I was really impressed with this guy when I saw him supporting The Crowdies last year. I'm going to see him in Aldershot tomorrow, so will report back on the gig if anyone's interested...
I'm still in love with this band, after seeing them 3 times with CH on the UK tour last year. By the second gig I was a fan! I only know their latest album, but I gather they have more stuff out than that.
Oh, and the song they posted on their MySpace recently? Pure brilliance.
Superb gig! Duke Special playing solo for two hours to a packed standing audience of only a few hundred. A few randomly-slected highlights:
DS making a suprise appearance to do backing vocals on a song with the chap supporting him (a young guy calling himself 'The Voluntary Butler Scheme').
DS asking the whole audience to sit on the floor when he played 'Freewheel' (he was worried the people at the back couldn't see) - it was magical, but you should've heard the groans & clicking joints when we all got up!
DS leaping off stage and audience parting like the Red Sea to allow him to walk amongst us and play a song.
A raffle being held to win the last available CD by aforementioned Voluntary Butler Scheme - the winner was an old guy who DS invited to crowd surf back to his spot (he didn't do it, and I can't say I blame him seeing how the crowd instantly parted when DS leapt down from the stage!)
Best part, though, was simply listening to Duke Special's amazing voice and those beautiful melodies he writes.
Oh, another thing - he really got the crowd singing (just like Neil likes to do) and thereby fostered a great spirit in the room. He actually handed out song sheets ("one between two people") so that we could sing along - a nice, amusing touch. One of the songs we sang to was 'Down at the Old Bull & Bush'(!), which seemed appropriate, given that there is a definite music hall feel to a lot of his material.
We also got films projected onto a big drum at the back of the stage, lots of audience banter, DS laughing and stopping after a few bars of the first song cos the crew had left some funny photos on his piano, etc. etc.
OK, I'll stop there. I'd write more but I'm a bit knackered - just got back from the Crowdies' shows in Dublin.
Actually, one final thing: Duke Special is doing a show backed by an orchestra at the Roundhouse in London this summer (I think he's also doing one in Dublin) - I'd definitely get tickets if you can...
Thanks for that . Peter is a fabulous entertainer and a lovely bloke. He did a great cover of 'You Got It' for my birthday last year (you can see it on youtube on my channel TTVIDS). Will definitely see him again when I can.
"You may not remember what someone says or does, but you will always remember how they made you feel" (Maya Angelou)
Saw Duke again at Glee, Birmingham a couple of weeks ago, it was bloody brilliant! Along the same lines of your review, and I'm really glad you enjoyed the aldershot gig. Am going to the Dublin Orchestra show, but may try and go the roundhouse gig, just trying to work out whether I would get there in time or not.
In a shack as remote as a mansion.
Posts: 141 | Location: Where the lost island is found | Registered: 22 October 2004
Hey, thanks for the tip-off! I so wish I could get to that Woverhampton gig, but I'm down on the south coast & have to work the next day...alas, it's just not gonna happen. Are you going?
OK, I know this gig was a while ago now, but I've just found this footage on YouTube of the first song from the night. What a beautiful voice this guy has (as anyone who saw him supporting the Crowdies on the UK tour will remember).
. Peter is a fabulous entertainer and a lovely bloke. He did a great cover of 'You Got It' for my birthday last year (you can see it on youtube on my channel TTVIDS). Will definitely see him again when I can.
