rusty1
Originally uploaded by fred pipes.
What a brilliant idea - to recreate a Western radio show at the recently redecorated and de-privatised club The Hanbury Ballroom. Rusty's Round-up was built around a fab house band comprising: Andy Roberts (with a very authentic accent) on geetar; Nick Pynn on fiddle; BJ Cole on pedal steel guitar; Graeme Ross on dog-house bass and Debbie Tyndall, backing vocal. There were also guest appearances from Sleepy Ed Hicks (comedy clawhammer banjo), Debbie Doright, and, the star of the show, youngster Elvin Priestley (played by Suspiciously Elvis). Flame-haired Rusty looked gorgeous on the door and the whole thing was masterminded by Laurie Hilton-Ash. I arrived excited and early and sat down at a table (like we did at the Howe Gelb gig) with the nearest thing to beer they sell there - Tetleys! - to be told I couldn't sit down cos I hadn't booked a meal. So, I was decamped to a bar stool and the place began to fill up with noisy diners (plus the odd cowboy and cowgal), a shame cos you couldn't really hear the spoken parts of the show. The recording over and off air, the evening was rounded off by a set by the excellent Jailbait rocking the joint. Wonder what the well-heeled diners thought of it! Note to self: must get a cowboy hat (and shirt).
1 comment:
well it was a great show. im really glad you enjoyed it. i was left feeling like we were throwing pearls at swine. The dialogue was lost and parts of the crowd talked loudly over everything. i wonder what the people who were sitting there shouting at the top of their voices were thinking paying 12/15 quid to get in.
The work that had gone into the show was obvious, a good script, top quality musicians and a unique idea for a show. I hope its repeated somewhere friendlier and with a good sound system.
Maybe they should have spent some money on a new system instead of horrible plastic chairs and naff mirrors.
Such a shame the hanbury has lost its charm. Another brighton venue becomes gentrified to the point where people who paid full price are treated with no respect because they arent members, when the service they are providing is flawed. To expect top dollar your experience as a customer should be a good one. not a frustrating confusion of dinner club and venue. Its the venues fault for trying to make money from every angle not thinking about the customers experience at all. I understand they gave the organisers of the show a lot of hassle, to the point the show was nearly pulled half way through as they tried to claim two thirds of the door money. Then they expected them to put on another show!! safe to say i wont be back there. BOO! for the hanbury.
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