RAPIERS ARE GO!

Shadowmania 2008: Punters Pleased

Hoorah! Shadowmania 10 is in the books. So how'd Neil, Colin, John and Nathan fare solo and backing Jet Harris before 1,000 of the toughest Shadoraks on the planet? Here's instant comment I've culled:

Nick McNulty:

The Rapiers played a short but packed set with lots of unexpected favourites but their version of the William Tell Overture has to be seen to be believed. I particularly enjoyed Jet's set this year. He was edgy and so powerful with Besame Mucho, Diamonds and Dance With the Guitar Man with the female vocals and Cliff Hall standing in at the last minute on keyboards. The songs were played in their full majesty and yes, Jet smiled but we had all beaten him to it. Great great set and he was so funny with his one-liners.

Richard Franklin:

...The Rapiers' rendition of the William Tell Overture definitely needs to be seen.

Maurice Woodcroft of Flingelbunt:

The Rapiers were as polished and professional as ever, and that William Tell heart attack inducer! Blimey! Jet as sardonic as ever: "The only exercise I get these days is chewing a toffee." Priceless! His playing was a bit special as ever and the Tony Meehan tribute was very moving.

Ralph Gowling:

We have campaigned long and hard to see The Rapiers unleash their own instrumentals at concerts, so you would have been truly proud to see the lads bring down the house at Shadowmania with a high-octane William Tell. The legs were pumping fast and furious, the fingers were picking out the chords at a frantic pace, and the crowd were spellbound at seeing The Rapiers perform the galloping number at such a gallop without falling flat on their faces. The cries of "Encore", "More" and "Again" said it all. It seems we have a certain Mr. Bruce Welch to thank for getting The Rapiers to perform WT as their closing number. Bruce must have been equally chuffed as The Rapiers when the crowd bayed for more on top of the thunderous applause.

NB: Lots more chat and comment on MSN ShadowMusic. Pix, song sets and video links, too. Photo below by Tab Bryant.

Shadowmania 2008: "William Tell Overture"

Thanks to camcorder-carrying Richard Franklin of Yeovil for hitting the record button in time for The William Tell Overture "at the gallop" yesterday at Shadow Bruce Welch's 10th edition of Shadowmania.

"On My Mind" on 45

Yeah, yeah, yeah!

In came a request for the flipside of Buckleshoe Stomp, and I happily oblige. Here's The Rapiers' raucous cover of singer Mike Berry's 1964 mad rocker On My Mind. 

"Telstar" Film "Likely" Launch in October

I'm still on short pins and needles waiting to hear if The Rapiers' bit parts as EMI execs make the final cut in actor Nick Moran's big biopic about '60s producer Joe Meek.

The answer—drum roll, please!—may be forthcoming next month, based on singer John Leyton's September newsletter:

The latest news that we have received concerning the screening of [Telstar] is that it is likely to be shown at the London Film Festival being held between 15th and 30th October. More news as we get it.

"Me and My Shadows" @ The Wash

CONCERT ALERT: The Rapiers, Jet Harris and Billie Davis bring their Me and My Shadows show to Hertford's Castle Hall, self-described as "the heart of entertainment", this Friday, 5 September, 8 p.m.

Love the succinct venue directions to the veddy-English address: "At the County Hall roundabout turn left into The Wash."

By the way, from the Information Britain website comes this "rather interesting Hertford fact": The first paper mill in Britain was established there by one John Tate in 1494.

An utterly noble undertaking, Mr. Tate.

"Nivram" Like It's 1999

Since 1998, flipping over the August calendar means Shadowmania is nigh; in fact, 20 September this year. On that Saturday at the Lakeside Club in Frimley Green, The Rapiers trod the stage with their Fiesta Red Stratocasters for the 10th time at Bruce Welch's Shadstastic shindig. A better Best-of-British experience you won't find anywhere.

And as surely as the Surrey leaves are thinking about turning, bet maestro bassist and BritPop legend Jet Harris offers Nivram, his jazzy, loose-as-a-goose signature instrumental, all the way from The Shadows' debut album, 47 summers ago.

For your pre-show pleasure, here's a Nivram variation—venue uncertain but perhaps the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, circa 1999, says its YouTube poster—presumably with the Neil-Brad-John-Colin Rapiers in support.

Nice sound quality, too.

"Buckleshoe Stomp" on 45

Attention, Rapierspotters! 

It's back to school, it's back to posting, it's back to the beat, after a three-week dearth of comment, chat and variable hype. Time to kick start fall with a hand-held, no-edits video of our lads' supreme moment on vinyl.

So git out yer Dansettes and let's stomp...