Highlights from the Big Foot Events Showcase 2011 The Stage Review

 

Published Friday 4 November 2011 by Mark Ritchie The Stage Reviews

 

Boomin’ provided one of the real highlights of this showcase last time around and their appearance this year only served to underline what a weird, wonderful and totally overwhelming live band they are. A huge noise from a traditional guitar, bass and drums line-up and the Boomin’ mode of gigging seems to be made up of picking songs out of the air and segueing them together. Boomin’ are a great fun, high energy band. A huge surge of fresh air blew through the ballroom at the Norbreck as soon as they appeared.   A cover of the great Jocelyn Brown track Somebody Else’s Guy heralded the arrival of Nina and the Bottle Rockets. Three highly competent looking musicians on guitar, bass and drums are fronted by an eye-catching blonde with one of the gutsiest and most soulful white voices I have come across. We heard a stand-out vocal performance and as a unit Nina and the Bottle Rockets are straight out of the top drawer.   Electric Dreams are a four-piece 80s genre band, featuring a female bass player plus guys on keys, drums and lead vocals. There was something fresh and likeable about the band.

Enter a four-piece live band, comprising a ballsy singing bass player, rhythm and lead guitarists with attitude and a drummer who seems to find all the fills and then some. Kings Ov Leon fills stadiums at festivals right across Europe and these guys are my current favourite tribute band.   Slingback are a three-piece, semi-live party-style attraction, with a bonny and winsome singer in the shape of Jennifer Cox. Given the scaled down line-up, this may be a band for the fee conscious, but the lively presentational skills and the punchy self-contained sound make Slingback suitable for all kinds of venues. Tracks by the Pretenders and the Stereophonics made great listening.   Next up was a four-piece semi-live band called Rocket, who gave us a version of the little heard House of Pain hit Jump Around. Clad entirely in black Rocket made all the right noises as the audience lent a collective ear to their R&B and rap dance floor fillers. A superb performance.

The Uncut are a black-shirted four piece, who have the look of the type of function band you might book for a wedding or a company do. A stand-out female singer here and the traditional back line for music and separate vocal PA suggested a band which could fit into many venues.    I have seen and enjoyed tribute singer My Winehouse in a number of tribute showcases. It was nice to see a singer who possesses the distinctive and rich Winehouse timbre and doesn’t pursue the derisory route. The Zutons more guitar-rift laden version of Valerie was the pick of the songs and fans of the late Winehouse would not be disappointed with this living imitation of a great artist.   Two ladies performing a variety of impressions/tributes came next. Known together as Disturbia, we saw bits from the respective repertoires of Rihanna, Beyonce and Lady Gaga and the variety of stage entrances and exits made this glamorous to watch and interesting to listen to. If the ladies had been accompanied by backing dancers, we would really have seen something.

Yorkshire lass Olivia Leigh performed her tribute to Adele and it was like watching the real thing. A first-class vocalist certainly and there is demand for this most marketable of solo tributes at the moment.   Closing the show out were the Kaiser Monkey Killers. If there is a better quality indie rock-based band tribute out there, I have yet to see them. These guys are busy at tribute festivals and the more musically savvy people in the audience at the Norbreck Castle Hotel appreciated the sheer quality of what was going on out there on stage.   It was good to visit Big Foot Events boss Erica Crompton, daughter of that great comedian of yesteryear Colin Crompton. The circus skills jugglers and stilt-walkers did their part to set the scene and the point about the networking value of live showcases, as opposed to internet promotion of acts, was particularly well underlined here.

Now Booking:- The Only Way Is Essex - BAFTA Award Winning Dramality Show   Geordie Shore - PAs - Dramality Show   Made In Chelsea - PAs - Dramality Show   Jack O'Connell from Skins and 'United' is now doing DJ Sets   Ashley Taylor-Dawson (Darren Osbourne - Hollyoaks) DJ Sets   Anthony Quinlan (Gilly - Hollyoaks) DJ Sets

Big Foot Events Ltd Showcase

Published Tuesday 23 November 2010 at 14:26 by Mark Ritchie

 

The first venue to be marked on our showcase calendar was Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel, the very same venue which provided such a great atmosphere for The Stage summer party this year. Equally hospitable to the gang from Big Foot, led by principal Erica Crompton, this hotel suite lent itself nicely to the requirements of individual PA set-ups by the bands and tribute artists on the bill.

Compere Simon Robertson was affable, with his unobtrusive DJ presenter style.

 

First up was Shirley Bassey tribute artist Julie Martin, who chose to remain in character throughout her impressive set. Dame Shirley’s penchant for big-show songs was seized upon by Martin, who belted out an impressive As Long as He Needs Me, from Oliver! In years gone by, Julia Martin would surely have made a handsome living as a comedy impressionist but, with tribute sheckles to be earned, she now rakes in a handsome fee with a classy impression delivered with a wiggle when she walks and lots of frothy show business elan. Later on in the evening, Martin reappeared with her Madonna tribute, during which she became all touchy-feely with various men in the large audience as she trawled the room with a radio microphone.

 

The first live band of the evening was Nina and the Bottle Rockets. Fronted by singer Nina Moore, this live-wire singer really needed a band as animated and expansive as herself. The three musos backing her certainly seemed competent enough, but the absence of backing vocals laid the emphasis squarely on the gifted Moore. As the rockets appeared to fizzle in the bottle, Moore sparkled throughout.

 

Next came a quartet of dancing boys and girls who performed as the Gleek Club - a Glee tribute act. Great live vocals and nifty choreography combined to delight those aware of the current Glee craze.

 

Party band Sweet Sensation has reinvented itself as a genre tribute known as 80’s Sensation. An impressive if rather full-throttle singer fronts three excellent musicians in this semi-live performance. 80’s Sensation are a strong addition to this long-standing north-west show.

 

One of the market leaders in the field of Robbie Williams tribute artists, Robbing Williams, is also the ultimate play on words tribute winner. This guy is an impressive lookalike, who delivered an outstanding, uncanny performance.

 

The Funk Monkeys are a long-established party band who, judging by their publicity pictures at least, seem to have gone through many recent line-up changes. Two lead vocalists front a semi-live line-up, playing a set that would suit musically eclectic and budget-conscious party band bookers.

 

Soul Town, an all-girl duo, sing and dance their way through a fast-moving selection of girly Tamla Motown classics. This experienced-looking twosome certainly know how to belt out a tune and their dance moves and dress sense combined to impress greatly on the night.

 

The Floorshakers were the band closing the first half and, as with previous viewings of this four-piece party band, the most noticeable effect on the audience was infectious toe-tapping and lots of it. Encouragingly these guys actually looked as though they enjoyed making music, which sadly cannot be said for every party band these days.

 

After an interval and a delicious buffet-style repast, completed by a few trips around the chocolate fountain, it was time to get the second half started.

Surely the pick of the party bands on the night was Groovestar. This lively four-piece looked and sounded terrific and, aside from a rather obtrusive sequencer, Groovestar must have ticked many boxes for the bookers present.

 

Four-girl vocal and dance act Sugarbeat are difficult to form an opinion about. In presentational terms, this was an ambitious attempt at a quick-change, all-action, costumed production show. The glamorous quartet gave us full-throttle vocal performances. The sound engineer could possibly have done better, as could the stage management side, as it should really go without saying that blackouts are very much required when acts perform quick-change routines without leaving the stage. I would like to see Sugarbeat again when they are more in charge of their situation.

 

The highlight of the evening was a new live three-piece band called Boomin’. This laddish trio simply rocked the place with a truncated, but nonetheless effective, Bohemian Rhapsody. The band showed edge and attitude and ended with a smashed-up tambourine - hardly the Who but still a smidgeon of anarchy. The publicity strapline for Boomin’ suggests that this band are “audacious, outrageous, contagious and salacious”. In descriptive terms, I can do no better.

 

Man in the Mirror is a Michael Jackson tribute band with an impressive frontman and a tidy enough semi-live backing band. It would have been nice to see this great dancer perform on stage, rather than in one of the nooks and crannies in the room. Dance moves of this kind should not really be attempted on top of an Axminster carpet. However, a great vocal performance was augmented by a female backing singer. She took some of the vocal responsibility for the head-voice soprano notes, allowing the Michael Jackson impersonator to save his falsetto for when he really needed it.

 

Now That’s 80’s closed this first date in the national showcase autumn calendar, which The Stage had been invited to. Complete with eighties fashions, and kicking off in thumping style with a version of the Frankie Goes to Hollywood sex anthem Relax, Now That’s 80’s made a compelling case for a place in the genre tribute market.

 

With a meet and greet and peripheral entertainment from a company of stilt-walkers and inflatable characters known as Untouched, the business-like staff from Big Foot certainly know how to present the ultimate painless showcase. A nice early finish, lots of bonhomie and some hugely interesting bands and acts combined to ensure that Erica Crompton’s company must have scored well with an impressive array of prestige bookers from the cruise, corporate and holiday centre sectors.

 

3D RAVE IS HERE!

3DR (3d RAVE) is the most innovative three dimensional live visual experience available today.

 

Created by some of the world’s finest visual effects artists, editors and directors 3DR is a journey through a hyper-real optical adventure unrivalled in production and design.

Built specifically for music events, 3DR is a bespoke solution that can work with any genre and can set-up to offer you a unique experience. Our production team are also available for private commissions.

The 3D phenomena is taking over the UK, if it’s not in your local cinema it’s coming into your home!

We are now bringing it into late night venues across the UK.

Imagine having a drink with your 3D glasses on watching our 3D animation as our specialist DJ plays in sync with the animation providing the smoothest sounds around.

We provide Projection screens, Projectors, 3D copyrighted animation, Branded glasses, DJ, Technical, logo, and the most controversial party around.

Similar events have been held at Glastonbury & Trafalgar Square as well as internationally.

 

Will different options available to suit your budgets, do not miss out on this amazingly popular event!

 

For more information, call now on 01253 351100

 

CIRCUS INSANE - Officially the World's Most Extreme Circus performer!

Perfect for Halloween , Student Nights, Nightclub PA's & Horror Themed Events !

The Worlds Most Extreme Circus performer, deemed too extreme and banned from countries , venues and even appearing on British TV following bookings with British TV shows such as Channel 4's 'The Charlotte Church Show', Sky One's Guinness World Records and the Channel 5's 'Paul O'Grady show'.

Doc has also performed on the same bill as some of the biggest names in Metal including Helloween, Europe, Craddle of Filth, Overkill, Nightwish, Opeth, Sodom, Napalm Deth, Blind Guardian, Evile, Blaze Bayley, Primal Fear and Saxon to name just a few.

 

Doc Insane performs no illusions! He uses no fake blood; everything you see is very real including the following stunts:

 

Fire Eating/Body Burning/Fire Blowing : Putting a lit brand down the front of his trousers. Ouch! (A show can be performed without the use of fire. Or with lots of fire!)

Straight Jacket Escape: An escape from an authentic asylum straight jacket

Human Dartboard:  Darts thrown into his bare back, before turning around and having the darts thrown at him face on!

Razor Blade Regurgitation: The act of swallowing and regurgitating razor blades.

Glass A La Carte :  Chomping his way through a glass light bulb!

Tongue Skewered: After piercing his tongue with a skewer he then adds to his lifto act with a tongue lift.

Chopping Board:  Turned into a chopping board as a Melon is chopped into two with a sword into his bare chest.

Groin Smash: Eye watering act where a block of concrete is smashed over his crown jewels!

Lifto: Lifting heavy weights from the nipples, tongue, eyes and a further surprise!

The Bed of Nails : This includes being stood on by a member of the audience whilst sandwiched between two beds of nails as well as having two concrete slabs smashed with a sledge hammer as he lays on the bed of nails, breathing fire. For comfort in this act he uses a machete for his pillow, an insane statement from an insane man!

Blockhead: The traditional sideshow act where by a nail is hammered through the face and followed up by the more modern act of driving a power drill through the face.

Traps: Releasing Mouse traps on fingers and tongue and placing a hand into a bone breaking animal trap.

Knife Juggling: With audience participation and a comic delivery.

Freeze Dried: Defying suffocation, He climbs inside a giant plastic bag before switching on a vacuum cleaner till all the air is sucked out, leaving him looking freeze dried!

Stapling paper to the Head: This is now performed with a heavy duty staple gun. Watch for trickles!

Ectomology: In a romantic setting, with audience participation and comic delivery he feasts on insects.

Angle Grinding: Strapping a metal plate over the groin he lights himself up in a shower of sparks from the angle grinder.

Walking On Broken Glass

Face in Broken Glass: This is a very rare act and Cabaret Insane is one of very few performers in the world to perform this amazing act. Glass is smashed live on stage, he then places his face into the bed of glass before allowing a member of the audience to come and stand on the back of his head!

 

Take a look what people think of the show:

"A Certified Loon"

Wrote the Metal Hammer magazine.

"Doc performs no illusions. What you see is what you get! 'Doc is the real deal!'

Chris Corfield The County Times.

"If you think Jackass is mad, wait 'til you see Doc - total crazy insanity

Elinid Davies, City of York Council

'Doc is completely mad! And the audiences loved it'

Greystones Festival. County Wicklow. Ireland

"Makes Jackass look like a Punch and Judy show"

Bloodstock Open Air Festival

 

CHECK OUT BIG FOOT EVENTS SHOWCASE REVIEW 2009!

Big Foot Events annual Showcase was held on Tuesday 27th October 2009 at The Imperial Hotel in Blackpool. Mark Ritchie from The Stage was in attendance to write a review of the acts performing:  

Published Thursday 29th October by Mark Ritchie.

Agent Erica Crompton and her glamorous team welcomed everyone into the palatial surroundings of the Washington Suite, which was laid out with bands ready to play in various spaces around the room.

 

Meet & Greet entertainment from the Ibiza Untouched team, which included stilt-walkers, inflatable characters, human gargoyles and a huge, friendly robot, were a fantastic sight for the assembling guests.

 

The MC was a DJ-style compere who goes by the trendy-sounding handle CJ Tazz, and this friendlly chap was on hand with the chat and introductions throughout a splendidly organised event.

 

First up on the main stage was a four-piece covers outfit The Superstar Band, who adopted the traditional three male musicians and one female vocalist line up. Here we have a standard holiday centre-style, semi-live party band, who were very able.

 

Wordplay and spelling deviations are very much a prerequisite when naming a new tribute band, and the first players in the genre at the showcase were The Saturdayz. Announced on stage as "a very sexy tribute", this quintet of glamour girls should find their niche in tribute-land.

 

The Floorshakers are a four-piece covers band, complete with a brand new lead vocalist, Glenn Lee. The impressive semi-live line-up boast solid musicianship along with a dash of showmanship, which should stand them in good stead after this most impressive and favourable of showcase outings.

 

The tribute market is awash with Take That tributes and next on stage was Take That Again. There were one or two diction issues here, but there are many worse examples of Take That tributes around at the moment. Good to see lads who embrace the concept of stage make-up and there is genuine vocal ability here.

 

"We're The Kings Ov Leon - with a V , just in case," announced the lead vocalist of this quite superb tribute band. Opening strongly with Sex On Fire, the guys ripped through an awesomely delivered set and the effect was magical. Anyone catching this band cloning the real thing will soon realise that these guys are serious about what they do and, given the popularity of their chosen subject, The Kings Ov Leon must be tribute band market leaders on this showing. 

 

After a welcome interval, it was time to get back to the bands, and the impressive Groove Nation were up next. Delivering a blisteringly paced and segued showcased party set, this four-piece line-up revealed their showcase feathers in fine style. Lead by singer Lou Harper, Groove Nation hold a place high up in the party band pecking order which looks unassailable on this showing. 

 

The Kaiser Monkey Killers are gritty and extremely loud and, given the Indie Rock material they cover, surely no one would have them any other way. Songs from Kasabian and The Enemy followed an opening burst of The Killers' Mr Brightside, which moved the trade-only room to reciprocate the band's efforts with copious applause, not to mention the odd whoop and holler.

 

Take five pretty girls, all in various stages of undress, add some pop video-style choreography and lots of garish eye make-up, and you have a tribute to The Pussycat Dolls. Named The Pussycat Dollies, these young ladies looked quite convincing and the choreography was well delivered. In fact, the act is much improved since I last saw these girls, when they were at their fledgling tribute stage.

 

The Zoots are a sixties nostalgia band with a charismatic frontal and a sound typical of the guitar bands of that era, except that this one also boasts a keyboard player. A lovely authentic sixties sound here and surely lots of work for those who wish to remember the music from the era of peace and love. 

 

Back to the tributes and this time is was the turn of singer/dancer Emma Watkins and her energetic dancers to give us their new show, Lady Gaa Gaa. The dancers worked very hard and the show is certainly different, but I'm not sure how much demand will exist for this tribute to one of the most quirky and distinctive of all American stars.

 

Another of the so-called genre tributes was up next. Now That's 80's gave us songs from Duran Duran, Simple Minds and Frankie Goes To Hollywood, and did more than enough to suggest that a night spent in their company, especially for audiences of a certain age, is going to result in a busy dance floor. In short, a great-sounding band.

 

Closing this great showcase evening out were The Stray Horns. Here we have five brass players and two vocalists who also played percussion. These guys played and sang over a computerised backing track, which held bass, drums and keyboard, and this is probably as close as you will get to hearing the big-band sound in a cabaret situation these days. Great vocalists too and lots of showmanship should all combine to ensure that The Stray Horns are busy, busy guys. 

 

Well done to all at Big Foot for bucking the trend and presenting a showcase during these troubled times. I genuinely hope that Erica Crompton, daughter of great comedian Colin Crompton, does oodles of business after such a lovely night out in Blackpool.