The Blues Brothers – Live

If you’re looking for an enjoyable, happy-go-lucky hour of rhythm and blues entertainment, then look no further than this show. The Blues Brothers: Live! is an excellent, toe-tapping night of music, with every member of the cast and backing-band excelling at what they do.

They’re superb musicians and there are great solos from the lead guitarist, the saxophonist and the trumpeter.

Jake Blues, played by Edward Baxter, is the star of the show despite only recently recovering from an illness. Era-defining songs such as Jailhouse Rock and Hey Bartender were fantastically performed, all with an added comedy twist that comes naturally with the Blues Brothers.

The comedy skits in between songs, however, do sometimes fall a bit flat, with at least one or two of them gaining no laughter at all from the crowd. It does not matter though, as the overall show is a superb exhibition of musicianship from the band and showmanship by the front five.

AJ LeRoy playing Ray undoubtedly steals the show with an excellent performance of different song; his rendition of The Old Landmark proving the highlight of the whole show. That’s not to take anything away from the other performers, Danni Payne is excellent throughout, shining brightly during Think. It doesn’t just stop there however. All of the backing musicians are a joy to listen to. They’re superb musicians and there are great solos from the lead guitarist, the saxophonist and the trumpeter.

This show is not to everyone’s taste; it is exceptionally cheesy in the way it is presented. A lot of the comedic elements, including the dancing and stage direction, can feel a little bit underwhelming and not exceptionally hilarious. If you are a fan of the Blues Brothers however, or just like a little bit of light hearted rhythm and blues, you’ll be as happy as anyone when you walk out of the venue.

Reviews by Conor Matchett

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Performances

Location

The Blurb

Hold onto your shades as the smash hit returns – back by popular demand! We're putting the band back together for rhythm'n'blues to remember. Why not shake your tail feather over and see what all the fuss is about? Energetic rock'n'roll party guaranteed to get you up on your feet. 'Warning: this show will put you in a permanent state of happiness, fill your head with music and make you want to dance all night long. It is quite simply unmissable' ***** (BroadwayBaby.com). **** (WhatsOnStage.com).

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