Music is one of the fundamental building blocks of a Sunday Assembly. Communal singing brings a group together like nothing else (except maybe another group saying your group is rubbish, and is living on land that belongs to the other group). The best part of a wedding must surely be the song everyone belts out together at three in the morning, arm in arm, in a big group, all one as you sing: “I’m loving angels instead...[pause]..and through it all SHE OFFERS ME PROTECTION!!!! etc etc”.Sunday Assembly
Sanderson Jones leads the singing at the first ever Sunday Assembly

“Music is the form to which all arts aspires”, said TS Eliot, or so I thought for the past 14 years. It turns out a chap called Walter Pater wrote that in a book called The Renaissance (1873). The point I was going to make was that music can make you feel without thinking (ever wonder why advertisers pay so much for tracks that you love?). Obviously it is a little less glam to quote Mr. Pater (whoever he is), rather than TS Eliot, but Mr Eliot also wrote the line “Twit twit twit / Jug jug jug jug jug jug" (whatever that means).

Music and singing combined takes it a step further as the sonic stimulation of your neurons is coupled with some seriously deep breathing, oxygenating your brain and making a little disco in your synapses. Transcendental experiences are more easily induced in the oxygenated mind, hence religion’s love of controlled breathing, chanting and group song.

So much of the feedback we get at Sunday Assembly is along the lines of "It’s worth it for the singing alone". It is vital anyone organizing their own Assembly gets it right, and this starts with a great band. However, music is also quite scary for those who aren’t in the music scene. Who are these musician types? Where do they live? And why don’t they get proper jobs?

Firstly, relax, it won’t be as difficult to put a band together as you think. We’ve found there are a load of professional musicians who love to get involved in The Sunday Assembly. Secondly, it is important to make sure they are volunteers. Setting up an Assembly is tough enough without lumping yourself with an extra cost.

Places you can reach out for bands:

  • Music shops: the ad in the window works seems to work in movies
  • Professional musicians and bands: ring them up and ask if they want to get involved as volunteer (people love helping).
  • Schools and universities: there’ll be plenty of musical associations and groups around that want something positive to do.
  • Internet ad: Craigslist, Gumtree and a million forums and messageboards will help find your folk.
  • Friends of friends: there’s a ton of folk who love to play, but don’t the chance often. Ask around and you’ll get to some eventually.

There’s no one right answer to how to find the band. In Melbourne Pippa found a whole band who decided to step in, London has a rotating selection of musicians, New York has a regular three piece, while one of the children of an organiser in Sydney has a tight high school band, and they’ll be leading the rocking out.

Well done. You have a band, and it’s only Day 6! Good on ya. One of the most important boxes is ticked. When you gaze onto a sea of smiling faces belting out a great song you’ll realise that a rocking Assembly is a happy Assembly.

Remember, email us with questions, use this form to express an interest in starting your own, and watch this video to find out more about the #40Dates campaign.

Day 7, boring old governance (Part 1) can be read here.