1:56pm Wednesday 28th July 2010
By Tom Goodwyn
The second night of Oxford Castle’s summer season of gigs regrettably suffers from poor weather and a less than great attendance. It’s not quite raining, but throughout the set from Chris Beck and his band, the Valentine Vagabonds, the heavens look likely to open at any moment. As it turns out, there’s only a light spattering during the second half of Beck’s set, but it’s enough to keep most people undercover and for there to be a lot of empty seats.
It’s a shame because no one likes to be present at a gig with more gaps than people, but it would be going too far to say anyone missed much. Though Chris Beck’s set is fine, it‘s not different from what you might find in any number of social clubs and pub back rooms any weekend. Beck and band are a tribute to acts that ruled the hit parade in the 1950s and 60s, and they’re clearly schooled in playing the hits of that era. In their two hours they rattle through standards from between 1957 and 1961, with plenty of cuts from Elvis, Buddy Holly and Bill Haley. Drilled and efficient, the crowd’s reaction does grow as the gig goes on, moving from feet tapping to full-on jiving for the last few tracks, including Let’s Twist Again and Rock Around The Clock.
Ultimately, this is a set that’s been designed for wedding receptions, office parties, birthday gigs, that sort of thing. In short, crowd pleasers that satisfy a crowd that‘s probably well oiled. Sadly, there’s only the Malmaison bar serving expensive cocktails and it’s pretty difficult to crowd please when you’ve not got much of a crowd. Beck and his boys will have better gigs than this.
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