Christmas carols and rock n roll at The Royal Albert Hall featuring The 27.
Christmas may be done and dusted for another year but it recently arrived early with a rousing evening of Christmas carols played with finesse by the RPO at a rammed to the rafters The Royal Albert Hall. Stars Tony Christie singing the Yuletide classic The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) added a touch of suntanned class to this evening’s festive proceedings.
Natalie Rushdie swished onto the stage in a sparkly red evening gown to sing Have Yourself A Merry Christmas, her voice filled this venerable hall as the orchestra swooped like musical swallows around her passionate vocal.
News presenter and President of Bloodwise Simon Thomas spoke eloquently about the effect of his wife’s death and thanking all the performers and attendees for helping to raise a significant sum for the charity during the evening’s entertainment.
The original Calendar Girls took a standing ovation before they witnessed Anna-Jane Casey, from the current touring musical of Calendar Girls, warmly sing tunes from the current touring stage production.
However, it was a bit of Christmas Rock ‘n’ Roll from Mud 2 and The 27, as they tiger footed it onto the stage to harmonise along to It’ll Be Lonely This Xmas, which lit up the evening as they invested a touch of Elvis with their beautiful Americana style harmonies.
In fact, The 27 are tipped to be the next big breakthrough act coming from the burgeoning Americana scene. Fitting together with their tight, close harmonies as neat as their dapper 70s attire of flared trousers and velvet jackets, these boys are on their way to the top of the West Coast influenced country tinged tree.
Their alluring mix of Byrds meets CSN&Y sounds has turned both heads and ears even securing recording time at Jackson Browne’s studio in Santa Monica.
An evening of festive fun rounded off by a breakthrough group to definitely keep tabs on.
Words: Paul Davies.