Christchurch Folk Music Club
Fat Boy & Slim Review
Sunday 1st March, 2009
By Marjorie Mitchell
God Bless the Queen! Victoria that is. Dave Hart (Fat Boy) and John Jones (Slim) right royally entertained us at the Folk Club last night.
Vaudeville is what Fat Boy and Slim excel at – like you have not seen for many a year. On a very small stage, they changed costumes in a trice and in so doing, they changed into any manner of characters. We were in turn, serenaded , scared, mocked and shocked – while being fed on outlandish tales of pretend mayhem from characters intended to thrill or chill sending shivers down the spine. It was very well done, mainly because the words came across so clearly – albeit a tad Cockney. The sense of energetic ridiculous drama, was highlighted by Jane Hart, playing her trombone for The Fella What Plays the Trombone.
Enjoying the Victorian humour, the audience participated by either hissing, groaning or screaming – all the while chortling in their seats at the surprising madness of it all. Singing was not compulsory but we all joined in with items such as: I’m Shy Mary Ellen, A Mother’s Lament. Sweeney Todd and You Can’t Take That Thing On the Train and many others – all easy to sing along with.
It was an evening of thrilling melodrama. My advice to Dave and John is that those unplanned errors on stage bring unintended laughs and those are simply loved by the audience. You don’t need to try too hard, as the enjoyment comes from watching your antics– turned into art, via a keyboard and mandolin plus two eccentric personalities.
So please keep up the tradition – tunes, songs and poems were all in the best British taste. Along with us, Queen Victoria would be very amused.
Andrew White, supported by Isabella Miller Bell – 7 May 2023
A night where travel and love were the themes of the original music ably shared by both Andrew and Izzy. The concert was appealing, full of musical maestro thrills, spectacular finger style sequencing on the guitar by Andrew who could make this instrument sing,...
Suzanne Lynch, Graham Wardrop and Liz Braggins – 21 May. 2023
The first show for the newly formed trio of Suzanne Lynch, Graham Wardrop and Liz Braggins. What a successful night it was, a sold-out audience, three fabulous musicians in their own right combining their immaculate skills to make a powerful force of dynamism and...
Ngā pou taonga puoro o Aotearoa NZ Music landmarks: special songs – 28 May 2023
Music taonga was promised and that is what was surely delivered. A night where the performers made passionate choices of their favourite songs and gave passionate performances. Winning local talent, award winning songs, all made this a winning night. Opening the night...
The Ferris & Guest Musos Show 5 – 2nd April 2023
A night of music gifted to a responsive, engaged audience filled with supporters and family. There were ten musicians gracing the stage with their sizable talents, sharing the limelight, in a well planned and themed series of memories that played out on instruments...
The Wax Birds: beautiful harmonies and songs, 5 March 2023
From their opening lines, The Wax birds, a couple in music and life, engaged, both with the audience and between each other there was chemistry of enjoyment and trust. A delight to see this energy shine onstage, giving them an air of allegiance, which gives those...
Braggins & Wardrop & Dunne, alas last show Sunday 12th March 2023
All the feedback heard last night was positive, the concert was so enthusiastically enjoyed and treasured. The audience was buzzing after the music finished, the room was alive and contagious for the passion shared by the performers, telltale signs of a fabulous...
The Ferris & Fellow Muso Show 4: Sunday 29th May
The Ferris Blarney Band passionately performed tunes from their Irish heritage from traditional footstompers to classics from the Pogues & Dubliners and many other Irish favourites. The show is the first of a series of 'unplugged performances' put together by...
Wahine Auaha Celebrating Creative Women, Music & Art
Wahine Auaha Whakanui: Celebrating Creative Women 18 Sept 2022 This event celebrated creative women’s artistic achievements with a concert, art show, and video. Offering entertainment that highlighted women artists, both in musical and visual arts. The Folk Club...
Braggins and Wardrop and Dunne 15 May 2022
Three highly regarded musicians Elizabeth Braggins - piano, vocals Graham Wardrop - guitar, vocals Mary Dunne - guitar, vocals formed the trio "Braggins and Wardrop and Dunne " Exuberance and joy come together when this trio performs, from the beautiful close...
Two’s Company, twice the value with two sets of performers
Two couples, two eclectic sets, twice the enjoyment and diversity. Christchurch duo Anna and James Cull opened the night with smooth harmonies, covers and original songs that showed their years of performing together and knowledge of the songs shone a bright beacon of...