As meticulously planned, our crack team of mission operatives gathered at 2pm for a rehearsal in a covered location.  As per instructions, each person was armed with a selection of  kitchen utensils for music-making - washing up bowls, saucepans, spoons, small frying [...]]]> The Secret Samba Event took place on Saturday 6th November 2010 in various locations around Birmingham City Centre

As meticulously planned, our crack team of mission operatives gathered at 2pm for a rehearsal in a covered location.  As per instructions, each person was armed with a selection of  kitchen utensils for music-making - washing up bowls, saucepans, spoons, small frying pans, and shakers fashioned from bottles and cans filled with dried beans.

Spectator bustin' some Samba moves...

Under the expert tuition of Sarah, our drum-meistress, we quickly learned and rehearsed a simple samba rhythm for about 15 minutes, before dispersing and separately making our way to New Street Station, the first of several pre-planned locations, where we mingled  into the crowd.  Once everyone was in place, Sarah gave the cue, and the tin-can-shakers started off the rhythm.  At first nobody paid much attention, but by the time the saucepan-cowbells and the washing-up-bowl-drums and the cheese-grater-guiros had taken up the beat, we could be heard throughout the forecourt, and people started to gather and listen,  looking around in curiosity.   Of course, it didn’t take long for security guards to appear and start telling us to desist, but by then Sarah had blown her whistle to cue the big finish, and we melted away as fast as we had appeared, leaving a behind some bemused guards and lots of smiling people.

A slightly bemused stallholder. A few moments later he was tapping along with his pen!

This set the pattern for the rest of the mission. Our other venues were -  The Pallasades, the top floor food hall of The Pavillions, outside The Rag Market, and finally just inside the Bullring Centre, near Costa Coffee and Nandos.  In each case, we took up station unnoticed, started quietly and unobtrusively, built to the point where the crowds really took notice, and by the time security took interest and arrived we had finished and melted away leaving smiles and tapping feet.  And in the case of The Palisades, to a round of appreciative applause!

Passer-by dances, while security guard tries to get us stop

As scrupulously planned, our crack team of mission operatives quietly gathered un-noticed around the entrance to Birmingham Bullring, ready to unleash a bubble-maelstrom.  

What we hadn’t accounted for was that Barclay’s Bank would lay on a band for us!   It became apparent that a [...]]]> The Brum Bubble Event took place on Saturday 5th June just outside the Bullring. 

As scrupulously planned, our crack team of mission operatives quietly gathered un-noticed around the entrance to Birmingham Bullring, ready to unleash a bubble-maelstrom.  

What we hadn’t accounted for was that Barclay’s Bank would lay on a band for us!   It became apparent that a large promotional event had been arranged for the same time and place, including a Kings of Leon tribute band, comedy cod-military marching, and a dance competition.  Ooops.

Undeterred, we followed the plan with pinpoint precision, and at exactly 3pm released a tantalising storm of bubbles into the bright afternoon sunlight, much to the delight and amazement of the gathered crowd.

We can safely say that Event Horizon’s first outing can be notched up as a great success.  A huge thank-you for all those who turned out to participate!

It’s already time to start planning the next mission. Send us your ideas…