I’m a terrible singer. But at Aberystwyth’s finest queer night I learned the power of my own voice

‘To sing in unison is to become something bigger than oneself.’ Photograph: FG Trade/Getty Images (Posed by models)

Among the poetry, lip-syncing and cowboi routines of Aberration’s talent show (that’s Aberystwyth’s finest queer night), a man stands up and says he want us all to sing a song. It only has two lines; once we have mastered it, he says quietly but confidently, we will do it in the round.

This is quite a departure from the lineup and there is a moment’s hesitation from the audience. Then he gets out one of those little mouth organs that gives you the key, sings the lines and off we go.