Rave On: The Rise of Rock and Roll
Bluejays Productions
Written by Dan Graham & Oliver Seymour Marsh
Grimsby Auditorium
20 October 2022
This show demonstrated rock 'n'roll at its finest and had feet tapping and the audience singing along to the songs of yore, from the word go. It was a much needed shot in the arm during such a turbulent week in the UK that we will not go into here!
After previous disappointment with national lockdowns and a rearranged date for the show, The Bluejays finally arrived for their first visit to Grimsby without any pomp or ceremony, but brought one of the best shows of the season. Playing 50s and 60s music in the style of the originals they never performed the material as a mere impersonation, it felt very authentic. This was a show of the highest calibre and that makes up for the rather bijou audience tonight. The punters of Grimsby have yet to hear how marvellous this show really is. Hopefully, when it returns in the future, word of mouth will help propel the show and bring the audience it so richly deserves.
Rave On: The Rise of Rock and Roll does exactly what it says on the tin, it tells the story of rock 'n' roll in its earliest incarnations through to the rockin' regeneration it enjoyed during the Beat Explosion of the 1960s. The show is the brainchild of Dan Graham and Oliver Seymour Marsh. Sadly, Bluejays founder member and co-creator of the show could not appear at this show but his deputy, Chris Burgess, seamlessly slotted in on the drums for tonight's show and no one was any the wiser. Seymour Marsh however, was with us and is a charismatic frontman for the two-act show.
I loved the backdrops with their collage of ephemra from the 50s and 60s acting as an ever-present reminder of the reasons for tonight's show and the vintage clothing sported by each cast member really caught the essence of the period perfectly. The lighting was never intrusive and quietly complimented the action on stage. The sound was well-mixed and accurate in recreating the original mono sound of rock 'n' roll through minimal amplification.
The show started with a bang as they recreated the raw excitement of Bill Haley and the Comets' global hit Rock Around The Clock replete with a note perfect recreation of the notoriously tricky guitar solo originally produced by Franny Beecher and here played by Dan Criscuolo. Criscuolo wass an incredibly gifted and yet understated performer, who quietly plied his trade and who never sought to "oversell" a solo as some would. I also enjoyed the fact that he performed the guitar part to Johnny Kidd and the Pirates' hit Shakin' All Over with a (slightly modified) fancy dress pirate hook on his right hand. He occasionally took lead vocal, notably on Blue Suede Shoes and more than did the song justice.
Also joining the cast for this part of the tour is singer Victoria Bass, who had a soaring voice accompanied by a vivacious stage presence. She was first introduced performing an Etta James song from her days at Chess Records. Bass had energy to burn on stage as she sang and danced across the stage with a smile to die for, clearly enjoying her time with this show. Subsequent performances in the show included Let's Have a Party and Walking Back to Happiness among others. Lipstick On Your Collar is a favourite of mine and she gave it her all in a strong performance. Her presence in the show offered something special, contrasting with the all-male presence up until her entrance and helped provide real balance in each set.
On double bass and electric bass was Nick Player, a strong musician with the ability to slap a bass like there is no tomorrow, making it sound as if he is simultaneously playing a drum kit with the reverberating slaps and clicks it created - a sound exploited at Sun Records by Elvis's original bass player, Bill Black, and well-reproduced for the Sun segment of this show. It feautres heavily in the show's version of Elvis's first release, which was cover of Big Boy Crupdup's That's Alright Mama. Player was clearly having a ball throughout and didn't mind playing the "Sad Sack" character within the show, always denied the opportunity to sing a solo until in the second act when he ripped into Little Richard's Long Tall Sally with relish and really proved his rocking credentials.
The line-up was completed by Jack MacGaughey on piano. Hailing from Eugene Oregon, this US citizen reminded us all of the pumping powerhouse that was The Killer - Jerry Lee Lewis and he demonstrated many of Jerry Lee's antics as he rocked and boogied through a wonderful back catalogue, singing and playing so well you forgot he wasn't originating some of the songs himself. I loved his cover of Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats' Rocket 88, though he took time to remind us that this was an alias for Ike Turner and his Kings of Rhythm. He worked up a sweat as the show progressed but he never let his energy levels dip - unless it was deliberate, such as during Heartbreak Hotel where he made the piano work look like child's play.
Returning to frontman Oliver Seymour Marsh, it is worth noting that he comes with a seriously impressive pedigree having starred as Buddy Holly in the UK tour of Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story and as Carl Perkins in Million Dollar Quartet. He brings so much to the songs he performs in Rave On, manages to make them sound faithful to the original despite never actually impersonating the originator with whom the audience is so familiar. I could tell he enjoyed performing the songs from Sun Records back catalogue, as well as the work of my personal favourite, Eddie Cochran before his tragic demise in 1960. He is the glue that brings this show together, whether it is through the carefully written narration between songs, singing with real gusto or playing some impressive guitar. Seymour Marsh absolutely "gets" the brief of performing authentic rock n roll for his audience. He touchingly dedicated his solo performance of Can't Help Fallong in Love by Elvis, to his daughter Etta and the audience lapped it up.
The musicianship of the band is tight and well-drilled, never a bum note played in error nor a beat missed. Harmonies were on point and the singalong nature of their repertoire in the show worked really well. I can imagine that in their other guise as a live band rather than a touring theatre show, The Bluejays really manage to get a joint jumping and I would love to see them in a dance hall setting full of strollers and jivers bopping the night away.
Their casual good humour and noticeable enthusiasm was infectious and their choice of covers was excellent giving a really good balance of songs, allowing each band member their moment in the spotlight and never permitted ego to interfere with the performance. I cannot recommend this show highly enough. The current tour is nearly at an end but they intend to return and I hope that they bring their love letter to the rock 'n' roll greats back to Grimsby, because I will be selling it hard on their behalf when they do.
Andy Evans - Review Culture 21 October 2022
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