Review Centre: Keyboard Players

"You were really good, thank you for providing us with some great acoustic music. So good to see people up dancing. We’ve had some positive comments from our guests. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Absolutely. :- if you are ever after a band for a celebration, these are your guys. The versatility of this band is impressive. They can pretty much play anything you request. They each bring their own individual talent across as very professional. I would highly recommend them and know you would not be disappointed. We will definitely be rebooking! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"As a music journalist, I am someone well used to hearing performances covering the whole spectrum of ability, from very talented, to no talent whatsoever; mainly on the working circuit, encountering much from the bottom end of the scale, the flaws of which seemingly pass by, or go over the heads of the audience, mediocre musical acts often gaining acceptance despite (or because of) their lack of any talent whatsoever. So, when on a random whim, I booked MAYHEM into The Old Crown, Hayes, I was pleasantly surprised to come across that jewel one constantly seeks: a light hidden in the bushel, an act of great quality. Don’t get me wrong, on the surface, MAYHEM are basically just another covers band, with certainly not much more to offer in terms of choice of material than others treading the same circuit. The difference though, is in the depth of thought in the vocal arrangements, and the attention to detail in the performance of the songs. Someone in the band has true musical knowledge. The way the vocals are arranged and used is no accident, and the music has a depth and surety that is pure class. Carol’s voice is unique, and at many points conveys rare emotion for those who can hear. The two voices are a happy accident of coincidence; Carol’s rather treble voice, Billy’s gruff baritone, both interesting voices taken in isolation, but together producing a sound that is perhaps greater than the sum of its parts. The quality of both singers shows itself also in the faultlessly correct intonation, the thrilling blend and invention of the harmonies, the search for expression in the vocals, the subtle use of the arrangements to produce expression. Most of these subtleties are of course lost on the general public, but the band still have enough battle-hardened experience and know-how to ride out any waves of indifference, and overcome the hardest heart with a friendly approach to their clientele, patiently trying out various styles and eras, constantly striving to reach their listeners, despite a kind of yearning in the music for serious recognition. Personally, I found it somewhat sad that a talented band like this has to resort to some popular (and bland) material, but one must bow to reality, and work is work. Still, the musicians didn’t just accept the status quo of this material; they always had a few surprises in store in the way they approached any song, however scraped from the bottom of the barrel. Carol’s voice sounded at its best on songs like “SUMMER OF ’69” and “I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT”, but she shone through on harder songs too, like “LIVING ON A PRAYER” and “DON’T BRING ME DOWN”. Billy didn’t sing quite as many lead lines, but when he did, it was with a power and confidence that knew just how best to carry the melody, and the strength of harmony singing was in a different league from the average one would expect to hear in a situation like this. On “Living La Vida Loca” the dual vocals were outstanding, perhaps the most equal blend of the day, with other such highlights for me being “Don’t Stop me Now” and “I Wanna Know what Love is”. The locals however enjoyed some of the lighter material more, such as “Rockabilly Rebel”, square dancing their way through the afternoon with great whoops and hollers, playing their part in a very pleasant day in a very pleasant pub. There was a humorous moment when the lads at the bar joined in with “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” all pointing and dancing in the manner of Tom Cruise in “Top Gun”! A vivid sight to behold, for sure! The day ended with a raucous rendition of “Rockin’ All Over The World”, the two singers showing that they could rock it with the best of them when the chips are down. Can’t wait to see this band again. (10 / 10) Andrew Staines "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Matthew was great! He was extremely talented and professional. We requested multiple songs for him to learn and he played them all perfectly! He was extremely accommodating. He brought all his equipment, arrived early for set up, and executed everything perfectly. We will definitely use him again for future events and recommend him to friends!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We just want to say a huge thank you for playing at our wedding on Thursday. You played beautifully and I can’t even begin to say how much I appreciated you taking the time to learn all our preferred music. All our guests commented on how great you were! My only regret is we didn’t have time to say thanks in person. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"‎We hired them for Karaoke band and DJ for a yacht party for my wife's birthday, they played all of the latest songs and kept us singing and dancing all night while we were on the ocean! In overall they kept us all very entertained for almost half a day! It was an amazing birthday party, i highly recommend them!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"The Magpies wowed everyone at our Great State Republican Christmas party with music perfectly suited for our crowd. These ladies were wonderful to work with, arrived promptly and were great entertainers. BTW... at our first meeting of the year we heard lots of compliments about you ladies, thank you Karen Renger"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Greg was a total professional. He kept in touch leading up to the event date and even gifted us a free song to really set the mood. He was flexible when we had to change the location last minute. I would highly recommend his services. Very good accordionist "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I have been taking piano classes with Gabriel for about two months now. I can say that Gabriel is an excellent piano teacher. He is very professional yet not intimidating. I have no musical background. He is very patient. Also, he explains very well the musical concepts. I can follow easily what he plays on the piano. He is very accommodating if class time needs to be changed. I absolutely recommend Gabriel as a piano teacher!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Exceptional!!! Voice of an angel!! Not a dry eye in the room. Thank you Stacey :-)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Patrick learnt the extra 5 songs I requested, great pianist!!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I was quite impressed with the way he spoke with us over the phone for over 30 minutes about our music for the reception, very personal job! Great music and DJ, quite professionall! Glad we booked him!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I started classes with Gabriel a few years back, while I was having a terrible corporation job that made me stressed out and unable to focus most times. He had so much patience, even when he had to repeat the same thing time and time again, he´s extremely dedicated, very professional and very kind hearted and friendly. Highly recommended to anyone willing to learn a new skill or improve an existing one! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dusty is missed not only by me but by the countless music lovers from his home area who loved hearing a real pro. I do not hesitate in recommending Dusty Knapp for any and every situation needed."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Daniel is extremely professional! Everything was perfect! He is truly an exceptional talent... it was a lot of fun to listen to him. What's more, he knows how to entertain people very well. We will definitely book him again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: