For the uninitiated, The Overtones are a five piece vocal harmony group, Darren, Mark, Timmy, Mike and Lachie (pronounced Lockie – he’s from Australia) although, as soon as the performers take to the stage it is very obvious that, for this Christmas tour, the five-piece group is a four-piece.
After an upbeat start that had most of the audience dancing in their seats, Lachie made the announcement that one of the group, Timmy (pictured), is very unwell and is being treated, after a diagnosis of skin cancer, in London. The message was delivered in a suitably solemn way but, after saying that Timmy’s Irish charm would be radiating over the audience all night, that solemn mood was soon lifted again.
The evening is a superb mixture of the Doo-Wop, Sh-Boom songs that The Overtones do so well, like Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Runaround Sue, together with some festive classics like White Christmas, The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire), the opening number – Winter Wonderland and, my personal favourite, Driving Home for Christmas.
The audience, who are made up mainly of The Overtones extremely devoted, fanbase of “ladies of a certain age” together with some slightly less enthusiastic husbands, are in the mood for a Christmas party and, as soon as the invitation is forthcoming from the stage, they take to their feet and start to dance the night away – with the husbands finding that the superb music, together with the incredible atmosphere are more than enough to encourage them to join in the fun as well!
The links between the songs are slick and short, allowing plenty of time to cram in as many songs as they can to give their eager audience the party that they have come to expect from The Overtones.
The video screens at the back of the stage allow the group to show Christmas scenes to enhance the festive atmosphere and, at one, very special, point in the show, the screens allow all five boys to entertain the festive crowd as they really wanted to – together.
Although the show doesn’t contain as many Christmas songs as it could, the mix of music is very good and the crowd, on their feet and screaming for more, have enjoyed a very special party with four very special guys, who, it’s obvious to see, really miss the fifth – Get well soon Timmy.
**** Four Stars
