Shadowmania 2006 - The Report

Shadowmania 2006 - The Report

Multimedia

A selection of photos and video clips links from other web sites who do this sort of thing so much better than I do..

Fab. Shadowmania 2006 video clips- click here

Warren & Friends Photographs - click here

Indra & Move iT photographs - click here

Brian Bennett at Shadowmania photographs - click here & here

The Report

Big thanks to Chris my Shadowmania writer who has done a magnificent job. The views expressed in this report are our views (if you don't like what you read then don't visit this page again!)

Some things will never change! The weather in September will always be unpredictable and Shadowmania will always draw in the crowds in fact this year’s event had the largest turnout ever with over 1,000 people in attendance – in fact the first Shadowmania which was totally sold out. Here are some of the highlights from Shadowmania 2006.

Given the beautiful sunny weather at Frimley Green on Saturday 23 September, it seemed entirely appropriate that the opening number was Hawaii Five O! First on stage, at one minute past three, were The Charades, a band from Finland, although it was disappointing that some of their opening numbers were missed by a significant section of the crowd – some of whom were still next door: “Come on you lot, spending money time is over for a little while!” Bruce had said, and some of whom had also been delayed by the aforementioned road works. Those not in the auditorium missed The Charades’ interesting interpretation of Big Spender, a spot-on version of Maroc 7 and the familiar Walk Don’t Run – the first tune I was encouraged to learn during guitar lessons despite my protestations that I only wanted to play Atlantis and Wonderful Land! Some of the highlights for me during The Charades’ set included an energetic performance of Lambada – the tune again matching the conditions: hot weather and also hot on stage – and the amazing violin-type effect which lead guitarist Hannu reproduced in Flight of the Bumblebee. My guitar teacher did try and show me how to get the same effect but I always had difficulty getting the Fender underneath my chin! An interesting version of Karelia – played much slower than that performed by previous Shadowmania visitors The Reflections – followed and then an excellent Geronimo. The next sequence included some tunes more familiar to fans of The Charades although the pick of these, for me, was Blue Comet ’66 which was most like a Shadows-style composition. The Charades concluded musically with a movie compilation which included the James Bond theme tune and also a slowed down version of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and they also finished by saying “We’d like to thank you, we’d like to thank Bruce and we’d like to come back!” A great start to Shadowmania 2006.

Cazz comment: I caught The Charades set whilst walking around the auditorium & they sounded great. I will certainly be seeking out their recorded works.

“You loved them last year… they’re back!” was Bruce’s introduction for Indra and Move It and I remembered that the Swiss group had taken the 2005 event by storm with their energetic, non-stop performance; it was a little surprising however to hear them open with Man of Mystery. Next came a familiar sounding drumbeat introduction – surely they wouldn’t be playing FBI – but it was The Boys. Then Indra said they would be playing “a Shadows’ hit from the 1980s, Riders…” – surely they wouldn’t be playing Riders in the Sky – but it was Riders of the Range and soon Valencia, another tune appropriate for the warm conditions inside and out! With the exception of a lively Quatermasters’ Stores the early part of Indra and Move It’s set consisted of some slow numbers, including Sweet Dreams and Some are Lonely which didn’t really inspire me. This contrasted with my memories of the group from last year although for me they now got back on track with Tel Star and This ole House. The group’s rhythm guitarist was the first German to perform on stage at Shadowmania and he kept up The Shadows’ tradition of humour, introducing Indra with “Can you believe he’s 60… he only looks 59” whilst their stand-in Dutch drummer added an impressive drum solo to Temptation. A truly international group, reflecting the worldwide appeal of The Shadows. I was enjoying their set much more now and who could fail to enjoy it when they were joined on stage by Licorice Locking for Round and Round, Spring is nearly here and Dance On. When Licorice switched to harmonica for Blue Shadows the Lakeside witnessed the first ovation of the afternoon and Licorice stayed on harmonica for Acker Bilk’s Stranger on the Shore and the always popular Dakota. Indra had it spot-on when he invited the audience to give “a fantastic ovation for a fantastic gentleman.” Indra and Move It continued with an interesting vocal choice of Mystery Train and then a storming version of I saw her standing there – yes this was the group I had remembered from last year, although by concluding with Big Boy, as with their opener, I wasn’t convinced by this choice as a closing number.

Cazz comment: Indra & Move iT are great live and never disappoint me. The music has so much energy in “the hands” of these guys. Rock on and on. Had a very nice little chat with Indra after the show as well and he said he had loved playing Shadowmania once more..

My first impression of Warren Bennett and Friends was that they certainly looked and sounded the part, with a very slick opening set of Walkin’, Find me a Golden Street and Fabulous. “We like to play the songs that other people don’t normally play… and we don’t normally play them either!” joked Warren, adding that he had gone onto Google… reaching page 110 to assemble his group! Their polished act reminded me of The Shadows’ performance at the ABC Kingston, with a great all-round range to suit all tastes: now including the vocal number D in Love and, for guitarists, great tremolo effects from Dave Robinson in 1861. The group’s performance of Razzle Dazzle had the Lakeside rocking and then a drum solo in Tales of a Raggy Tramline. Warren’s group had already been a show within a show – although one of the great things about Shadowmania is that there are five such shows – but there was more to come: as Warren took his place behind the keyboards he introduced Mark Griffiths on stage to great applause.

Warren Bennett & Friends

Next “I’d like to introduce someone without whom I’d not be here today” said Warren and, to an array of flashbulbs going off, Brian Bennett walked out to a tremendous ovation and joined the group for Born Free and Twenty Flight Rock. There was even more to come as Licorice Locking came back on stage to play bass for Jack’s Good which Brian adapted into a drum solo including audience participation, similar to Arty’s Party from Live at Abbey Road. This had all been an amazing treat for the 1,000 plus fans: Mark, then Brian, then Licorice joining Warren’s group on stage – “We’ve got comedians and jugglers on next!” he had said as the audience wondered what else could happen. After such a wonderful finale to Warren’s group – who were also excellent in their own right, and I would like to see them again – it would not have been surprising to hear Hello Mr W.A.M. and the end of the show. Instead it was only the halfway point, with many more treats still to follow.

Bruce had it exactly right when he opened the evening session by introducing “One of the most popular groups all over Europe, The Rapiers.” They really are the next best thing to seeing The Shadows perform live, particularly playing the Burns era – which was tonight’s theme for the group – and included In the Mood, I only want to be with you and That’s the way it goes. As always, The Rapiers performed note-for-note, beat-for-beat reproductions and included Will you be there? which had been Hank Marvin’s 1965 composition and which I am sure many fans, like me, looked out at home and played again after hearing it at Shadowmania. One of the recurring themes of the day was ‘absent friends’ with the event being dedicated to the memory of Tony Meehan. This was made more poignant by Colin Pryce-Jones describing how he and The Rapiers had met after Shadowmania 2005 with Tony and Jet Harris and asked once more if he would ever think about performing on stage again; this time Tony had intimated never say never. Circumstances meant that this was not to be: John Tuck performed a fitting tribute in See you in my drums. I felt it would have been nice if The Rapiers could have had a longer set by themselves – although I am not a big fan of Rhythm n Greens and My Grandfather’s Clock – although there were no complaints about the two musicians now joining them: Cliff Hall took position behind the keyboards and then, to the familiar opening notes of The Man with the Golden Arm, Jet Harris walked on stage. Both are such wonderful musicians and entertainers, with Cliff always trying to make the audience feel welcome and involved – I think it would be good if he could be given a solo spot during the set though. Jet meanwhile was combining guitar brilliance (including 36-24-36, Gonzales and Scarlett O’Hara) with his usual deadpan delivery sense of humour: “This is all too exciting for me!” after an ovation following The Man with the Golden Arm and a story about how he used to be a human cannonball (a good way to beat the road works perhaps?) where the money was poor but the travelling expenses were great! Some of the highlights for me during this section included great harmonies from Cliff to accompany Jet’s playing in Applejack and Man from Nowhere. Sandwiched in between and after a quick retune – “My dog has fleas” (mine has Pedigree Chum) – came Nivram which is always guaranteed cheers, and then Jet was joined by his ‘BVs’ (Backing Vocalists!) for Besame Mucho and Dance with the Guitar Man. Some of Jet’s jokes had whiskers on – “I fell through the trapdoor at the Bristol Apollo… just a stage I was going through” – but also some lighting humour as John Tuck was trying to catch the attention of the sound desk: “That your mum in the crowd?” Jet was on top form with another highlight being Theme for something really important. All too soon it was Diamonds (with Backing vocals) and the Jet Harris, Cliff Hall and The Rapiers slot was coming to an end, a great set and it’s no surprise that their touring show already has dates booked into autumn 2007.

Cazz comment: Unfortunately I completely missed The Rapiers/Jet Harris spot due to the fact that I went back to the hotel for a shower (the lakeside was sauna heat this year – I kid you not) plus there was a lot of chattering and being way-laid en route I might add. Walking back to the hotel with some fans from Germany who addressed me as “Mrs ShadowsFanSite” (bless) it dawned on me just how much a part of people’s lives my web site project has become. I do find it hard to accept praise & find this all rather overwhelming if truth be known (; but support like this means a great deal to me and makes the hours of work worthwhile. I really do appreciate all your emails, comment and feedback about the web site – gives me more challenges to improve it even more....!

And so to the final act of the night, in what Bruce called the “graveyard spot!” as we prepared for the performance of his Shadows – and just shy of two hours later we knew we had heard something special. The opening number however was something unusual – lots of people on tables could be observed whispering “What was that one?” I am led to believe it was Outdigo which I didn’t feel was the best opener. Much better was the second number Moonlight Shadow which Bruce’s group had opened with at a previous Shadowmania. I seem to recall that the guitar sequence towards the end had been voted as one of the best ever by Shadows’ fans and Phil Kelly was true to the sound. Bruce mentioned that Phil was playing a 1962 Strat… “then again it could have been 1963” which was one of several references to the jokes which had accompanied The Shadows’ most recent tours and now Cliff was making us laugh by imitating holding some false teeth during the castanet effect on The breeze and I. Next Bruce asked if there were any fans of ‘the other’ Cliff in the building… “14…15…” and went the group went on to perform The Young Ones and Let me be the one. Now Bruce was inviting “an O.B.E.” back on stage and on came Brian Bennett again, glass of red wine in hand – which Bruce drank! – before taking his place behind the drums for Atlantis and then Riders in the sky – one of the highlights from those Tours. Bruce had introduced Atlantis as “one we wrote in 1963” – “1964!” shouted back many in the audience! Bruce’s group went on to perform a Burns section featuring Genie with the little brown lamp, Blue sky, Blue sea, Blue me – dedicated to John Rostill, Main Theme and Magic Doll. Another tribute to ‘absent friends’ came in Peggy Sue got married and then a treat with the first live version of Turn around and touch me since being performed at the Paris Olympia in 1975. I loved Cliff’s keyboard effects in Farewell my lovely although for many the highlight of the set was the acoustic numbers You were always on my mind and All my sorrows (but memo for next year, don’t use swivelling chairs!) I wasn’t so keen on Alentejo and Had to be – apart from Bob Watkins’ great percussion effects – but then it was the fabulous Equinoxe which again brought back memories of the Tours. What a shame though that we couldn’t also have what came next during the Tours, which had been Mountains of the Moon! Sadly it was now time for the finale of FBI and Apache although there was one final surprise as Apache was accompanied on the Lakeside screens by Sadly it was now time for the finale of FBI and then Apache although there was one final surprise as Apache was accompanied on the Lakeside screens by an old black and white clip which featured Tony Meehan on the drums playing the classic tune..

In conclusion, what a wonderful day of music and surprises in what I felt had been the best ever Shadowmania. Thanks to Bruce for organising it. and until the 2007 event – which Bruce confirmed will be taking place all that was now left was the journey home via the M25 and the M4…