Review Centre: Singers With Backing Tracks

"Denis Cook is the perfect pub and bar-room entertainer: genial, charming and chatty with a charismatic personality, so it's not surprising that the sumptuous Haven Wine Bar & Restaurant in Whetstone booked Denis for several gigs, since he's the ideal 'mine host' for this exclusive venue, encouraging the guests to join in and have a fun time. With many strings to his bow, in addition to singing Denis plays guitar, mandolin, ukulele, harmonica and kazoo, but his greatest claim to fame is that he taught his nephew Norman Cook, alias Fatboy Slim, to DJ! (Denis has been 'spinning discs' since 1969 and the young Norman was soon hooked on music too!) Though perhaps not the greatest instrumentalist to perform on stage, Denis more than makes up for this with his highly tuneful singing voice, careful selection of material and infectious personality. Skill and experience gained through years of DJing shines through in Denis's easy command of banter between numbers, putting many other pub acts to shame, and his sheer dedication to entertaining others certainly evidenced in this three-hour gig undertaken with hardly a break. Starting with the Eagles' country ditty "Peaceful Easy Feeling" and a stripped-down version of the Foundations' "Baby Now That I've Found You" guests knew they were in for something special, loving the laid-back, peaceful easy listening style and the fact that the music was at a very reasonable volume: no blasting speakers here! Then, after just three songs, self-accompanied by guitar, Denis popped out his mandolin for a very enjoyable rendition of the Kinks' "Tired Of Waiting For You" and Steve Earle's Irish classic "Galway Girl" before switching to the ukulele for a charming interpretation of McFly's wistful "Love Is Easy" but, in addition, you'll find plenty of variety in Denis's act, ranging from party numbers like the Mavericks' "Dance The Night Away" and Roxy Music's "Let's Stick Together" to country classics such as Glen Campbell's "Rhinestone Cowboy" and John Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" to up-to-date material like George Ezra's catchy "Budapest" as well as some good old rock 'n roll. And - how many performers would be brave enough to attempt Rupert Holmes' excellent "Escape" (The Pina Colada Song); the late Ronnie Lane's rocking "Ooh La La" or Billy Ray Cyrus' witty comedy number "Where Am I Gonna Live?!" Mr Cook will be returning to the Haven soon and my advice is that you might want to reserve a table, since the place is likely to be well be packed in anticipation of this great entertainer. Colin Fenn Lemonrock reviewer,"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Victoria did a fantastic job during our wedding! She is super reliable, has a great voice and we and all our guests enjoyed her singing during the ceremony and reception. We highly recommend her! "

Reply by VICTORIA singer
Thank you so much! 🥹☺️☺️

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Five star performance Classy, bubbly, Confident, a great show to be seen again and again. Thank you so much for brightening up our Christmas party. Kai Bishop, Manager of the Grosvenor Centre"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Ben performed at the Cranage Beer and Live Music Festival last month. His set was the perfect blend of timeless classics and more modern hits, offering something for everyone to enjoy. Ben's smooth vocals and engaging presence created a relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere that perfectly complemented the sunny afternoon. Whether people were sitting back and soaking up the sun or sampling the various beers on offer, his music provided the ideal backdrop for a wonderful day. Thank you, Ben, for adding such a special touch to our festival! (10 / 10)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great food and a great Michael Jackson impersonator!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Melissa your set was fantastic, just right in terms of the songs and you have a lovely voice. In the future if we have other events I would be most happy to invite you back again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Shout Halleluia, Com on Get Hap-py! The multi-talented Ms Brown wowed us with her smooth, elegant Jazz Classics from Composers such as Cole Porter and Ira Gershwin from the Golden age of Hollywood. She effortlessly produced an eclectic mix of Great songs from the Legends of that era such as Nat King Cole, Ol' Blue Eyes Sinatra, Doris Day, Lena Horne, Ella Fitzgerald and Judy Garland all done in her own broody and inimitable style. Her performance was delivered with Aplomb and Panache! Go Misty! "

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"We wholeheartedly recommend the amazing Pat Cuikani, who brought magic and beauty to our wedding. Her talent, sensitivity, and professionalism filled every moment with unforgettable music that touched the hearts of all our guests. Thank you for making our wedding day truly special and unforgettable."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you for a brilliant set on Friday. Everything was great and we loved the song selection. I'm sure our guests felt the same as they did not leave the dancefloor all night"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Absolutely must hire, amazing from start to finish."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Courus is a beautiful artist, huge potential. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Bee, you gave a wonderful performance, not only did you play excellent songs, you sang them with a great sense of fun and generated a real crowd atmosphere. I want to make sure I am at the next gig."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Tony provided a wide variety of entertainment including requests from a variety of people of all ages. Excellent entertainer, thoroughly recommended. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Excellent content and vocals were amazing. Would be happy to watch them in concert as the headline."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Version played at our wedding and we couldn’t have been happier. Zaz is a delight to work with, really open to discussing songs choices and what we really loved about her and the band was how they put their own slant on each song. Zaz’s vocals are off the charts amazing, she’s super talented and the musicians that accompany her are great too. Whether you want something acoustic or a bigger band feel, Version can do it all. We loved their performance so much that we asked them to play at our 10th wedding anniversary party recently which brought back many happy memories. If you want a band that will guarantee your guests will be up and dancing then I would thoroughly recommend Version."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: