Review Centre: Singers & Vocalists

"IT WAS billed as A Night At The Musicals, and it was certainly a title which attracted a packed house to the Howden Park Centre last Friday evening when Darren Shaw and three dancers took the stage and sang and danced their hearts out. Two for the price of one took on a whole new meaning in this show in which we, the audience, were encouraged to join in with some of the well known songs. If you looked around, all you could see was a sea of smiling faces having a great time reminiscing and sharing some of their favourite moments from the musicals. This was courtesy of one very talented young man sporting a George Clooney haircut and diamond earring, some nifty costume changes, an incredible voice range and an endearing smile. Using a variety of spectacular, if sometimes dazzling lighting effects, and the obligatory dry ice creating an atmosphere that makes the singer appear suspended in clouds, the show began with a spotlight into which sauntered Mr Shaw in top hat and tails singing On The Street Where You Live, from My Fair Lady. Once again the excellent acoustics of the Brian Duguid Theatre played host to emotive, full orchestral music courtesy of impeccably timed tapes. Maybe it was just a shade loud in the first half which saw something very unusual and totally original. Everyone is familiar with The Sound of Music and the recent Connie Fisher version of The Hills are alive. Enter Darren Shaw looking splendid in lederhosen, like a denizen of Austria and straight from the Alps. To everyone's amazement and some barely concealed audience mirth, he became a soprano and made the hills come alive in his own special way. As the show progressed, the format of two songs by Mr Shaw interspersed with dance routines by the hardworking dancers began to win us over. For the first time ever, the famous duet from Grease, You're The One That I Want, was sung by Mr Shaw who performed the male and female parts. Using his falsetto voice – an attribute which was once taught in Italy in the middle ages resulting in the singers being known as castratto (please, don't ask) – Shaw sang the SuBo hit from Les Miserables as he duetted with himself in I Know Him So Well. In The Phantom of the Opera sequence he once again sang the famous duet which takes Christine, the soprano and The Phantom to perform, all by himself. As for the three dancers, two glamorous blondes and a bonny brunette, they proved their versatility by dancing a variety of styles from musical comedy to modern with a brave attempt at Irish River Dancing which drew cheers from the audience. The finale saw Shaw resplendent in a mint green sparkling shirt and matching flares with the dancers in glittering jump suits so there was no doubt that we would hear something from Mamma Mia and we certainly did. This night at the theatre was indeed a feast of tunes from the musicals which at first, thanks to Mr Shaw's dual voice, seemed a little hard to digest but soon became an acquired taste."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A true original talent. Having just had the pleasure of meeting Adam today and doing the lights for him at the Blackpool CMF all I can say is WOW. I have worked alongside many artists and this guy is up there with the best. A great artist. Not to be missed. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Graham was absolutely brilliant! His play list was exactly as we wanted and he even learned a special song for us. He arrived promptly and set up discreetly, then performed two forty-five-minute sets for us. The volume was perfect, loud enough to enjoy the music but not so loud that conversations could continue. All of our guests thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and happily joined in with some songs. Thank you so much Graham for helping to make our celebration a perfect occasion. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hey Cali, Just want to say a big THANK YOU for singing at my 30th birthday garden party. Having you sing at the party made the night, you were awesome! Thanks again for accommodating all of the songs I requested for the night, it made the night extra special having some of my favourite songs performed! Would recommend Cali to anyone looking for super friendly, fun performer to create that special atmosphere! ??"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Rebekah was great and really tailored herself to the event that we were having. Would highly recommend!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Marcus was perfect for my modest 50th birthday party with his engaging and delightful entertainment. A relaxed connection with the guests made it even more fun and gave the evening a real sense of occasion. Thank you again and are you available for the same time next year..! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"A great evening! Debbie performed a marvellous variety of styles and songs from 40s swing and jazz to the 70s classics, all with great humour creating a marvellous atmosphere. The sound level was perfect - Debbie instinctively knows the perfect volume level for such an event, and everyone commented on how accommodating she was to all our requests. In short a great singer and entertainer, I am so very pleased I booked Debbie. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a brilliant night ! Never stopped singing and partying...loved all the music Jason...such a talented and great guy xxx "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"From the moment I booked Tim for our wedding, I could not be any more happier. He phoned almost immediately to check details. We sent him a very extensive set list, and he even took the time to learn new songs that were special to us. On the day, Tim arrived in plenty of time, set up effortlessly, and even altered his set times last minute without any fuss. Tim sang beautifully with lots of energy and all of friends and family had the best time. It was perfect! I would book Tim again in a heartbeat! Thank-you so much for everything, you were an absolute star! Lots of love Mr & Mrs Simpson X"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired Danny for a family party to welcome our daughter to the world and introduce her to family and friends. Danny provided the perfect entertainment, from the moment we contacted him right through to his performance, he was professional and courteous. He went above and beyond to understand more about the event to ensure he nailed it (which he absolutely did), to the point where he played a special song which is a namesake for our daughter. His voice and guitar skills are sublime and he created the perfect ambience . We will definitely be using him again for any future parties and i think the biggest compliment is several of our family and friends will be booking him for their special occassions. Kudos Danny! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Hi Jess, I just wanted to say a massive thank you for being a part of our wedding on Saturday. Everyone I have spoken with has commented on how amazing you were. You added that extra touch to our day and we were so happy that you were involved. If anyone out there wanted an amazing singer to entertain for whatever event they would be so lucky to have you involved. Thank you so much."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so very much for your beautiful singing at my mother’s funeral last Tuesday. I am very sorry that I was not able to come and thank you in person on the day but my family were anxious to travel to the committal without delay. Lots of friends and family have since told me how beautiful they found the service and your singing played a large part in that and we are therefore hugely grateful to you - and for your assistance and professionalism in helping us to organise the service."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Claire was great from start to finish. She was very friendly and organised, contacting us prior to the event. From the moment she arrived, she was extremely accommodating with regard to the event being slightly behind time. On top of that, her performance was excellent and got everyone up dancing. We were inundated with positive feedback from guests. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Wow wow factor!!! Damien is a wonderful and talented musician. I highly recommend. He is extremely professional and from the very beginning, he demonstrated excellent communication, ensuring he would provide us with the best possible service and the music was just perfect. Thank you so much!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Lovely made the event extra special and my mum enjoyed her performance. Her voice was amazing and despite last minute booking she tried her best to render songs requested Thank You Lovely & Rak. Look forward to booking future event with you "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: