Last Choir Standing

10th August 2008

The result of the first live show is that 'Sense of Sound' have been knocked out of the competition, after they went head-to-head with Revelation in a 'Clash of the Choirs'.

In the first live knockout show the six final choirs were relying on the viewers at home to decide which of them has what it takes.

The six choirs, made up of 175 singers - including Mums and Dads, students, teachers and taxi drivers - have all been on an incredible journey, and over the next four weeks it's up to the viewers to decide who has the power, passion and performance to be the Last Choir Standing.

The choirs were able to work off any nerves about singing live on TV with an energetic opening group number from The Blues Brothers film - 'Everybody Needs Somebody to Love'.

Ysgol Glanaethwy, the young choir from Bangor in North Wales were first to sing on their own. They performed Queen's 'Bohemian Rhapsody', and Suzi commented that they were incredibly brave to go first. She also said it was a "brave arrangement" but she was still looking for "lower levels." Russell felt their performance had "good bits and bad bits", and he was still not 100% convinced. However Sharon thought it was a "wonderful start" and she could really see their individuality coming out.

Next up were Revelation, the gospel choir from East London who sang 'Fields of Gold'. Sharon felt it wasn't their best performance and that they played it safe with a simple arrangement, although she was impressed by Toyin's "lovely voice". Russell thought it wasn't the most inventive performance, but he agreed about Toyin's voice saying it was "warm, woody, thick and buttery". Suzi felt they were really "thinking about the words" as they sang, but that it didn't "thrill" her.

ACM Gospel Choir from Guildford sang 'September' and all three judges agreed that MD Mark put a lot of passion and energy into the performance. Suzi enjoyed the complexity of the arrangement, and Sharon agreed saying "you gave us what we asked for - I wanted to join in!" Russell also thought it was a great performance and said "for me the show started right here, right now."

Fourth to sing were Bath Male Choir. Russell thought their performance of 'Desperado' was "competent" and he loved the way they went from quiet to "almost deafening!" Suzi was impressed and thought they'd come on another level and had worked on their tuning. Sharon enjoyed the "wall of sound" they created, but felt it lacked the emotion of the story.

The Liverpool based choir Sense of Sound performed 'Smiley Faces' by Gnarls Barkley. Suzi felt it was a mixed performance and was sometimes a bit "foggy" and "uninspiring." Sharon agreed saying that all the bits were there but that it "didn't gel" and was a bit "monotonous." Russell commented that everything they'd done had been incredible so far, but that this performance was like a "difficult second album" and that they didn't make the connection they normally do.

Last to sing were Only Men Aloud! Their performance of 'Don't Rain on My Parade' even included canes and it certainly pleased Russell who said it was "the best performance of the series." Sharon loved their control and their "Pearl and Dean harmonies" and all judges agreed that MD Tim made a huge difference. Although Suzi did ask whether it was a "choral piece or a show piece"?

The choirs then performed 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' as a closing group song, and it was up to the viewers to vote for their favourite.

In the Results Show, the two choirs with the least votes would sing in a 'Clash of the Choirs' and the judges would decide which choir leaves this week.

To start the show there was a performance from one of the fastest-rising classical acts 'Blake' who performed 'Up Where We Belong'.

And then it was time to reveal which choirs were safe and which two would sing again to stay in the competition.

After a nail-biting wait it was announced that Ysgol Glanaethwy, Only Men Aloud! ACM Gospel Choir and Bath Male Choir were through to next week, leaving Revelation and Sense of Sound to go head-to-head.

Sense of Sound sang 'Gabriel', and Revelation sang 'Lovely Day'. Then it was up to the three judges to decide who was going home.

Sharon saved Revelation and Suzi saved Sense of Sound, so it was up to Russell to cast the deciding vote. He chose to save Revelation, saying "they raised their game, they lifted me spiritually and they gave me the tingle-factor on the back of my neck."

Six choirs have become five. Who will be next to leave? Tune in next week to BBC One at 18:15. If you missed this week's show, watch it now on BBC iPlayer.

Find out more about the choirs in our Choir Section. You can also get a full track listing of all the songs performed in the show.