The Lichfield Wayside Serenaders busking street band became the Inside Serenaders for their performance in the upstairs room at The King’s Head pub in Lichfield this week.
The audience space was beautifully laid out with chairs and tables and the stage set with a mixture of nostalgic fringed and floral standard lamps, plus a delightful array of instruments. The band themselves were a visual feast in their colourful and interesting clothes and hats.
They opened the show by entering the room singing ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ by The Beatles, which was one of the many upbeat and singalong numbers during the show, others being ‘Bare Necessities’ and ‘(What Shall We Do With The) Drunken Sailor?’ Then, ‘Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ was transformed into a fast, lively number thanks to a jaunty accordion accompaniment and the audience playing along on the plastic kazoos provided. By the end of the evening the audience were fabulous kazoo performers!
The band was expertly led by Il Maestro, Peter Bacon, who sang and also kept rhythm with his tea-chest bass and washboard tie. All members played a range of instruments, which meant that Peter also used the baritone horn, Emily Serenader the ukulele, Pete Serenader the accordion, clarinet, melodica and swanee whistle, Ali Serenader the washboard and foot tambourine, Kate Serenader the bass drum and rainstick, Ian Serenader the ukulele, banjolele and violin, Mandy Serenader the snare drum, tambourine and swanee whistle and James Serenader, the guitar. With stunning vocal harmonies from all members along with catchy music from their instruments, this talented band presented a varied programme of high quality songs which took the audience on a journey through different times and places around the world.
As with all the best performances, the programme was varied. ‘Hard Times (Come Again No More)’ and ‘Don’t Wait Too Long’ were hauntingly beautiful songs, the latter thanks to stand out vocals from soloist Serenader Kate Slater. And if we needed any more of a reminder to live life to its fullest, then came the singalong to ‘Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)’.
And the audience weren’t just spoiled with excellent music because the tables were laid out with complimentary nibbles and it was most appropriate that the fortune cookie I opened at this point told me to ‘live life now’. And so it was with this sentiment that at 54 years of age, I ate my first Wagon Wheel biscuit handed out by Emily Serenader to accompany their performance of ‘Wagon Wheel’ by The Old Crow Medicine Show.
If that all wasn’t enough, a raffle of an assortment of amusing and unusual gifts that you never knew you wanted brought a thoroughly special and enjoyable evening to a close with a fabulous encore and the knowledge that we had all contributed with our entrance donation to the £479 raised that evening for the homeless charity, Crisis.
The group plan to be playing Christmas songs and carols as ‘The Yuletide Serenaders’ on Dam Street near the corner with Quonians Lane, before Christmas (weather permitting) and will definitely perform at Lichfield City Station on Saturday 20 December between 12.45 and 1.30pm. All contributions to their hatbox will be donated to Crisis. Do go along to support them and enjoy a mixture of wonderful songs. Also watch out for any future inside performances which are highly recommended.
Details will be on their website.
