Shadows Step or Shadows Walk?

[strat21]

Hi, I used to play for a Shadows band ,The Bootleg Shadows,and we rehearsed for about 4 months and learned to play approx. 25 to 30 songs with the intention of playing gigs after 6 months.We thought with that amount of rehersal we would be of a good standard and attract the right work at the right money.Wrong,we only learned to play them ,not to walk and play them.It took nearly another 4 months to perfect both,and then we simplified some and changed some moves around.If you are going to start a Shadows Band,then learn the walk with the song.It takes concentration,and it never was easy,but once you can do it you never lose it.I had to do it again after about 6 years away from it and after a couple of tries it came back.The Bootlegs still do it as far as I know,and they still do some of the moves we changed,when I last saw them .

[Jay Bass]

The shadows walk is generaly acknowledged as the four step cross over routine
so the walk is a part of the steps or dance routine.
if we learn a particular song then we learn the steps , and the walk maybe a part of the steps.

regards
Jay

[Iain Purdon]

I think it can be overdone, to be honest.

I liken it to TV reporters waving their hands as they deliver pieces to camera. It often looks fake and vaguely silly because they've been trained to do it, come what may. Fine if it comes naturally; dreadful if it is contrived.

So with the Shadows walk. A little bit here and there is like seasoning your meal with a bit of salt. Slavish replication all the way is more like simply eating salt.

I expect to be shot for this!

[JimTidmarsh]

I think it can be overdone, to be honest.

I liken it to TV reporters waving their hands as they deliver pieces to camera. It often looks fake and vaguely silly because they've been trained to do it, come what may. Fine if it comes naturally; dreadful if it is contrived.

So with the Shadows walk. A little bit here and there is like seasoning your meal with a bit of salt. Slavish replication all the way is more like simply eating salt.

I expect to be shot for this!

Iain - I totally agree!!!
In our full Q&TS set, we include about 8 or 9 Shads numbers and only do the 'movements' in 3 or 4 of them. The last instro we play is Apache where we do the crossover for a short time - audiences expect to see something but not in every song!!!

[humdrum]

These days it is known as the "Shadows stagger"