Calling all you swinging StageSider’s, welcome back to… oh god not that kind of swinging!
Welcome back to another review, here at StageSideUK. This time around we are going to be talking about a concert… A tribute concert… a musical theatre tribute concert. Chameleon sent us to see Frankie The Concert at Darlington Hippodrome.
About the show!
This show took Frankie Valli to the next level. Playing all the classic hits, some new arrangements and some great genre shifts of classic Frankie songs, Frankie The Concert took everything you love about swing and took it up a notch. With the cast stating that “this is where the talent is, not Mersey Joys” I can say, Frankie The Concert is oozing with talent, but I don’t think you can compare this with Jersey Boys. They aim to do different things in my opinion, so the jab from the cast was a bit out of the blue and a bit cold.
Jersey Boys seeks to entertain and take you on a narrative journey, Frankie The Concert takes you through a timeline of music. I think for the cast themselves to bring this up, instantly makes you compare them which is odd. I also found the comment “we are the only live act to perform the original arrangement to this” (Will you love me tomorrow). Perhaps they sing the original Frankie version, but there are a couple of acts that sing the Shirelles version with the original arrangement.
Anyway, the actual performance of the show was quite impressive. Lots of great arrangements, some good lighting design and some effective vocal layering. This is a show to see if you want to dance along to some great songs, have a sing song and just enjoy a night of live music.
The Cast!
Kelly Brazil, the guest vocalist, had some amazing riffs, runs and some amazing solos. Kelly really did provide another layer to the performance and I am glad there was a bit of a break within the routine. If it had just been the male vocalist, Stephen James, for the whole night, it may have been a bit overwhelming. Not in anyway a negative for Stephen, I just think Kelly really brought a balance to the performance that elevated the experience and meant our ears could experience something new.
Kelly’s Aretha moment was really impressive, with some great runs and growls. It was lovely to see Kelly so passionate and enjoying herself on stage. And those costumes were gorgeous. For a concert show, they did exactly what you would expect them to. They were practical and glamorous.
Stephen James was lovely to listen to. The Frankie – isms, the vocals, the movements… It was great to see Stephen up there enjoying performing, and giving us all a great performance. The audience were clapping along, dancing and the atmosphere was great.
If you want an evening of entertainment, great music, to see a talented band and some great design, then you should see Frankie. Just don’t expect a deep narrative, to come away with lots of knowledge or to sit there and be wowed by spectacle. That isn’t what frankie tries to do and they do what they said they would do very well.
Now onto the ratings!
Entertainment:
Frankie The Concert is just that, a concert of some of Frankie’s greatest hits, some swing and funk arrangements of other classic tunes. This concert gave me everything I expected from a concert. I think this performance gave the audience what we wanted and we weren’t left wanting anything extra. Easily earning five out of five stars.
Value for money
With the costume changes, lighting, band and overall performance, there is no doubt that you get your money’s worth. A 6 piece band,2 vocalists and some amazing design for £26 each. Easily a five out of five stars.
Accessibility
This show is loud and there are lots of blinding lights. This may be an issue for some people and I did have to look away a couple of times, but it is just something to be aware of. It wasn’t too bad and wasn’t too often but it does happen and may be unsuitable for some audience members.
Overall
The vocals were beautiful, the performance was great and the talent on stage was so impressive. I was singing along, tapping my feet and I almost got up and danced. It was that good. I think this is a great example of a concert of classic songs, bringing a bit of life and a bit of dazzle to a local stage for a wider audience. I really did come out of this show feeling like this show had a little mission, to take those songs and share them to a wider audience, and perhaps a younger audience and I feel like they did that. A great performance from all involved, including the 2 main vocalists as well as Chris Birch (guitar), Jay Harrison (percussion), Luke Staniland (Keys and dancer?), Peter Sarsfield (vocals), Rupert Hindson (bass) and Elliott Blower (Drums). I think this performance was stunning and I think it easily earns the five out of five stars!
Have your say!
Have you seen Frankie: The Concert? What did you think? Are you hoping for an encore or do you think one trip down memory lane was enough? Let me know in the comments and let’s get a discussion going.
As always, please be respectful of each other’s opinions and be kind to each other. I completely respect and value everyone that worked on this show. We need to remember that these are people with feelings. Let’s treat them with respect. Bullying will not be tolerated and harmful language will be removed.
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