26-song set divided into two parts in the tall St Cuthbert’s church (which included tea and biscuits at the interval) provided a nostalgic throwback to the 1920s, 30s and early 40s. In true jazz and swing fashion the musicians were sharply dressed in suits. The crowd too were looking their best: the audience was filled with people who might have enjoyed this music in its heyday.
The musicianship in the twelve-piece band was tight and each of the four singers that took to the stage sang well. Like many shows of this kind, it did feel as if its time had passed by: this felt like a gig to commemorate the time when this music was causing a stir in the Western hemisphere. The adrenaline and excitement of this era were absent and the band didn’t infuse any contemporary influences into their cover set.
Although the church had pretty surroundings, the acoustics meant that some of the vocals were lost in the echo. Lyrics were often hard to hear above the band. Pamela Byrne, a singer, made use of the acoustics and exercised her range better than the other three. However by the end they had all shown that they had talent. On the whole, the performance was charming and ‘Fever’, ‘I Wanna Be Like You’ and ‘New York, New York’ were standout tracks among the set of covers. As far as cover acts go, this one is well-rehearsed and pleasing to listen to, but just isn’t riveting enough to be turning many heads.
