Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne
Tonight Hangover Hill’s Matt Black & Mel Berkhauer have against all odds brought together a fine line-up of three established original bands. The current difficult financial climate means many people class going to gigs as a luxury and choose to stay home. There is though a small army of music fans who feel for their own mental health and well-being, going to a gig is a necessity. Just ask my family what I am like if I have not been to a gig in a while.
The venue is the Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne, which was built in 1936 for mainly cinema and theatre shows. With its 483 seats, the venue has played host to many musical and theatrical legends passing through on tour. In 1979 it survived the threat of demolition; following a lengthy campaign to save the building and in 1993, volunteers worked long and hard to get the building into a fit state to re-open to the general public. The Tivoli now has a permanent team who give their time to ongoing maintenance and further improvement of the facilities.
After that brief history lesson it’s now time for tonight’s first band to take to the stage and it’s Hampshire-based four-piece We Are Robot. I have been fortunate to see these guys on a number of occasions and each time they always deliver a fine collection of songs. Comprising of Paul Denson – Guitar/Vocals, Chris Ralph – Guitar/Vocals, Sam Kay – Drums and Vijay Amarnani – Bass, these guys bring some sublime vocal harmonies that really benefit the acoustic surroundings. The union of their expertly executed twin-acoustic guitars, along with some precise rhythms make for a great sound. Creatively these guys are full of ideas with a plethora of great songs including the uplifting “Shining Light” and “You’ll Find Your Way”, along with a newer composition I would dedicate to my 15-year-old teenage son “You Are Rude” and the appropriately titled final number “Last Song”. A fine opening set and everyone present give the band the appreciation they deserve.
After a brief interval, where an old school usherette delivered ice cream on a tray balanced around her neck; it’s time for the next act Mischa and his Merry Men, or Mischa and his very many, as the band sometimes gets labelled. The band are as flexible as they come and can provide gigs in any format that is required, the only stipulation is that Mischa is there (Obviously!!). The word positivity is the vein that runs through this band and each number they perform is as uplifting as the last and provides some sort of positive message. Tonight we have “5 Merry Men and 2 Merry Women” providing brass, keys, violin, bass and drums with the main man on acoustic guitar. We are treated to a host of the band’s eclectic tunes including some friendly advice during “Pull Your Socks Up” and a brand new screaming from the rooftop sort-of love song called “Rainbow Unicorn Mermaid Heart”, that cannot fail to put a smile on anyone’s face and a glow in your heart. After 40 minutes of wondrous Mischa indulgence, it is time for the seven to leave the stage – who get a huge round of applause for a great night’s work.
The final band of the evening are four-piece band Sirpico who have brought a coach load of family and friends with them, who give the band a very warm and loud welcome as they arrive on stage. Out front on the keyboards and lead vocals is Al, a diva with a big heart and an even bigger voice. He is joined by Dan Mezza on Electric Guitar/Backing Vocals, Paul Finch on Bass/Backing Vocals and the muscular power of Tim Pidgely on Drums. The thing with Sirpico is that they have big tunes to suit big occasions and each time they play an event such as this, they have a collection of tunes that they know will have the audience rocking in the aisles. Take opener, the band’s recent single ‘Without You’; it’s big, bold and has a chorus that anyone hearing it will latch onto immediately. The band bravely tried out a few newer numbers tonight including ‘One for the Rebel’ and the epic ‘Dancefloor Insomniac’ where the band show us some unique creativity. There is also a brand new song ‘Pink Squirrel’, which apparently is just a working title and it was written together with one of Al’s students upcoming singer/songwriter Rosie Kate. The band once again use their wondrous musical chemistry to provide yet another head-turning tune. The night ends with my favourite track “Jamie Lee” (Curtis) and as the Halloween season is fast approaching, the actress is once again on our minds with the release of the final film in the Halloween Chapter (Does She Finally Kill Michael Myers ??). Even at 63 years of age, Jamie Lee; the American actress, who is the subject of the song and still is the fantasy of so many; the song says it all. This ends a fantastic night and credit must go to Matt and Mel for the amazing amount of effort that they both put in to make an event like this such a success.
Set Lists
Sirpico
Without You
Digital Me
In The River
Dancefloor Insomniac
One for The Rebel
Pink Squirrel
Jamie Lee
Mischa & His Merry Men
Give It All
Peace & Love
The Medicine
Pull Your Socks Up
Help a Brother Out
Wastelands
Rainbow Unicorn Mermaid Love
Stop Drop & Roll
Revolution
We Are Robot
Me and My Girl
Tonight
Say Hello
Shining Light
In The Morning
Bad Day
You Are Rude
You’ll Find Your Way
Last Song
Videos
Links
http://www.sirpico.co.uk
https://www.mischaandhismerrymen.co.uk
http://www.wearerobot.net
Words/Media by David Chinery (Chinners)
