Functions Archives - Retro Singer

Vintage Singer Preston

December 3, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently had the pleasure of singing for a wonderful lady at her 80th birthday party in Chorley near Preston, Lancashire. Held at the beautiful Shaw Hill Golf and Spa hotel, it was a lovely celebration of life, love, friendship and family.

The Shaw Hill is a marvellous country house hotel set above a championship golf course in the tranquil setting of Chorley in Lancashire. Vardon’s restaurant provided the perfect venue for the nostalgic afternoon.

I sang a selection of favourite old songs that were all specially chosen by the family.

The day was organised by her daughter, who sent me this lovely testimonial:

“Lisa performed at my mum’s 80th birthday over the weekend. She sang some nostalgic songs from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s which evoked many happy memories for mum and her friends.
Lisa was professional and friendly and of course, super talented! I would thoroughly recommend Lisa to anyone planning a special event and looking for a first class singer.
Thank you Lisa, you made my 80 year old mum a very happy lady x”

She also sent me this picture – how romantic! To think they’ve been together for 59 years and he’s still gazing at her as if they’d just met – heartmelting!

Still romantic after 59 years!

I had a really good time meeting all the family and felt privileged to be part of such a special occasion.

Singing at the Novar Estate in Dingwall

July 12, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

During the last couple of months I’ve had quite a few trips up to the Scottish Highlands to perform at the beautiful Novar Estate in Dingwall near Inverness.

I was booked to provide entertainment for some groups of American visitors who were visiting Scotland as very special guests of Whyte and Mackay award-winning whisky.

They were certainly lucky as they got to see Scotland in all its summer glory – we had such amazing weather here during June! And lucky for me too, as the drive up from Glasgow to Inverness was really something in the sunshine – just like driving through a picture postcard.

Whyte and Mackay wanted to provide some high-class entertainment that was a little different from the usual ‘bagpipes and Scottish dancing’, so they asked me to sing a mixture of music for the guests, including some American songbook standards.

During pre-dinner cocktails I sang light easy-listening songs, including some fun vintage-style versions of pop songs (in the style of Postmodern Jukebox), and during dinner I provided jazz standards plus some other well-known classics such as popular Bond themes. After dinner we picked up the pace and let our hair down a bit with some music for dancing (Abba was a big favourite, as always!).

From my time singing on American cruiseships I’ve always loved entertaining American audiences, as they’re always very friendly and enthusiastic. The groups at the Novar Estate were no exception, and so we had a lot of fun.

Really speaking, my job was very easy, as the guests were already so happy at being in such a sumptuous setting. Whyte and Mackay had treated them to some stunning trips around Scotland, and The Novar Estate is a really outstanding venue. Check out this link for some fascinating history on its origins: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Novar_House

Neil and the team at the Novar did an absolutely sterling job ensuring that every detail was absolutely perfect, from the whisky cocktails to the sumptuous dinner. Shauna from Whyte and Mackay was the perfect hostess, organising everything so it ran perfectly smoothly and making sure that everyone was totally happy.

It was so lovely to meet everyone at Novar, and I’m looking forward to returning again soon.

1950s Vintage Singer at 60th Birthday Party Airdrie

June 10, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I love when I’m asked to be the singer for a birthday party or anniversary, because it feels like such a privilege to be invited into such a special occasion.

And my recent booking at Harty’s Function Suite in Airdree was no exception. I was contacted by the birthday girl herself, who was organising her 60th birthday celebration and wanted a vintage 1950s singer for her party.

She had decided on 1950s and 1960s music, because that was the era during which she grew up. And also of course because the music and fashion from those decades are so cool!

I was sent some song suggestions and I put together the set list to include the recommendations. I’m always happy to include song requests when I’m given enough time to organise them beforehand – it makes it so much easier when I have the opportunity to prepare the music and rehearse etc.

And in this case it was a real pleasure as the songs were all excellent choices I have to say! The requests included At the hop, Runaround Sue, That’ll be the day, Da doo ron ron, and lots of other great numbers that always keep the dancefloor filled.

The chosen venue was Harty’s Function Suite in Airdrie (formerly known as the Caritas Club).

When I arrived to set up I was very impressed by the lovely vintage 1950s style decorations that had been arranged. Balloons and 1950s memorabilia gave a great atmosphere to the room, and it was topped off with a fun 60th birthday cake in the shape of a record player!

All the party guests had gone to town with 1950s and 1960s fancy dress and they looked fantastic. This era lends itself so well to parties as it’s so easy to source vintage 1950s and 1960s clothes so everyone can have fun and really get into the mood.

The birthday girl was such a gracious host and had a wonderful time. She gave me some lovely feedback too:

“Thank you for making my special bday extra special you are a fantastic singer and everyone thought you were excellent so thank you so much Lisa xx”

What a lovely lady! Wishing her all the very best for the future.

James Bond Show for Edinburgh Hilton Launch

February 10, 2018 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

A James Bond show was the theme of the evening for the launch party of the new Hampton by Hilton Hotel in the Edinburgh West End. I was delighted to be asked to perform my ‘Casino Royale’ show, which features a mixture of classic James Bond themes together with songs to suit a Vegas Casino theme night.

Hilton Hotel Edinburgh James Bond Casino night

Trying my luck before the show!

The West End of Edinburgh is becoming a fantastic area for new businesses, with the Fountainbridge area boasting a huge range of attractions, including multiplex cinema, restaurants, bowling alley, casino, and even a trampoline park.

I discovered that Fountainbridge has something of a connection with James Bond, as Sean Connery was born here. Prior to becoming the original iconic Bond he had a slightly less illustrious job here – as a milkman!

Hampton by Hilton prides itself on its friendly service, and I must say all the staff at the hotel were the friendliest I’ve ever encountered. They were so cheerful, and really couldn’t do enough to help. Paul and Lauren were in charge of the night and they made a fabulous team, making speeches, organising the raffle, and mingling with the crowd throughout the evening to ensure everything ran flawlessly.

The hotel restaurant had been magically transformed into a James Bond style Casino, with soft mood lighting and pictures of various Bond movies all around the walls. The guests had fun at the casino tables, magician ‘Pop’ was on hand to keep everyone entertained, and I performed music throughout the evening to set the musical backdrop.

Here’s a snippet of the famous ‘James Bond’ music, plus my rendition of ‘Skyfall’ by Adele:

I also performed a mixture of easy-listening background music while the guests were sipping their martinis and trying their luck at the casino – here are some of the songs I performed:

Many thanks to Tracey at The Entertainment Company for organising the acts on the night as expertly as always.

60th Birthday party at Carnbooth House Hotel Glasgow

January 20, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I had the pleasure of performing at a 60th birthday party recently at the beautiful Carnbooth House Hotel in Glasgow. This hotel is not so far from me, so I’m surprised I haven’t come across it before. What a hidden gem though! Stunning surroundings and lovely old-world charm, it’s a real touch of class on the outskirts of the city centre.

The staff couldn’t have been more helpful, and the night went very well indeed, with laid-back easy listening classics to start the evening, and lively party songs for dancing later on. Gwen, our birthday girl, was truly the ‘hostess with the mostess’ and was on the dancefloor all night.

It was such a pleasure to meet Gwen and her friends and family, and to visit such a gorgeous place. Hopefully it won’t be my last visit.

70th Birthday Party in Glasgow

September 15, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently sang at a 70th birthday party at the Condorrat Social Club in Glasgow, performing some great hits from the 1950s and 1960s for a lovely audience of young and old.

I had some special requests for lots of Connie Francis and Brenda Lee numbers, plus a smashing old song called ‘If you love me’ which I really enjoyed learning and adding into my set.

The ‘birthday boy’ Bill had a great night – he didn’t know he was getting live entertainment as it was organised by his daughter as a surprise. I got this lovely feedback from him and his daughter:

“Just enjoyed a surprise 70th party arranged by my family. Entertainment was from Lisa Martin and she was fabulous. A 50’s/60’s night, loved her Connie Francis numbers in particular. The night ended too soon. I would recommend to anyone looking for a similar night. Thanks Lisa” ~ Bill Brackenridge

“Thank you so much! You were exactly what we were looking for, and my dad just thought you were great (we had told him we were getting a dj so you were a nice surprise for him!). I have to tell you, absolutely everyone I spoke to at the party commented on how good you were, that you were perfect for my dads party, and how they much preferred your sets to a dj – a few even said they were definitely booking you for their upcoming parties!

Thanks again, you were really wonderful!” Caragh

It was fantastic to meet everyone. Happy Birthday Bill, may you enjoy many more!

Battle of the Somme Centenery

July 17, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently visited the Corbridge Corstopitum Social Club in Northumberland to perform my wartime tribute show at their Battle of the Somme Centenery commemoration.

The Battle of the Somme represented a defining moment of the First World War, as it was the first major engagement in the history of the war, and caused a great deal of tragic loss and bloodshed. 2016 marks its centenary, so all across the UK there has been a big surge of interest in this historical period as people pay their respects to the brave soldiers who gave their lives.

It was a great pleasure to meet the lovely people at the Corstopitum Club. They had made a big effort to transform the club into a cool vintage style, complete with sandbags, flags, and even ration tins of pickled onions. There were some great outfits on show – one very glamorous lady in particular came up to me at the end of the night and announced that ‘she’ was really a he!

I love my wartime show as I have to admit the old songs from those days are among my very favourites. Music from the First World War includes lots of cheerful sing-alongs – it’s easy to see why they needed cheering up, during such dark days. I included ‘Bless em all’, ‘Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag’, and a few Al Jolson numbers that prompted many pairs of ‘jazz hands’ to start waving!

I received some lovely feedback posted on my Facebook page from audience members, such as:

‘Awesome night thank you’

‘The singer was amazing’

‘Fantastic night thank you’

‘Fantastic singer. Lovely lady definitely book her again. Thank you Lisa’

It’s great to know that everybody enjoyed themselves, and all for such a good cause.

Many thanks to Kate and her team for organising such a fabulous night, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again soon 🙂

Christmas Party at Gleneagles Hotel Perthshire

January 8, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

After a lovely Christmas visiting family and friends back home in Liverpool I was delighted to return to the world-renowned Gleneagles Hotel to sing for the guests. Last year I had so much fun with everyone, so I was very glad to be asked back. Once again, the Christmas spirit certainly hadn’t dampened and everyone was in the mood to party!

Where better for a vintage gal like myself to perform than the gorgeous hotel bar, with its 1920s-inspired décor. The music didn’t stay in the 1920s for long though 😉

I started out with some laid-back classics to suit the mood while everybody relaxed with a few drinks, but just like last year, the pace quickly picked up. I moved onto some lively numbers from the 60s and 70s together with a selection of modern chart hits and the party soon got into full swing with plenty of dancing around the bar.

Elsewhere in the hotel, things were a little more jazzy as Euan Stevenson and his trio performed some cool jazz standards. There really is something for everyone at Gleneagles over Christmas, with plenty of activities laid on for both adult and younger guests, together with a great selection of musical entertainment on over the holiday period.

But one of the best things about Gleneagles is the staff. The porters, the reception team, the bartenders and the bar manager were all so friendly and courteous, as usual going out of their way to be the best of service.

All in all, it was a real pleasure to return to this famous Scottish hotel.

1940s style 80th Birthday Party

December 18, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

This month I performed at my most important VIP gig of the year – my mum’s 80th birthday party! We decided to have a 1940s / 1950s theme to give her a little reminder of what life was like when she was a young slip of a thing 😉

Nobody needed much of an excuse to get into the mood and dress up accordingly. It helps that 1940s fashion is so easy to access nowadays with many online shops providing cool vintage looks.

My gorgeous cousins suit the 1940s look!

I did a little snippet of my 1940s and 1950s show to get the party started, then two of my cousins (Shirley and Becca) took to the mic and kept the singing going (what a talented family we are!). My partner Stephen is also a singer and musician, so he finished the night off with some music to keep everyone dancing.

My mum had a brilliant time, she was grinning from ear to ear from the moment she walked in. She was up on the dancefloor all night – I don’t know where she gets her energy from – she’s living proof that age really is just a number!

The birthday girl looking fabulous

It took me two car journeys to get all the presents and cards back to my mum’s house – not to mention the all-important birthday cake.

It was so nice to get to see all my family, as I really don’t see enough of everyone now that I live up in Glasgow. Big thanks to everyone that helped organise the party, including my brother Danny and his girlfriend Barb who laid out a delicious buffet, my cousins Kate and Shirley for providing a stunning vintage-style birthday cake plus some lovely party decorations, and everyone else for joining in with all the fun!

Vintage Wedding Music at Greywalls Gullane

November 23, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I performed some lovely vintage style wedding music at the gorgeous Greywalls Hotel in Gullane a little while ago. I was booked to sing 1940s and 1950s classics during an afternoon drinks reception, the day after The Big Day.

After a very pleasant drive along the coast from Edinburgh to Gullane, we arrived at Greywalls, which is a stone’s throw away from Muirfield Golf course. Even though autumn was well on its way we were very lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, so I was able to set up outside in the enchanting grounds of the hotel.

Not my car… unfortunately 😉

Greywalls Hotel is a charming place that retains a quiet homely feel while remaining perfectly elegant, inside and out. Built in 1901, it has seen the whole of the 20th century go by, so it seemed very fitting to choose the best of popular songs from throughout the century.

The old-style romantic songs such as ‘The way you look tonight”, “As time goes by” and “Cheek to cheek” seemed to suit the character of the hotel perfectly.

The charming gardens at Greywall Hotel

It was a delightful afternoon, with guests either sitting and listening while they enjoyed their refreshments, or having a little dance when the mood took them.

Sunshine, good music, and great company – what more can you ask for? I think these sunny afternoon gigs are my favourite type of bookings!

Are you looking for ideas for vintage weddings in Scotland? Take a look at this video, which features some lovely vintage suppliers, including elegant bridal dresses, quirky vintage cutlery, delicious cakes, and classy photography – plus me singing one of my favourite romantic ballads ‘What a difference a day makes’.

About Lisa Martin