On Saturday evening we headed into the city centre to see The Overtones at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham. We were given a pair of complimentary tickets to their so we could attend and blog about the show (such hard work!).
The support act came on at 7:30, with singer-songwriter Ben McKelevey accompanied by Marc Danecker who played the Cajon which was fantastic. I’ve never seen one played before, and I really enjoyed it.
There was a half hour interval after the support act, and then it was time for The Overtones to arrive on stage. Minus one member, lead singer Timmy Matley who is having to miss out due to health reasons, they entered the hall each side of the stalls and danced their ways down the aisles to the great delight of the crowds.
The four guys made their way to the stage and launched quickly into their act, with a mix of their most popular hits from years past, and a great selection of Christmas classics. They were well choreographed as they sang and danced their way around the stage.
They made great use of a simple projection screen at the back of the stage to change the atmosphere, with everything from a forest scene to a crackling fire, and even a little “trip to the moon”. The harmonies were brilliant and all four of the guys did a great job of all of the songs despite being one member short.
The audience were standing up for most of the show, only sitting down for the odd ballad or slow section – Lachlie even commented about the crowd’s refusal to sit down at one point. For the most part everyone was up on their feet, taking photos, singing, clapping, and dancing along with delight, and generally loving the party atmosphere.
It really did feel like a giant Christmas party, with hits like Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Do You Love Me getting everyone in the party mood.
Timmy Matley was there to join the rest of the group for one song, however – via the magic of technology! A fake FaceTime call meant that “Timmy” had a well rehearsed chat with the guys before singing a Christmas song together. I was incredibly impressed with the slick feel of this bit – it must have taken a lot of practise for the live band and the rest of the group to sing and play along to the recording so closely.
Towards the end of the show, the guys encouraged the audience to join in with some classic Christmas songs with their “Christmasovertoneeoke” complete with bouncing heads along the words of the songs. Needless to say, the audience joined in with lots of enthusiasm and it was like one giant Christmas sing a long!
If you are in the mood for a Christmas party and want to get into the festive spirit, then this is the perfect show for you. The Overtones are brilliant; charming personalities, talented singers, and great dancers. They absolutely delighted the crowd – many of whom were obviously very loyal fans who knew every word of their back catalogue!
The Overtones are touring right up until 22nd December, so make sure you check out their website for all the info!
