Spangles performed twice in one week for Anastasio Bastida, the newly-elected Mayor of Los Alcázares. For the first time in their history, Spangles was invited to take part in the ‘Corales del Mar’ in the beautiful Iglesia de la Asunción, alongside ladies’ choirs from Cartagena and Los Alcázares. If you have seen Spangles perform, you will know that it is definitely not their style to stand still and sing behind songbooks, and this performance was no exception with them finishing with a very lively rendition of La Bamba, much to the delight of the predominantly Spanish audience. “It was an honour and a pleasure to perform for our new Mayor in such beautiful surroundings” said Anthea Prentice, co-Chorus Manager. “We joined Anastasio Bastida and the ladies’ choirs afterwards at a local restaurant, where we all enjoyed singing together. We hope that we can forge strong links between us and perform together again in the future.”

Five days later, the Mayor attended a show featuring Spangles at another beautiful venue, Hotel La Encarnación, which has been family-owned since the early 1900’s and is steeped in history. It is famous for its ‘Balñeario Thermales’ or thermal spa where the original treatment rooms and sunken marble baths, remain to this day. The inner patio is a sight to behold, with balconies festooned with greenery and flowers, where guests can enjoy a relaxing drink and soak up the tranquil atmosphere. This is where Spangles, Viva quartet and Smithy entertained a packed audience. Spangles opened the second half of the show with the two songs that made them Gold Medal Barbershop Champions of Spain and Portugal, which roused the audience. They then had them rolling in the aisles with their performance of ‘What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?’ with Anthea playing a convincing, inebriated marinero. “The song is complex and fairly difficult to learn, but we enjoy performing it and love to amuse our audiences too” commented Musical Director, Gail Grainger.

“We’ve been working hard on a new CD, which will be out some time after the summer, so we have had some exciting moments this year. After our summer break in August, we will be learning new songs and brushing up on our Christmas repertoire, ready for the festive season.”