Life and Art: Elke Pollard Retrospective

WHO HAD A STRING OF CHART HITS IN THE LATE SEVENTIES AND EARLY EIGHTIES, ARE A NINE-STRONG, ENERGETIC DOO-WOP GROUP WHOSE BRAND OF VISUAL EXCITEMENT AND TIGHT HARMONIES EARN THEM RAVE REVIEWS WHEREVER THEY PLAY. THEIR UNIQUE STYLE WHICH COMBINES FIRST-RATE MUSICIANSHIP AND INTRICATE VOCAL ACROBATICS CREATES A LARGER-THAN-LIFE STAGE SHOW WHERE THE HUMOUR THEY INJECT INTO THEIR LIVE PERFORMANCE PLAYS A LARGE PART IN THEIR APPEAL. WHILST THEY APPEAR NOT TO TAKE THEMSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY, IT IS OBVIOUS TO EVERYONE WHO SEES THEM THAT THEY ARE ALL EXTREMELY CAPABLE AND TALENTED MUSICIANS. AFTER LYING DORMANT FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS DARTS EVENTUALLY SUCCUMBED TO THE CAJOLING OF THEIR EVER-FAITHFUL, HARD-CORE FAN BASE WHO WERE CONSTANTLY DEMANDING THEY REFORM. THE BAND EVENTUALLY TOOK THE PLUNGE, AGREEING TO ‘TEST THE WATER’ AND DID A FEW ONE-OFF GIGS WITH MOST OF THE ORIGINAL MEMBERS. SUCH A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL THAT THEY DECIDED TO CARRY ON IN THIS VEIN BUT WITH THE FULL LINE-UP AND THEY CONTINUE TO PLAY A FEW SELECTED GIGS ANNUALLY. IF YOU ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO SEE THEM, AND YOU MANAGE TO AVOID ‘BIG DEN’ ON HIS RAMPAGES INTO THE AUDIENCE, YOU WILL BE GUARANTEED A GOOD...