By Carolyn Webb
During work hours, Jason Fallscheer is a man in a suit – he’s a finance broker in a CBD office among 800 people.
It’s a high-pressure job, and he says at times he feels isolated, being the only person in that role in his firm.
But in the past year, he’s found the perfect after-work counterpoint.
He sings in a satirical choir called Men in Suits.
Their cheeky songs explore topics like leaky bladders and conspiracy theories and include public transport parody Metro Regrets.
On Sunday, choristers brought smiles to commuters by singing under the Flinders Street Station dome, at a Swanston Street tram stop and on a Brunswick-bound tram, in rehearsal for their first overseas tour.
Destination England: Men in Suits practised for their upcoming overseas tour by singing on a Brunswick bound tram.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
Fallscheer, of Surrey Hills, had never sung in a choir — only at karaoke and with mates in the audience at rock concerts.
Now, he now finds himself belting out Tears For Fears’ Mad World on a tram, or serenading shoppers with And I Love Her by The Beatles.
He says it’s “awesome” to harmonise with other people for a common goal.
The choir’s tradition, after its Thursday night rehearsal at Armadale Baptist Church, is to adjourn to the Orrong Hotel, gasbag and sing over beers, finishing with the maritime classic Sloop John B.
Men in Suits during a pop-up performance at Flinders Street Station on Sunday.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
Fallscheer said he felt “immediately welcomed and embraced” by the choir and can talk with other dads about raising teenagers. “It’s an opportunity to belong somewhere,” he said.
The choir has a social forum called Bullshit Channel on WhatsApp “where various problems get solved”.
Choir master Chris Blain describes Men in Suits as “a bunch of old geezers” who poke fun at blokey culture.
The upcoming tour, of England in June, will include performances at BlokeFest men’s choir festival in the village of Pewsey in Wiltshire, and at venues in Bath, Bristol, Portsmouth and London.
In full voice: Jason Fallscheer, back row at left, and fellow Men in Suits choir members.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
In Australia, the choir has sung at festivals, business conferences, weddings and in flash mobs at places like Block Arcade, from which they were once ejected by security guards.
Chorister Alan Stephens was touched when choirmates travelled to Acheron, north-east of Melbourne, to sing Hallelujah and He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother at his brother John’s funeral.
Stephens said he had to look at the ceiling while singing so he didn’t break down.
A retired engineer and skydiving school owner of Ferntree Gully, Stephens describes the choir as “like a men’s shed, except we sing instead of building things”.
“The camaraderie and support means so much to me,” Stephens says.
Doug Clark, a chorister for 10 years, said: “I’ve had struggles, like a marriage break-up last year. These guys, even if they may not know it, have got me through some tough times.”
“We are blokes, and there’s a lot of banter and bravado. But we’re not just singing together, we’re supporting each other.”
Send Us Packing, a fundraising concert for the Men in Suits overseas tour, is being held on March 29 at Armadale Baptist Church hall.
Details can be found at www.meninsuits.com.au/concert
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