When you think of British culture, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it tea, the Royal Family, or even fish and chips?
Well, it’s something even more iconic for me—the all-singing, all-performing school assembly.
Bet you wasn’t expecting that!
No, but seriously, back in the day, the whole school would file into the main hall—our all-purpose space that served as gym, performance hall, and assembly hall.
At the start of each term, there was the strong smell of fresh varnish, and we’d sit cross-legged on the hardwood floor to sing our little hearts out.
Think hymns, Christmas carols, and pop hits like Let It Be and You Are My Sunshine. It was a daily ritual that was less about the lyrics (though we knew all the words) and more about getting involved.
Don’t get me wrong, when it was our turn, we sang along—with gusto. But even when it wasn’t, we played our part—clapping, cheering, and mouthing forgotten lines. We rooted for those shaky recorder soloists and, of course, those poor trumpet players whose performances always seemed one note away from disaster.
I’m not saying we didn’t stifle a giggle or two.
Nor am I saying we didn’t tease them—a bit.
But in the end, we still made them feel seen.
So, you can imagine the culture shock I experienced when I attended a gig recently where a Maltese band headlined.
As the kids would say: the crowd didn’t pass the vibe check—even less so for the non-local supporting acts.
I’ve told you before that Maltese culture can be quite cliquey, right?
And it showed.
Instead of clapping, cheering or joining in, the non-local performers—the underdogs—faced an audience more interested in booking flights (yes, really, I spotted the budget orange), chatting loudly, scrolling on socials, and everything in between that went waaaay beyond ‘tough crowd’.
It was a painful watch (I got second-degree cringe), and it got me thinking about school assembly—or, more specifically, how it taught us to show up, make our voices heard, and lift others up.
Whether it’s a gig, concert, theatre show, or karaoke night down at the pub (or a boozy lunch or dinner), us Brits have a knack for turning up the energy. I wanna say something cool, like that’s how we roll.
But really, it’s just how we connect.
Just take a look at the sing-a-long crew at festivals.
And have you heard the football chants? There’s a reason they end up going viral on TikTok.
Only last night, I heard ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ (in reference to the Man City v Liverpool game). Okay, maybe it’s a slightly risqué kind of support, but it certainly says, ‘We are here, and we got your back!’
So, back to the gig, I couldn’t just sit in the awkward silence. I thought, to hell with the ‘when in Rome’ rule. I tapped into my inner Brit. I woo-hooed, clapped, and tried starting up my own sing-a-long crew instead.
Admittedly, it didn’t really catch on, like it usually does, but a part of me felt like I was honouring an instinct of cheering others on—even the ones who probably were once those offkey recorder soloists.
Still, I played my part.
It’s a shame my Britishness didn’t work on the queues at the bar.
But maybe that’s something I’ll have to let slide.
So, a question for you: what little piece of your culture has played its part in shaping you—or one you notice playing out in the everyday? Bonus points if it’s quirky.