Showcall Showcase II - Tuesday, Afternoon Session

Published Friday 16 February 2007 at 15:45 by Derek Smith

Tuesdays at Showcall are usually very well attended and certainly that was the case again at Park Hall this year and, with 14 varied acts billed, not without reason either.

Traditionally, a band gets each showcase session up and rocking, but on this occasion, it was down to the musical and comedy talents of duo Harris and Day - billed as a tribute act - to get the entertainment underway. Boosted by a spot-on brass section, this was an entertaining mix, offering knock-about comedy and quality music, sprinkled with feel-good banter and original gags. Apparently this appearance represented the relaunch of their act, one that has to be marked down as a very successful first outing.

Vocalist Emma Cascone, looking immaculate in a light blue dress, had that instant wow factor that you don’t see that often, given there are so many female singers on the circuit. Thankfully, she has the quality of voice to match her fabulous appearance, opening with a great cover of The Man With the Golden Gun. There’s definitely a bit of the musical theatre about her too, given her on-stage movements, and they add to her overall performance. Somewhat surprisingly, we also learnt that this was her first appearance as a solo singer, so that must bode extremely well for her future.

Sometimes, male/female vocal duos appear rather too cheesy for my liking. Thankfully, 2 Groove avoid such criticism by avoiding grappling with each other too much on stage and just sticking to what they evidently do well - delivering good covers, vocally gelling well. Though they performed just two numbers, the short time they were on stage was proof enough that they are musically versatile and enjoy what they do. Their publicity material, incidentally, included a date sheet for the year, detailing those dates booked and those still available - a simple, great idea and the sort of instant information agents and bookers need.

Another act which clearly enjoys itself on stage is female duo Secret. Though I found it a little hard to get overexcited about them, their bubbly interaction is fun to watch and at least they chose more unusual covers to perform. They can handle everything, from modern day material, through to musicals, and I’m sure whatever style of set they do, they perform professionally and with energy.

Comedian/vocalist Nolan Dean definitely has more than a touch of the loose cannon about him - and that’s what makes him highly watchable. He’s not the greatest singer in world, or the world’s funniest man, but the combination of a pretty good voice, anarchic sense of humour and big personality make him a fine young entertainer. Best of all, his material is original and his act fresh - two great factors in his favour. And, judging by his publicity shots, he knows how to get an interesting photograph taken too - other acts, please take note.

Female vocalist, Cassie Lawrence, all the way from Bournemouth, is clearly a competent performer. But, I feel she needs to glam up her appearance slightly and choose more daring material - certainly not trot out the likes of Simply the Best, which has been done to death at showcases for years. Covers like that are never likely to win you many points with agents and bookers. It didn’t help her set either that another track chosen, the Judy Garland-associated Get Happy, had earlier been performed by Secret. That was unfortunate.

It’s never really a good sign when a tribute act comes on and after a few minutes someone whispers: “Who is he meant to be?” As happened during Gobbie Williams’ first number. In truth, that’s a little harsh, as he has the Robbie strut off to a tee, and sounds quite like him. But, he’s not that much of a lookalike and his opening number really was a mess. Things improved with a cover of Mr Bojangles, but by then you sensed he had already lost his audience and, as performers know only too well, it’s very hard to win them back, especially during a short showcase set.

Solo tribute vocalist Carol D had clearly spent some time in front of her dressing room mirror before taking the stage, time that paid off. She not only looked immaculate, but was calm and relaxed throughout, her Celine Dion covers perfectly delivered. It didn’t really matter that one choice was the oft-heard My Heart Will Go On, as it this was a quality performance. Unsurprisingly, she also covers songs from across five decades and all impressively, I’d imagine.

I saw Brighton-based comedian Drew Cameron a few years ago at the Hackney Empire, when he went down a storm, but still didn’t win the talent contest he was in. He was hilarious that night and when I saw he was on this bill, I knew his style of original comedy would get a good reception. His hybrid comedy characters - EastEnders’ Frank Butcher as Britney Spears, surely not? - are superbly executed and, more to the point, he knows when to move swiftly on to his next skit. Quick-fire impersonations, impressive gags and touches of original madness throughout make him a must-see comedy turn. My only worry is that he still includes a lot of material from when I first saw him - mind you, I still laughed at it again.

Vickee Lester is a vocalist who has been around a good while now and each time I have seen her, she never fails to put in a totally professional performance of the type that only comes with years of experience. I suspect her first love is numbers from the big musicals, but whatever she chooses to cover at a showcase is okay with me, as she always give each song absolutely everything. Her last number was dedicated to The Stage’s late and much respected Peter Hepple.

Any venues booking Bruce McLaren would well do check that their soundproofing is up to scratch, as he surely has one of the most booming, impressively loud voices on the circuit. Certainly more at home tackling West End musical material than contemporary numbers, he’s tailor-made for a lead role in just about any big production, and highly suitable for cruise ship work. Whichever he ends up doing this year, I’m sure he’ll impress audiences with his vocal range.

The last time I saw female singer Jodie Lawson at a showcase, I thought she was absolutely fabulous. Even if this performance wasn’t quite of the same calibre, she still looked good, sounded great and positively bubbles with natural personality, as was proven in her post-set chat with Tufty. She used the band well here, and with the right band behind her on the road - she really comes to life backed by live music - Lawson has the talent to make a big impression in the industry. A singer with genuine star potential.

I think it’s fair to class Blackpool-based male vocalist Michael Buckley as an old school entertainer, and I don’t think he’ll mind that description. A song and dance man of the type mostly long disappeared, he could no doubt provide solid entertainment for many a corporate function, with his relaxed mix of classic songs and polished patter. He really should update his publicity material though.

Last up for this particular session, and well worth the wait, was tribute band the Sounds of the Four Tops. Clearly making an effort to appear different to the competition, their music/dance intro certainly grabbed your attention, even though I’m not sure the highly unusual arrangement worked. But, once they cranked up the classics every audience loves, they really were on a roll. Covers of Don’t Walk Away and Loco in Acapulco were both outstanding, the sound driven by a fabulous lead singer, marching up and down the stage and in front of his singers. A hugely enjoyable set and a shame it had to end when it did.

It might have been vocalist heavy, but this was still a strong session, and one which clearly raised the bar for any singers appearing later in the evening. After all, nobody minds any amount of vocalists at Showcall Showcase when they are of this standard.

EXPERT CHOICE

Tony Docherty from RP Entertainments chose Drew Cameron and Sounds of the Four Tops