My shadows tribute act

[Mike Honey]

Look I'm really not trying to be Hank B (as if anyone could!!), but i am working up a solo Shadows act where i play along to my self-produced backing tracks and tell the story of the shadows. This is all done in french (where I have lived for the last 11 years). So far it has been well received but i was wondering if anybody else does such a thing in UK
how do you run your 'act'? any interesting anecdotes you include? Dont want to be accused of plagiarism but here in France its hardly likely to affect you in UK!!!!
Mike

[Arpeggio]

Hi Mike,
Sounds like a really great idea. How long would each set provisionally be? How many numbers would you be likely to include and which ones? If your project gets off the ground...do let us know a few venues in advance. It would be great to come across to France (not entirely out of the question!!!!LOL) to catch a show - probably in French gastronomic restaurants(??), bars (??) or village halls etc??? Which area of France are you in?? If you want any suggestions re: history / anecdotes (additional to what may come in via the site) then feel free to PM me.

Bests......Rob

[Mike Honey]

Hi Rob, how nice to hear from somebody who lives in the same road as I did before I left UK shores!!(I swear we didnt know each other!!)

At the moment i am doing an hours act with the following numbers in the set;

The Stranger/Apache/FBI/Frightened city/The Savage/Wonderful land/Dance on/Geronimo/Theme for yng lovers/ and Flingel bunt
In between I tell the story of how the shadows came together and their recording/film history. Its nothing that any, even slight, Shadows fan would know already but to the french it is all like new!!
I've done a couple of corporate 'do's' and its gone down well. i live in the Dordogne where there is a large British population (mainly retirees) who are more familiar with the shads music!

I have been asked to go up to normandy next summer to play a few holiday resorts so i would like to expand the act a bit; more music,more chat and better lights!


thanks for the interest Rob and i will be PM'ing you soon!!!

[Arpeggio]

Sounds great Mike. Yes....we Humber Close types must stick together!! 10 numbers in one hour? Sounds very relaxed.

Bests.....Rob

[Twang46]

Hi Mike

What a great idea , so pleased it's working for you over there

Set me off now in doing a Duane Eddy thing, hope you don't mind me "pinching" your idea

Cheers

Dick.

[flingelbunt]

Our Shadows tribute band, 'Bungleflint' did a 3 date tour of south-west France about 5 years ago. We played in the function room of a French bar- the show was a sell-out, with people still trying to get in after we began the show. We then played in the street outside a bar restaurant in the centre of a beautiful village- it seemed as if the love of Shadow music was somehow greater in France than in dear ol' blighty! The audiences loved our shows. I have done several solo shows as a tribute act in the UK with varying response. The overriding rule is that you must include vocals in your show as well- these can still have a Shadows link- eg, Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Cliff songs as well as main stream Shads numbers. I always try to include good covers that are popular as well that the Shads recorded like 'Nights in White Satin' which everybody knows of course. ....just my experience. Best way of playing Shads music to an appreciative audience these days is appearing at theatres; dedicated audiences help a lot in making the show a success!!

Maurice
Lord Flingel of Buntshire

[Mike Honey]

Hi Maurice. It must be a small world!! just had a message from someone on a french forum wishing me luck with my project. they said they had seen a fabulous band called BUNGELFLINT (their spelling) a few years ago at the cafe de la Terrasse in sirus!!

mike

[flingelbunt]

Hi Mike

Yes, that was us alright!! The chap who contacted you was probably the guy who had driven from down near the Spanish border, and played in a band called 'Guitar Express'. I remember speaking to him after the show and we had a stilted conversation in 'Franglais' I remember!! What a coincidence!!

Maurice