BOOK ON ST MARY'S PLAYERS & SINGERS

Today's Reunion of the St Mary's Players & St Mary's Singers went well with over 50 people turning up. Some travelling from as far as Llanidloes, Oswestry, Warrington & London. So nice to see so many there.

During the afternoon I launched my new book "Treading The Boards with the St Mary's Players & St Mary's Singers with quite a few copies sold and more sales to come.The book is a concise history of the two theatre groups from the 1970s through to the early 1990s. Contains many original photographs from the shows.

Copies of the book are available from Flaunt It (Card & Gift Shop)Welshpool next to Supascoop,the Tourist Information Centre Welshpool or direct from the publishers Dreamstar Books

DRIFTERS at THEATRE SEVERN

THE DRIFTERS THEATRE SEVERN SHREWSBURY SUNDAY 20th OCTOBER 2013.

Having saw the show last year and enjoying it despite the fact that the Drifters were 4 young lads in their 30s with no real connection to the hit records, I was looking forward to seeing them again this time.

Overall I have to say I was dissapointed. This was their diamond anniversary show but a lot of the major hits were left out. The dance moves were not as slick as last year and for me the emphasis was on the new material. While this new material was ok it was not The Drifters sound a style that has become their trademark over the years. Last year the audience were up on their feet dancing from early in the first half but tonight it was the latter part of the second half.

One plus tonight was they brought on from time to time Maurice Cannon a former Drifter and more in keeping with the age you would expect to see. Another plus was the use of a video screen charting the history of the group and its members over the years, a nice distraction from what was going on at stage level. The guys came on wearing crowns, who knows what for, when they took them off placed them on a throne, then moved them back and for several times! They must symbolise something but what?

To finish they left the stage, returned plugged Cds and other merchandise along with their Xmas show and their facebook site, sang another song and left the stage only to return. Good I thought they are going to do the 1970s hits. How wrong I was they took a bow left the stage and then came on for another bow. Talk about milking it!

ELO EXPERIENCE

ELO EXPERIENCE at THEATRE SEVERN SHREWSBURY SATURDAY 19th OCTOBER 2013.

This was my fourth visit of the week to Theatre Severn and another show I was looking forward to seeing. Having bought ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) singles in the 70s and playing them at gigs I was up to seeing this tribute band and can honestly say that I was not dissapointed.

Fronted by a Jeff Lynne lookalike the band consisted of Lead & rythymn guitars, bass guitar, drums, keyboards and two lovely young ladies on accoustic cellos.

They recreated the sound of the records with precision, backed by superb lighting effects and a back drop that changed for different songs, my favourite one being monkeys dancing and kittens playing guitar for Rock n Roll Is King.

The two hours flew by as hit after hit like "Living Thing" "Roll Over Beethoven" "Mr Blue Sky" "Xanadu" "Evil Woman" "Telephone Line" "Rock n Roll Is King" & "Hold On Tight", were interspersed with album tracks, however, don't just take my word for it check them out on facebook, twitter or their website.

Max Boyce at Shrewsbury

MAX BOYCE at Theatre Severn Shrewsbury Friday 18th October 2013.

Having enjoyed Max Boyce's records, television shows etc for a great number of years and been in his company on Celebrity Golf Events I decided that it was time I saw the man live in concert. In the past everytime he has been near to me I have had other commitments but decided that I was going to see him tonight and nothing but nothing would stop me and my am I so glad I did.

The show was opened by an excellent comic Stan Johns who told an array of new gags that I hadn't heard before plus a percentage of ones that stand the test of time although they have been told countless times. Next up was an a stunning vocaliste with an amazing voice - Beverley Savrin who showed off her great vocal range with pop songs including Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" as well as operatic numbers and the powerful "Nessun Dorma". Closing the first half Stan Johns returned to the stage with more of the same from his earlier spot.

From the moment he stepped onto the stage in the second half Max Boyce was at full throttle for an entire 90 minutes gag after gag, story upon story, interspersed with comic songs as well as some more melodic tunes, including the moving "Duw Its Hard" I for one unashamedly welled up. But before long it was all over as Max and the band launched into what has become his anthem "Hymns and Arias".

All I can say is how much I thoroughly enjoyed it  because I was there!

My sincere thanks to Theatre Severn for another excellent show.

Charlie Landsborough Show

Tonight i went to Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, the act I went to see was Country / Irish singer Charlie Landsborough who performs all his own material based on characters he has met, situations he has been in and so forth. Each one linked with some funny gags and having been involved in entertainment for some 35 years I thought there wasnt many gags I hadn't heard but Charlie rattled loads off. The songs were well performed but overall a bit too laid back for me. Needed some up tempo ones to give the overall repetoire some light and shade. High light for me was "What Colour Is The Wind" about a blind boy asking his dad what colour was the wind, a moving song which I have heard sung many times by different people but always touches the heart strings.

THE HOLLIES

Last Wednesday I went to see a great show at Theatre Severn Shrewsbury  - THE HOLLIES. A fantastic band that has stood the test of time.

But what really happened was - I was passing the theatre and I thought I would just look through any window to see what was happening. Inside a spotted two girls - Jennifer Eccles and Carrie Anne who I had met earlier at the bus stop. Having asked them if they were local they replied that they were Gasoline Alley Bred and asked me to stay. pleading stop stop stop! I said yes I will and I would have just one look but once I was there it was like being on a carousel, bumped into a long cool woman in a black dress, apologising I said sorry suzanne. Looking across the room I thought there's evvy I haven't seen him for years but as I got closer I realised he aint heavy he's my brother. Oh my god I thought, here I go again, am I dreaming? No I'm alive but can't let go. It was warm in the show and during the interval everyone was making for the bar I stepped outside as all I needed was the air that I breathe.

The above story contains 19 hits from The Hollies see if you can find them all.