Review Centre: Rock 'n' Roll Bands

"Kirsten Kirk and the Dirty work played my bachelor part and they were awesome"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We're so glad we found Spark Up Band to play at our tipi wedding - it was an incredible way to end to the day. The dance floor was filled from start to finish with guests of all ages! They completely got the vibe of the day and brought a fantastic atmosphere to the evening. We can't thank them enough for coming to the rescue with a last minute glitch - we were in very safe hands! We hope to have another occasion to book them again!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Love the singers voice. Love her deep mellow tones and sassy fun songs. Good playlist for this duo. Guitarist is great. Went back and saw them two more times. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"As a long-time Folkpunk, Celtic Punk, Irish Folk Punk fan, I found the line up perfect. It started with the Gavin Carpenter Duo, two men, alone on the big stage. Vocals, guitar and a cajon, that was all to give the audience a taste for the rest of the evening. Personally, I really enjoyed this hour of folk music and I was certainly not alone. The people sang along and clapped along, Gavin Carpenter took the audience to the Emerald Isle musically with his discreet, not at all obtrusive manner and looked very good in his fine suit."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Saw this band last month. They don't play the same old covers band stuff. They play songs that you have heard or find really interesting. Love the Country Rock stuff. Dancing or just listening, they are great."

Reply by West Memphis
Much appreciated

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had the Hound Dogs play at our wedding last Saturday and I couldn't recommend them enough! They had everyone up dancing, young and old, with a wide range of absolute bangers. We had a song request which was a firm favourite of my dad's and they took the time to learn it and executed it perfectly. From start to finish the booking process and communication with brilliant, Nigel always replied promptly and efficiently. They were all genuinely nice guys, super friendly and professional. The band were a super nice touch to the wedding. We had a few older guests which were gutted they were unable to get up and dance however they all commented on how nice it was to be able to sit and watch the guys play rather than just a boring old DJ booth. 100% would recommend. Loved every minute."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"After seeing Ant at a friends party, we were really impressed and took his card and after seeing him again at a later date at The Ship in Marlow and we thought, it must have been meant to be and hired him to play at our wedding! Little did we know a global pandemic would get in the way but two years later he was still available and happy to play for us. He had a great repertoire and managed to learn two songs for us (one literally two weeks before the big day!) Ant played for us at our reception and our first set in the evening so everyone got to enjoy some live music and also hear some chilled music as well as some more evening/upbeat songs in the evening. We can't wait to see him play again. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"You might expect an album with edgy, teal-lit cover art and the title of The Isolation Blues, by the Mike Goudreau Band, to be either dark and brooding or a real barroom stomper, showcasing the loudest guitar you’ve heard since Jimi Hendrix’s. Instead, from the first notes, you’ll find it’s a peppy ensemble extravaganza with horns galore. More’s the better, too – the Winter Solstice is coming up, and we need an eye-opening blast of sunshine in the middle of it. Smooth, jazzy-influenced, and boasting crystal-clear vocals, it’s a must-play on New Year’s Eve. Born in 1965 in Newport, Vermont, into a musical family with an English mother and a French-Canadian father, Mike Goudreau picked up his first guitar at age 14 and hasn’t stopped playing since. His early influences included the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Rolling Stones, Johnny Cash, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, and later, Albert King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Powder Blues and Downchild – to name a few. Such diverse interests help to explain why Mike is comfortable in so many musical genres, especially jazz and blues. Since 2007, Mike’s songs have been heard on hundreds of network TV shows and films, such as the TV movie The Happiest Season (Hulu), Dynasty (CBS), the Universal Pictures film Dark Waters, the Hollywood film The Banker, starring Samuel Jackson (2020), The Neighborhood (CBS), NCIS Los Angeles (CBS), and Chicago PD (NBC), among several others. Joining Mr. Goudreau (vocals, guitars, bass and hand claps) are Jean-Francois Begin (think Menachem Begin, not “begin”) on drums and percussion, Dany Roy on tenor sax and trumpet, Ira Friedman on organ and piano, and Pascal Veilette on harmonica. You know all the shows and films mentioned earlier? Together, they spell diamond-level QUALITY. That’s what’s been poured into each of the fourteen original tracks on this CD. Every note, every musical phrase, glimmers like the light off one of that gem’s many facets. This is real-deal blues, whether in swing/jump form (as on the opener “Let’s Go Down to the River”), the angsty, harmonica-infused title track, the guitar and piano boogie known as “The Mooch,” or the laid-back instrumental “Sea Breeze Blues.” Any band can crank out an album in their garage or basement and deem it good enough, but not Goudreau and his posse. They care about their offerings like Michelangelo cared about David, or Da Vinci the Mona Lisa. That’s because they’re not just musicians. Not just craftsmen. They’re artists, and don’t you forget it. Got The Isolation Blues? Here’s the cure, or at least the vaccine! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic Band, Great group of guys, guaranteed to get the crowd on their feet. Highly Recommended!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Monkey Special Events Pick Roger and his band for the biggest event of the Year, Springtime in the Falls"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Dear Lisa, Martin & the band, Thank you all so, so much for the performance you put in at our wedding. We were so lucky with the food, drink, marquee etc but are convinced that if one thing cemented the evenings success it was the absolutely brilliant display by you guys. We loved it, everyone we have spoken to loved it and not only that but the organising of the band, because of Lisa's efficiency, was an absolute pleasure. It goes without saying that we would recommend you to anyone and really are so grateful. kind regards Grant & Sasha Nash"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We hired The Catfish Kings for our wedding reception in November. The music was terrific and really made the party go with a swing. Everyone enjoyed themselves and there wasn't one song when the dance floor wasn't crowded - that says a lot! As for most weddings the age range was from children to a 96 year old and they all loved the music. My great nephews who were aged about 16 - 25 all had a great time and their Mum said that was the first time she'd seen them all up on a dance floor. Everyone was very sad when it was time for the band to pack up. So in summary the Catfish Kings are superb for a party of all ages. Valerie "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"They were incredibly patient with all our changing requests and emails, always responding within an hour to our emails. They made do with the little space we could give them for their setup which we really appreciated, and brought all their own equipment. The music was amasing; upbeat and joyful jazz. Everyone at our wedding loved them! Couldn't recommend more! Wished we could have had them for longer on the day!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Everyone Had a Great Time! Arrived early and completed set up in plenty of time prior to the event. Extremely friendly and met all expectations. 5 Stars for Professionalism, Accomodating & Overall Talent!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"What a great band, you guys rock the 80s 90s and everything else!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: