Category: Concert Review

December 15th, 2023 by Steve

From the first half

Pick of the pops theme, Katie Melua – The Closest Thing To Crazy, Thunder & Lightning polka, Rock around the clock, Lets twist again like we did last summer, Sleigh ride, Oh come all ye faithful, Mike Oldfield – In Dulci Jubilo, We three kings, We wish you a merry Christmas, medley of carols, Sound of Music – a medley, The swinging shepherd blues, Puffing Billy (BBC Uncle Mac), Nelly the elephant, Coronation Scot, Dick Barton, Davy Crockett, Things ain’t what they used to be, You need hands, Tulips from Amsterdam, Perfidia, More Kai Winding, 60s & 70s Medley, -Telstar, Apache, Pretty woman, A whiter shade of pale,

Chris Stanbury 12th Dec 2023

Chris played the Yamaha ELS-02X Stagea organ, fully integrating its many orchestral sounds. He entertained with an extensive mix of pieces and a smattering of festive ones, perhaps not as many as there may have been, the audience not too excited about Christmas yet, but then it was only the 12th of December. There was much to listen to, music and humorous commentary. The pieces played drew enthusiastic audience applause and some to their feet cheering for an encore – Thunderbirds are go.

From the second half

The Raiders March, Raindrops keep falling on my head, Ding Dong merrily on high, Good King Wenceslas, God rest ye merry gentlemen, Deck the halls, A Disney medley, When you wish upon a star, ‘Heigh Ho’ – Snow White, Someday my prince will come, I wanna be like you. Can You Feel The Love Tonight, You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, Out of the blue, Bohemian Rhapsody, (Brazil) Tico Tico, Juke box jury theme, Lets dance, Bobby’s Girl, Happy birthday sweet sixteen, Encore – Thunderbirds are go.

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November 22nd, 2023 by Steve

From the first half

Anything goes, Hello Dolly, Unforgettable, The show must go on, A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley, Sweet Caroline, Histoire d’un amour, Budapest, Wonderful Tonight, A medley of Dixie music, My Heart Will Go On (Love Theme from “Titanic”), A Latin medley

Mark Spafford 21st November 2023

New to us at BOKC, Mark has not performed for us before, it was a first for us and him. Neither knew what to expect. The music he played on a Yamaha Genos without pedal board or reliance on multitracking. His style included arrangements perceived then as uniquely his. The music was broad spectrum diverse in its appeal. Some well applauded, it was enjoyed, but much as would be listening to an LP record. At the beginning of the afternoon he had announced he would play for us, as…. ‘after all we were there to hear music’. We listened to his music but without comment or introduction. In terms of entertainment, at the end of the performance one left with Marmite in mind, you loved it or you didn’t.

From the second half

Hallelujah, Bye bye blackbird, Oh when the saints go marching in, Always on my mind, Atlantis, (Ghost) Riders in the Sky, Apache, Take Me Home, Country Roads (sung along too), Skaters waltz, Big band medley, When You Wish Upon a Star, Perfect, A medley of Rags, I wanna be like you, and other jungle book songs, Fields of gold, A Jive medley including – Johnny be good, Encore – In the mood.

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October 25th, 2023 by Steve

From the first half

Entry of the gladiators, Liberty bell, Tritsch-Tratsch-Polka, Forgotten dreams, In the mood, Rock around the clock, Wake Up Little Susie, Jailhouse Rock, At the hop, The Second Waltz, The Magnificent Seven, The big country, The good the bad and the ugly, Dangerous Moonlight / Warsaw Concerto, Wonderful land, Nut rocker, True love ways, Oh! Carol, Side saddle, Unchained melody, Bobby’s girl, Walking back to happiness, The wonder of you

Nicholas Martin B.E.M. 24th October 2023 Concert review.

Nick took the stage and jokingly reminded us all that it had been six years since he was last booked and played for BOKC in 2017, he reckoned to see us again perhaps in 2029! His instrument, the Technics GA3 Organ, and with it he produced an afternoon of music some referred to as ‘brilliant’ it was a concert that at its end prompted a standing ovation. Nick’s music catered for broad audience taste which in turn prompted their interaction and applause throughout.

Nick sent a big thank you to all those who donated that afternoon to his charity; ‘Miracles to believe in’, a total of £92.54 was raised.

From the second half

Hello Dolly, Life Is A Cabaret, Tonight, You make me feel so young, I left my heart in San Francisco, I Vow To Thee my country, Edelweiss, Black & White rag, Blaze away, Cavalleria rusticana: Intermezzo, fields of gold, be still for the presence of the lord, As the deer pants for the water, On The Street Where You Live, I could have danced all night, Be my love, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, Csárdás (violin), E Pomp and Circumstance, (Land of hope and glory).

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September 28th, 2023 by Steve
Mark Thompson -- click link to hear him play

From the first half

When you’re smiling, Love, Beer barrel polka, A River Dance medley, Just the way you are, Stand by me, When you told me you loved me, Five finger boogie, I’m still standing, The white cliffs of Dover, Cheek to Cheek, Somewhere in time, Besame Mucho, Perfidia, Mumb

Mark Thompson 26th Sept 2023

Mark Thompson, with us 22nd Jan 2018, then we missed him on 23rd March 2020 due to the pandemic but he returned to be with us 27th Sept 2021 and was our first performing artiste post the pandemic lock down. Mark, an appreciated musician by many, 26th Sept 2023 brought for us his usual great concert filled with sound, music and not a little youthful humour with a northern air. A change of suit for the second half rippled a few cheers from the audience, shall we say it was a little ‘brighter’! than that worn in the first half. Mark’s music performed on his trusty Yamaha EL90. Overall an afternoon of well applauded entertainment

From the second half

Rag time band, Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, When The Saints Go Marching In, And The Waltz Goes On, Czardas, Medley 1950s – 1970s, My girl, Living Doll, Do You Wanna Dance, There goes my first love, The wonder of you, Come fly with me, My way, Crocodile rock, La Bamba, Go Johnny go, and a medley of more Rock and Roll

Members of the audience rose to their feet and called for… ‘More, more’

The encore – We’ll meet again.

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May 10th, 2023 by Steve

Concert Review – Ian Griffin 23rd May 2023

By all accounts a well attended (61) and enjoyed concert. Attendances have yet to recover to pre Covid levels but this concert was the equal in attendees since the pandemic. Last with us 25th June 2018 Ian Griffin returned with his Ketron SD5 and Audya keyboards and Roland pedalboard. A concert of 2 halves in more ways than one. The first half was a mix of music and talk, the latter of which went on a tad too long perhaps. The second half was no chat, straight through requests, all well known which got a Standing ovation at the end.

 

1st Half

I’ll go where the music takes me, I love how you love me, This time tomorrow, Then you can tell me goodbye, You don’t have to say you love me, Latin American selection, Dreams made to last forever, Summer wind, It had to be you, As long as I have music – Nancy Price, Ring ring – Abba, I could have danced all night, I dreamed a dream, If I were a rich man, Some enchanted evening, As long as he needs me

 

2nd Half.

Sing, The Rose, Always on my mind, Crazy, Won’t send Roses, You’re my world, For ever & ever, Love is all, Bring him home, When I fall in love, Edelweiss, Wonderful land, Feelings, Fernando, Candle in the wind, Hello Dolly, Green eyes (Tango), Because you’re mine, No matter what, Highland Cathedral, Wonderful world, New York, One moment, When you tell me, Never Never / My Life

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Andrew Varley
April 27th, 2023 by Steve

Concert Review – Andrew Varley 25th April 2023

Andrews keyboard, a single Yamaha Genos but, no pedalboard. Yet he produced a good variety of music and sounds. Much were medleys from composers or popular groups past and present. That realistic Wersi sound which not many artists play was an appreciated surprise. In all an afternoon with an extensive catalogue of music. Encore – Viva La Vida Viva Amor (Franz Lambert) See Andrew Varley’s photo on our website for a link to him playing

Andrew plays – ‘ Meeting in Venice’

1st Half

Raiders March (Indiana Jones), .) Beatles Melody – Yellow sub, 64, Money can’t buy you love, Penny Lane, Yesterday, Ob-La-Di, & I love her, She loves you, Hey Jude,  Franz Lambert Medley -El torero, Love waltz, Meeting in Venice, Franz’s Polka, – The railway children, Conquest of paradise, Carpenter’s Medley – Close to you, Sing, I need to be in love, On top of the world.

2nd half

Barry Manilow –  Can’t smile without you, Weekend in New England, Bogie, could it be magic, Bermuda Triangle, I Write the songs, Co Co Cabana, – Portsmouth (Oldfield), Last farewell (Whittaker) , Sailing (Rod Stewart), Titanic theme – My heart will go on, Sailors Hornpipe, What shall we do with a drunken sailor, Pirates of the Caribbean, Anchors aweigh, Eternal Father Strong to Save, Movies Medley – Once apon a time in the west, Big country, Magnificent 7, The Good-Bad-Ugly

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