Ross Laing (trumpet/MD); David Gray (trombone); Johnny 'Blue Hat' Davis (tenor); Andrew Richardson (keys); Rev Parker (bass); Tom Shorten (drums); Gina Lou (vocals).
(Review by Lance).
This band don't take no prisoners - this band. They go for the jugular right from the off. and the Hoochie regulars weren't complaining - Palm Court orchestras not welcome here!
Sing, Sing, Sing somehow merged into Take Five and ended up as George Michael's Never Gonna Dance Again, This is what The Postmodernaires are all about, taking pop classics and transforming them into earlier settings which usually seem to end up as 1950s' rock and roll.
Feeling Good; I'm Losing My Senses (Megadeth?); All About the Bass. Rev Parker and Gina Lou had some nice unison moments on this one and Rev had an excellent solo on the pogo-stick bass.
Sam Smith's I'm Not the Only One featured some good trumpet. The Cardigans' Love me Love, Say That You Love Me - these are all songs that are mainly new to me but Gina Lou sings them well and, with the horns, the arrangements and a stonking rhythm section they sound good. Imelda May provided Big Bad Handsome Man and, like I'm Never Gonna Give You Up and Hold on to What We've Got, the dancers loved them.
During the interval I found myself wishing they weren't quite so full on. Most numbers begin at double forte and end up with a whole lot more fortissimos than any normal eardrum can handle. Also, Gina Lou is a great singer with lots of potential but, I think she doesn't engage with the audience enough - she obviously has the personality to do so.
Minnie the Moocher got the second set rolling, the Dervishes occupied the dance floor and everyone was hi-di-hi-ing and ho-di-ho-ing.
That good old karaoke favourite I Will Survive had a blistering solo from 'Blue Hat' who, along with Gray, repeated the solar plexus punch on The Bare Necessities - 'A tune you will remember from your childhood days' said Gina Lou - I wish!
That good old karaoke favourite I Will Survive had a blistering solo from 'Blue Hat' who, along with Gray, repeated the solar plexus punch on The Bare Necessities - 'A tune you will remember from your childhood days' said Gina Lou - I wish!
The set rolled on eventually pulling two encores. These saw the horns down on the dance-floor and beyond, parading and blowing like as if it was a Lionel Hampton gig. The final Hit the Road Jack had David Gray up in the posh end (the booths) blowing like a man possessed - they don't call him Showtime for nothing!
Entertaining and, maybe, a work in progress? Whatever, catch them when you can.
Lance.
2 comments :
Quick correction, before this post gains traction: the vocalist for tonight was Gina Lou. Thanks for showing up today, and for the kind words!
Will correct asap. However, does prove my point about lack of communication between band and audience. In fact, it's the first gig I've ever been to where the spieler didn't give a name check!
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