Review Centre: 1970s Era Musicians & Bands

"We had a great evening with Lorraine & The Flames at The Pheasantry. A really interesting and varied selection of classics and some lesser-known songs, all performed beautifully by Lorraine and her band. The quality of Lorraine's voice alongside a clearly very accomplished band displaying great timing, rhythm, and hats-offs, made for a fabulous evening. Looking forward to future gigs!"

Reply by Lorraine And The Flames
Thank you Simon for your fabulous review and really glad you had a great time at The Pheasanty with Lorraine and The Flanes !! Lorraine Lorraine and the Flames🔥

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We enjoyed so much your performance of Elvis at our party. You sang and looked just liked him. Everyone at the party had such a good time. Loved your Elvis jumpsuit. I highly recommend you!!!! Thanks so much for making our occasion special"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Great band with awesome song selections. Go see them you won't regret it. Tell your friends, I have!"

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:

"Great songs took request killer guitar player what else you want?"

Rating: 9 / 10 Share this review:

"We just wanted to thank you for the excellent performance at our surprise 60th birthday party in Winsford. The choice of music was very good and the vocals where outstanding. Everyone enjoyed the evening. Thank you and keep performing. John & Stacey (60th Birthday Party) 10/10"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Central Avenue Band played our evening wedding reception. We had an 8-Piece Band and they were absolutely fantastic! The music was exactly what we wanted and the band's energy was amazing. All of our guests commented on how great the band were and they kept the dance floor jam-packed which is exactly what we wanted! Harry was really professional and easy to communicate with in the planning stages too. We would highly recommend Central Avenue Band and would definitely use them again for events in future"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I booked Revolve Party Band for my 40th birthday bash; they were easy to deal with from the moment I enquired. They were professional and accommodating for the whole experience. The sets they did were energetic and inclusive. The vocals and instruments were on point and the standard was extremely high. I would highly recommend them to anyone planning to hire a band in the region. Thanks for making my birthday party so special. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Thank you so much for playing at our wedding. We had such a fabulous day and we certainly struck lucky picking you to play! You received so many positive comments about how good you were. We would recommend you to anyone!"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic band and thoroughly enjoyed all the music. So refreshing to hear different music and the band played so well together. Looking forward to seeing them play again."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"I had a great time, he was very nice and cool! I enjoyed the music :)"

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Danny T. West Palm Beach Florida, Feb 3 2024 8:54 AM Just wanted to thank you Mr. Gibson for the wonderful music that God allowed us to hear through you. I’m not even old enough to qualify as a real fan as I’m only 26. However your music touched my father who is a full time pastor at Destiny International Ministries. Loved your music always since I was a young boy and it has influenced me as a music producer. Thank you and God bless."

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Fantastic energetic performance with lovely vocal range. Loved songs Eat me up and Now I see, great stage presence. "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"Shake, I just wanted to say a huge thank you for performing at my 50th birthday. You did such an amazing job. Your voice is incredible and the songs you played were perfect for the night. What really made it special was how you involved yourself with everyone and got the crowd engaged — it created such a great atmosphere. Everyone at the party commented on how good you were and how much they enjoyed the music. You really helped make the night unforgettable. Thanks again, Shake. We really appreciate it!"

Reply by Shake the drummer & DJ
Paula thank you so much for having me for your special day. It was an absolute honour and pleasure playing 80s and 90s hits for you and your friends.

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review:

"We had such a great night with Alive and kicking and everyone commented on how good they were. Very professional and really lovely people! I would definitely recommend them for your events! Thank you! "

Rating: 10 / 10 Share this review: