Retro Singer

Professional vocalist, vintage wedding entertainment, music, functions, events

1950s Vintage Singer at 60th Birthday Party Airdrie

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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.

Las Vegas Tribute Show at Alea Casino Glasgow

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I had the pleasure of returning to the Alea Casino in Glasgow recently to perform at a glittering ‘Las Vegas’ style night.

The Alea is a great place in Glasgow for a night out, as not only can you try your luck at the Poker table or on the slot machines, but they also have a variety of live entertainment and tribute shows in their bars and restaurants.

Alea Casino prides itself on its Las Vegas style, located on the waterfront at Springfield Quay with stunning views of the River Clyde and the Glasgow skyline.  So it was the perfect venue for a Las Vegas style evening.

Las Vegas style entertainmentI performed classics from the 1950s and 1960s from stars such as Frank Sinatra (and his daughter Nancy!), Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Nat King Cole, and many others to keep us all in the Vegas mood.  The audience were really up for singalong after they enjoyed their dinner at the casino’s fantastic Face to Face function room.

Many thanks to Ford McGill at the Alea for organising such a stylish and fun-filled night.

 

1940s style 80th Birthday Party

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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.

1940s singer birthday party

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!

mum-80th

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

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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.

Greywalls-Hotel-Vintage-Singer

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.

Greywalls-Vintage-Wedding-Muisc

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’.

Afternoon tea party at the Marriott Hotel Glasgow

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The Marriott Hotel in Glasgow was the venue for a vintage-style afternoon tea party I performed at recently.  Based in Argyle Street in the centre of Glasgow Scotland, the Marriott is a very popular choice for corporate functions and parties.

The event was hosted by a pharmaceutical company,  who had invited patients to an open day and wanted to finish off with afternoon tea and entertainment.  I came along with a mixture of golden-oldies to cheer up the visitors who had had a long morning taking in information, so they were glad of a little light entertainment with some tea and cake to refresh themselves!

Marriott Hotel Glasgow

Many thanks to Catherine Price from MPI for ensuring everything ran smoothly.

Vintage 1940s & 1950s Show Newtonmore

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This Saturday (2nd May) I will be heading up north to Newtonmore to perform my 1940s / 1950s show at the Village Hall for Friends of the Main House.   We’ll be commemorating the 70th anniversary of VE Day by singing all the great songs from that fabulous era.

There are still some tickets left for this event, so if you fancy spending your May Day weekend celebrating vintage-style up in the beautiful village of Newtonmore, call 01540 662294.  Tickets are £12.50 and include a light supper.  The show starts at 7.30pm.  Hope to see you there!

 

 

Silver Wedding Anniversary at Mar Hall Hotel Scotland

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The Mar Hall Hotel provided the perfect venue for a Silver Wedding Anniversary party I performed at recently. Situated in Bishopton, near to Erskine, this Edwardian Scottish mansion is a luxury five star hotel with gorgeous views over the River Clyde.

 

It was a beautiful sunny Autumn day with clear blue skies as I drove into the hotel grounds.  Set within a picture-perfect 240 acre woodland estate, I was struck by the tranquil peace and beauty of the area.

 

The interior of the Mar Hall Hotel is decorated in an elegant vintage style that exudes class and sophistication.  The pianist playing softly in the lounge added to the relaxed ambience.

 

I had been asked to perform a mixture of Swing classics and 1950s & 1960s songs, with the anniversary couple picking the majority of the songs themselves from my set list. Their main objective was to keep all their guests up on the dancefloor, and this was no difficult task as everyone was really up for a party from the word go.

 

I started with a ‘1st dance’ for the anniversary couple: the gorgeous Etta James classic ‘At Last’.  I was glad they chose this song as I love it as a first dance; it’s so romantic and works beautifully, plus it’s familiar to all age groups because it was recently covered by Beyonce.

 

The rest of the guests needed no prompting to join in the dancing and looked like they were thoroughly enjoying themselves.  I love singing at wedding anniversary parties because there’s a certain atmosphere to them that’s a little different to weddings – everybody is so relaxed and at home with each other, as the two families have had all those years to become well-acquainted.

 

As the night went on I sang a mixture of Swing standards and kept the emphasis on fun, dancing, and romance, with ‘Let there be love’, ‘Cheek to cheek’, ‘My baby just cares for me’ and many other classics.  I even threw a bit of Jessie J into the mix in response to a request on behalf of the younger members of the audience 😉

 

The night was over too soon, but I’m glad to report some excellent feedback from the happy couple:

 

“We booked Lisa to perform at our Silver Wedding Anniversary event where we had guests across a wide age group. Without exception every single guest commented on the amazing performance that Lisa gave – her set of 50’s and 60’s classic’s fitted perfectly with the theme of our evening and we could have been in a New York supper club from that era.

 

Her delivery was effortless and the quality of her voice was exceptional – without doubt she put the gloss on what was a fantastic evening and the dance floor was never empty. We would have no hesitation in recommending Lisa to anyone wanting to add a touch of class to their event, we only wish we could do it all again!”

 

~ Jane and Simon Grey.

(From Free Index business directory)

To see more of my reviews, please visit my testimonials page.

 

So, all in all, a wonderful evening at the Mar Hall Hotel.  I would thoroughly recommend this hotel as a top-class venue for a wedding or anniversary function.  Many thanks to Jane and Simon for making me feel so welcome at their lovely party.

 

Views over the Clyde

Views over the Clyde at Mar Hall

Golden Wedding Anniversary at Douglas Park Golf Club

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Last weekend I sang at a beautiful Golden Wedding Anniversary party at Douglas Park Golf Club. It was a nice local booking for me as Bearsden is less than an hour away.

 

It’s the first time I’ve performed at Douglas Park Golf Club, and I must say I was very impressed, not only by the stunning views of the golf course, but also by the lovely staff, who were genuinely friendly and very welcoming. A big thank you goes out to Moses and Lisa for all their help and hospitality on the night.

 

The clubhouse itself was very nice indeed: a perfect venue for an intimate gathering. The room was a nice comfortable size for a small party, plus it also featured a good-sized dancefloor.  Excellent use of lighting gave the room that extra-special touch too.

 

I always love to perform at Golden Wedding Anniversary functions, as it feels such a wonderful and important thing to celebrate a couple who have stayed happily together for such a long time. It’s so lovely to be part of that very special celebration.

 

When I look around at all the guests I wonder who was originally present at the wedding and imagine what life was like for them on that day 50 years ago; how they have changed, and how the world around them has changed too.

 

In this case it would have been 1964, and the world was indeed a very different place back then. The average weekly wage was £16, BBC2 made its first broadcast (which was Play School!), the Forth Road Bridge was opened, and Harold Wilson was poised to become Britain’s first Labour Prime Minister in 13 years.

 

Music was very different back then too. Whenever I sing at a Wedding Anniversary party I like to look back and see what was in the ‘Hit Parade’ back then, so I can include some of the songs that would have been around when the happy couple were in the first blush of romance.

 

In 1964 Beatlemania was in full flow, and they had pretty much taken over the charts. Their first film, A Hard Day’s Night, was released in July of that year. The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, and Cilla Black were also very popular.

 

James Bond featured in the cinema and in the charts too, as there were two ‘007’ movies out that year: ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘From Russia with Love’, with their respective theme tunes becoming huge hits for Shirley Bassey and Matt Monro.

 

On this occasion however, I had been asked to perform music from a slightly earlier era: Swing songs and other classic easy-listening standards. I was glad to do so as this is my personal favourite genre of music!

 

I chose a mixed program that included plenty of lovely old romantic songs such as ‘Fly me to the moon’ by Frank Sinatra, ‘I only have eyes for you’ by Ella Fitzgerald, and the 1950s Jo Stafford hit ‘You belong to me’.

 

I soon realised that the guests were really up for a party as they were up on the dance floor from the word go. So as the night went on I shifted from swing music to timeless pop classics such as ‘Baby Love’ by The Supremes and ‘Kissin’ in the back row’ by The Drifters, to keep everybody happy on the dancefloor.  I also got a request for some country music, so I added a bit of Dolly Parton into the mix, plus a Boney M medley in response to numerous ‘Slosh’ requests!

 

I finished off a lovely evening with what is in my opinion the perfect Golden Wedding Anniversary song: ‘The Anniversary Waltz’ by Vera Lynn.

 

My warmest congratulations go out to Andrew and Brenda. May they enjoy many more happy years together.

Corporate function at The Forest of Arden Hotel, Birmingham

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It was a busy week of gigs for me last week. Thursday saw me heading down the M6 to Birmingham where I was booked to perform at a corporate function in The Forest of Arden Hotel and Country Club.

What a beautiful venue it was. With an impressive golf course and herds of wild deer roaming around the grounds, you would never imagine it was just a few miles away from Birmingham Airport.

Whenever I sing at a corporate function I always find it fun and interesting because I get to meet and work with other businesses and entertainers, and this was no exception.

I performed my Swing show, and was joined onstage by the beautiful Vegas Show Girls.

They certainly added a touch of glamour to the night, with their glitzy costumes and fabulous dance routines (choreographed by Emma-Jane Ashman).

The Vegas Showgirl dancers and Lisa Martin

The Vegas Show Girls in action (Photo courtesy of www.brillpix.com)

They were also lovely and helpful backstage in helping me with my dress, which seemed to have developed a mind of its own!

Even more glamour and showbiz was to be found in the reception area, where a stunning Marilyn Monroe lookalike was onhand to provide drinks, alongside a very convincing Oscar award ‘living statue’, both provided by top corporate event agency www.steppin-out.co.uk.

Jamie Bennion and his team at http://businessav.co.uk/ took expert care of sound and lights.

Steve Brill of Brillpix Photography was busy all night taking photos of all the proceedings.

Northamptonshire-based, Steve specialises in wedding, commercial, and corporate photography.  Check out his excellent work here: http://brillpix.com/

A big thanks to Steve for letting me use some of his photographs from the event.

That night I headed straight back up north to Manchester, to break up the journey back to Glasgow. Unfortunately the M6 was not kind to me and I ended up driving for hours due to various road closures – all the while listening to the Scottish referendum results as they came through on the radio.

It was around 3am by the time I reached my hotel – a beautiful little country guest house called Ash Farm in Altrincham.

This was such a charming place in very picturesque surroundings, with very friendly hosts – unfortunately though, I didn’t have much time to enjoy it as I was heading straight back to Glasgow later that morning.  Hopefully I will get a chance to return for a longer stay whenever I’m next in the Manchester area.

That night I was singing at a cabaret night at The Columba Club in Barrhead. It was a lovely night, very well-attended, and lots of funds were raised for Mary’s Meals charity.

On Saturday I revisited one of my favourite clubs, The RAFA in Prestwick, for their annual Battle of Britain ball.

I’ve performed at this event for the past few years now and it’s always a pleasure to return and see all the friendly and familiar faces.

As usual, the dancefloor was packed from start to finish with lots of talented and energetic dancers, and lots of fun was had by all.

Check out this video from the RAFA club, it seems that we had a lot of teenagers in that night! 😉

Hawick Town Hall 1940s & 1950s show

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Hawick Town Hall will be transported back in time to the 1940s & 1950s when I visit on Saturday July 26th to perform my 40s & 50s tribute shows.

I’m very glad to be working again with the lovely Emma from Time Events to present a wonderful nostalgic night full of all the fabulous music from a wonderful ‘time gone by’.

Songs from all-time great performers such as Connie Francis, Doris Day, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Vera Lynn, The Andrews Sisters, plus many more will ensure that it is a night full of singalongs, dancing, and great memories!

Tickets start at just £5 and can be purchased by clicking HERE.  Book early to avoid disappointment, and feel free to come along dressed in your favourite vintage styles!

Looking forward to seeing you in July at Hawick Town Hall for a night of retro fun 🙂