13 DAYS TIL CHRISTMAS!!
Buy Good Ol' Fashioned Christmas here (Amazon UK)
Read my review of Good Ol' Fashioned Christmas here
Read my pre-tour chat with Mark Franks here (myfizzypop)
Read my 5th anniversary retrospective of Good Ol' Fashioned Love here (myfizzypop)
Something a little bit magical happened in Birmingham last night. Oh sure, Queen Kylie was decking the Royal Albert halls in London with her own festive show but the five fine fellas (alliteration alert!) known as The Overtones weren't going to let that get in the way of their Good Ol' Fashioned Christmas Party. No sirree bob (whatever that means). It was rather delightful to turn up and see hordes of people donned in the most Yuletide of finery, santa hats and reindeer ears bobbing through the crowds. I was a bit horrified to see a woman in exactly the same delightful Christmas jumper as me, but hey she clearly has good taste :) (Hashtag, who wore it best?!) Seasonal goodwill and bon hommerie was in abundance throughout the crowd and feel good vibes were as tangible as the glorious The Overtones programmes (complete with amazing interview, personal snippets and photos from Christmas past). By the time the boys took the stage in their dapper black tuxes, I was practically exploding with glee - and my euphoric feelings only heightened as the night went on. I don't want to spoil it too much for people haven't been yet so I'll just pick out some of my highlights (including the numerous tributes to Kylie)...
- It almost goes without saying that all the guys looked just edible. Sure, three fifths of them wanted to kiss Tom Hardy under the mistletoe, but if they'd seen my lips after 2 glasses of mulled wine, I'm pretty sure I'd have been in with a chance ;)
- They start the night with the radiant It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year. KYLIE ALERT! I like to imagine that at the very same time she was singing her version at the Royal Albert Hall...
- KYLIE ALERT!! The woman in front of me (on row B! Identify yourself!) had the most amazing festive hat and hair piled through it like the cover of Kylie's debut album. I was mightily impressed by her dance moves. I could only manage some deep shoulder shimmies and little bit of bottom wiggling. I like to think the people behind me appreciated the latter...
- Ooo! CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE ALERT!! I wonder if the boys know that Reet Petite was a festive number one and therefore the perfect kick-up-your-heels-with-gay-abandon number for the set?! I should warn you that Lachie did a hip thrust so sexual that it a) should be patented for the alleged remake of Dirty Dancing and b) probably caused about 203 immaculate conceptions across the first few rows. I know my biological clock skipped a beat...
- KYLIE ALERT!! Give Me Just A Little More Time - not a Christmas song but came out just after Christmas back in 1992 when everyone was still in the party mood. Mark always looks like he's having a brilliant time singing this which causes me to ponder whether he was responsible for it's inclusion on Sweet Soul Music. Random thought - if you don't own Sweet Soul Music, go out and buy it along with Good Ol' Fashioned Christmas!
- Talking of Mark, he has a magic click! Just wait and see him switch on the Christmas tree lights with just the power of his fingers! AMAZING ;) As amazing as when Phoebe thought she was turning Joey's television on and off whilst Monica was trying to work out what the random electrical switch did. #Friends
- I'll keep it a surprise but there's a lovely sing-a-long Christmas song that isn't on the album. If this is a hint that there will be a special edition next year with this song on it then I'll be mightily pleased. If they also want to tackle It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas then that is a-ok with me :)
- CHRISTMAS NUMBER ONE ALERT!! This Christmas (the boys current single) sounds utterly brilliant live - even more so, albeit almost impossibly, than the studio version. It's just so indelibly uplifting and joyful that you can't help but feel tremendous each time you hear it. Oh and I suspected that the "signed, sealed, delivered, I'm yours" bit would sound entirely celestial live and the lads didn't let me down. Tell everyone you've ever met about this song because it deserves to rocket up the charts in the next two weeks.
- There's a rather magnificent uptempo selection in the second half that is a massive melody of their most beloved live numbers. Kudos to whoever came up with the hilarious "stop, wait a minute" moment during Uptown Funk because it had me tittering into my egg nog all evening. The energy they exude is absolutely contagious and even though I'd had a very long work day I was bopping til I was dropping with the best of them.
- STRIKE A POSE ALERT!! All good Overtones performances end with a flawless pose by each of the guys, all perfectly in sync and all giving face and poise for the gods. Why someone hasn't put a calendar together of all these separate "pose" moments from the end of songs is beyond me. Maybe for 2017...
- Each of the lads got to share a Christmas wish at the end of the show. I hope Darren's mum gives him a clip round the ear for his cheeky comment ;) I think poor Mr Franks got missed out so I think he should share his seasonal dream on twitter... it led into a very emotional Driving Home For Christmas. If you weren't sniffling by the end (an emotional Lachie certainly was) then you were certainly better at holding it all in than I. It was a gorgeous performance.
- It all seems to come to an end far too quickly, but two hours flies by when you are in the company of such consumate professionals and charming gentlemen. Thanks guys. May all YOUR Christmasses be bright...
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