 25: Workshop 10am – 12pm $10. Tickets available from Clarence Valley Conservatorium.