Live & Unheard, Lighthouse, Poole
Here we are at the final Live & Unheard of the year and what a year it has been. Hangover Hill’s Matt and Mel have grown this “must see” event from strength to strength. Next year’s events have already been filled six months in advance with a host of wonderful new acts for audiences to discover, keep your eyes on the Lighthouse website for more details.
Tonight’s event is a little different with a comedy theme featuring three acts who are not only going to entertain; they are going make you laugh and with the temperatures outside dipping below zero tonight, we are all going to need some warmth to help carry us through these tough winter months.
First though before the event starts in earnest, Matt and Mel have a little surprise for us. At Hangover Hill they have been putting together a charity single for Helping Homeless Veterans UK, the song is called “Footprints In The Sand” and it is sung by local singer Grace Elizabeth Dickinson. Grace is here tonight to sing the song live, backed with a specially put-together video. Charity Trustee David Wood proudly tells us about the brilliant work that the project does, before Grace is introduced. Grace has a beautiful voice and bowls us all over with the quality and the emotive nature of her voice with many of the audience reduced to tears by the sentiment of the song. The song can be purchased for just £2 here.
Our host; the trusting and hospitable local legend Si Genaro has dressed in his best Peaky Blinders attire to introduce tonight’s acts with a few words of wisdom, before they take to the stage. This evening’s first billed act is Edd Bleach (Acoustic & Guitar/Vocals) and his constant sidekick Ryan Barber (Bass/Backing Vocals) who first appeared at this event back in June 2019 memorably dressed in their pink and orange suits. Looking like Minister of Science “Dr. Zeus” from Planet of the Apes and Chum Lee from Pawn Stars; the popular duo kick off with one of Edd’s stories, the perilous “A Simple Road”. These guys are so genuinely likeable and though simple, Edd’s songs are totally relatable with their lyrical quirks. The duo play an impromptu Christmas song in the form of “Kringle Bells”, which tells of how lonely Santa Claus is for 11 months of the year.
The totally awesome “Forever Sun” is my favourite track by Edd and it gives you the perfect uplifting Summer festival vibe. The two guys have great chemistry between them and flash knowing smiles at each other, acknowledging how the performance is going. “Folking Idiot” gives us an insight on what we can expect to find on Edd’s Spotify playlist. Last number “When We Were Young” with its infectious chorus leaves the audience with lingering memories of this duo’s great time on stage.
Next up are Dorset’s dryest comedy two-some Simon (Ukulele & Vocals) and Aaron (Ukulele Bass & Vocals) of Plastic Jeezus. The last couple of years seems to have been great for the guys who were Winners of “Best Newcomer” at the Musical Comedy Awards in 2021 and “Union Jack’s Circuit Breakers” at Leicester Comedy Festival in 2022. Their deadpan style has won the hearts of many new fans and has started getting gigs at many notable comedy clubs. It’s hard to even comprehend how they come up with the ideas for their material as some of it is so off the wall.
With neither Aaron nor Simon daring to snigger themselves they deliver some utterly hilarious songs and even if like me you have heard most of them before, it’s hard not to be pulled along by their almost humour. “Hold Music” is so true to life about the frustrations of being held in a queue on the telephone to a call centre, while “Horse’s Arse” is so utterly ridiculously funny and “The Size Of Whales” is so surreal.
The lyrics are all carefully and cleverly crafted, with the guys delivering them in a perfectly well-rehearsed way. The real gem is the wonderful timing between the two of them and the facial expressions that they both give that have the audience in stitches with each delivery. One of the band’s many Christmas songs “The Office Christmas Party” gets a festive outing.
While the last number “Jamie’s Tongue Twizzler” amazes the audience still further at the band’s peculiar talent for using the English language with all its quirks and pronunciations to create something so unique and hysterical sounding. The two formally take their bows to the well-entertained audience who applaud in an attempt to give them the adulation that they deserve for a great night’s work.
Tonight’s headliner is a man that we see here each month, quietly doing his job putting on the “Live & Unheard” events with his partner Mel. If you don’t know him outside of his work at the Lighthouse he is a performer, a pianist, a comedian, a music producer, a promoter, Radio DJ, a parent, a friend and above all a top unselfish bloke with a big heart. Arriving unfashionably late after his intro music has long since finished he makes an entrance like a confused Norman Wisdom saying he was chatting in the foyer. Was that for real or has he planned it, well he likes to keep us guessing?
His ability with the piano is his strength, he is no Les Dawson as all the notes are in the right places! He kicks off with the unmistakable “Bat Out Of Hell” before delivering a host of hilarious observations before turning Babybird’s “You’re Gorgeous” into “You’re Gormless”. A lot of his material is directed at his ex-wife and as she now lives abroad, he has no problem with taking a few hilarious pot-shots at her such as “I got 50% of the house when I divorced my wife, she got the inside and I got the outside”.
You have no time to get bored as there is so much material in quick succession it keeps you riveted. Elvis’s “In the Ghetto” is brilliantly changed to “In The Gateau” and the four-minute version of the “Titanic” film is worth the entrance fee alone. With times being quite difficult for all at the moment we all need characters like Matt who adds a little laughter and sparkle to life. The audience of course loved everything that he had to offer, loud cheers and plenty of applause is gifted to him at the end of his set. If you have not had the pleasure of an evening in Matt’s company and need cheering up, check out his website and get along to one of his local gigs – he plays about 2-3 a week and I promise you will have a great time.
Set Lists
Matt Black
Bat Out Of Hell
You’re Gormless
Your Song
Hotel California
Classical Gas
In The Gateau
I Saw Her Standing There
My Heart Will Go on
Plastic Jeezus
Micro
E For Effort
Vicar
Hold Music
Delete As Appropriate
Horses Arse
The Size of Whales
Kenneth
The Office Christmas Party
My Angle
Jamie’s Tongue Twizzler
Edd Bleach
A Simple Road
One Night
Forever Sun
Kringle Bells
Folking Idiot
Forgetting To Remember
When We Were Young
Videos
Links
https://matt-black.org
https://www.plasticjeezus.co.uk
https://www.facebook.com/therealeddbleach
https://www.facebook.com/grace.elizabeth.39982631
Live & Unheard is taking a break in January, however it will return on Thursday 9th February featuring Ragwormers, Peggy Venton & Carey Irving. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.
Words & Media by David Chinery (Chinners).
