The 24-piece funk and soul collective bring the party...
The DJ played as the room began to fill up with people shouting and hugging. Clearly the cult following The Invisible Orchestra have built up around these parts had arrived for the evening.
By 9:30pm Rollo Markee and the Tailshakers had taken to the stage. Obviously a regular feature at these gigs, they were met with applause and recognition and within a few minutes people had begun to move to their blues. Next to the stage a boy with a backpack on broke into dance and an older man with a long white beard grabbed hold of a girl and joined the outburst. Before long a congregation had formed and a mixture of 1950s-esque moves and interpretive dance spread over the audience.
A whole range of people had turned up to the event, young and old, some dressed in extravagant outfits and others in jeans and a t shirt. One guy selling CDs in a striped suit and hat told me that he wears this exact get-up to every orchestra gig and after learning about my review, he said, “I’m going to be in it” he said, “I can just feel you’re going to write about me.”
The first act created a vintage sounding Chicago blues and swing that was mellow enough for a hot day but exciting enough for a party. Playing in the masonic halls ‘ionic ballroom’ it was easy to imagine a dance event in days gone past, probably one where the secrets were heavy and some kind of drama was on its way, glamorous and dangerous all at once.
As the crowd got progressively drunker, so did the night. The music became louder and dizzier, more expressive and danced to. The 24-piece Invisible Orchestra appeared on stage close to 11pm and announced, “We’re gonna get down tonight because it’s our home territory, it’s our local gaff”
The large group had been hyped up all night and their reputation preceded them. Combining a funky jazz with an orchestral style, the sounds were innovative and rich. Switching between vocalists - including Harleighblu, Percy Dread and Chai Larden - and styles, the product was always fresh. It’s hard not to be powerful with so many people performing, but with the music blasting from the stage and PA, you could feel it in your chest.
Moving quickly next door into the bar to grab a drink I bumped into posse of about 20 making a kind of long dancing line; kicking their legs out and liquid almost spilling from their glasses, reminiscent of a scene from Baz Lurhmanns Great Gatsby. Once again it seems, The Invisible Orchestra provided an infamous evening.
The Invisible Orchestra performed at the Masonic Hall on Friday 26 May 2017.
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