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The swinging sixties are back again at Venue Cymru
Jan 21 2010
PLAYING at their agent’s wedding led sixties cover band The Overtures on a star-studded trip, which ended up with them performing in Vegas and Lulu, Elton John, Kiki Dee and a host of stars singing alongside.
The band will be bringing their tribute to the decade to Llandudno’s Venue Cymru in March, and they’ll be playing many of the songs that tempted the celebs to their feet.
Drummer and vocalist Steve Phypers said how they got to rub shoulders with the top in showbiz, with Sir Elton and Sir Paul McCartney both requesting them to play at parties.
He said: "Our agent and Elvis Costello’s agent knew each other and we played at his wedding. Then we were asked to do another gig – we were simply told to meet in a pub in Windsor. Turned out we were playing at Elvis Costello’s wedding, at Elton John’s house.
"Elton loved our music and wanted to re-book us, so we played one party for him, and then we were the main act at his civil partnership to David Furnish. It was like something out of Madame Tussauds – all these stars dancing away as we played."
Elton later asked the band to join him at his 02 gig for New Year 2008, then to perform at Lulu’s 60th birthday party. They were also later asked to play in Las Vegas, for TV mogul Nigel Lythgoe, which is where various stars got up to sing. In the audience was Sir Paul McCartney, who wanted them to perform at his after-show party following his O2 show. He called into their dressing room for a quick chat before they went out – to play his old numbers.
The Bootleg Sixties two-hour long show is a mix of the Beatles, Searchers, Stones, Kinks and The Who, spanning the whole decade.
It was the music Steve, now 50, listened to with his piano-playing mum, growing up in small-town Hertfordshire. got into drumming by beating out a rhythm with his mum’s knitting needles, sitting alongside the radio.
He went on to join New Wave power pop band The Ordinarys, who wowed Mickey Most on New Faces, before carving out a career with The Overtures.
Also in the band are Den Pugsley on bass and lead vocals, Jamie Cook on guitar, keyboards and lead vocals, Phil Evans on guitar and vocals, and Chris Skornia on keyboards and vocals.
Steve added: "We don’t send the Sixties up, we cover the period, from the big guns – Beatles, Stones, and Kinks – and others from that time as well. We do have costume changes and there’s also archive footage on three screens – our lighting man has been tracking down old films from each area we’re visiting – and there’s pyrotechnics as well."
"It is great being a celebrity favourite band but our aim is to create a great night for everybody, because it’s the music that matters."
Bootleg Sixties, Llandudno Venue Cymru, March 3, tickets 01492 872000 or venuecymru.co.uk

This one off photo was taken by a foreign exchange student who I was dating at the time! (Sorry I can't remember your name, but you were very sweet)

He was from Iran and the University of Redlands had sponsored a Disneyland trip for them. Now the weird part... I also attended UoR and I was also there that day but with other friends. It was also my 18th birthday and our group never crossed paths with the exchange group or ELTON JOHN who was also there that day! Damn it!

Notice Elt's personal assistant, Bob Haley there in the back ground with the 70's suit! EJ was buying another hat, according to my guy. I cried when he told me he rode the Matterhorn with Elton, now today that has a whole different connotation......... but anyway, he gave me this picture as a consolation prize.

This was way back in 1979 and he still had a Red Piano! I fought my way to the stage and he came by, shaking hands but skipped me. I did notice that he shook Valerie Bertinelli's hand, and they allowed her to actually sit on the stage. She was one of my favorite TV actresses at the time. She played the younger sister on "One Day at a Time" along with Mackenzie Phillips who has been in the news lately, but not for the nicest reasons but still very good of her to talk about her story and sorted past, you go Mac!

January 20, 2010

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- British singer Elton John will perform in Israel for the first time in nearly two decades.

The single performance set for June 17 was announced Tuesday.

John last appeared in Israel in 1993. Landing in Israel on the day of the concert, he was swarmed by the media and left without performing. He was persuaded to return and perform the following day.

He first performed in Tel Aviv in 1979.

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Now this just in:

Elton in Israel

This photo was taken in 1978 (by me of course)

this was also the same year Elt played Israel the last time!

Notice Ray Cooper in the back ground. This was my first EJ concert. He did a 10 night stand at the Universal Amphitheater, which was still an open air theater at the time. I loved that show!

I was there opening night and also the closing night! I missed the second night show where Elton infamously passed out during his performance of "Better off Dead" and everyone thought it was part of the show,...... it wasn't.