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Wedding at Orocco Pier Hotel South Queensferry

September 4, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently paid a visit to South Queensferry to sing for a wedding at the gorgeous boutique hotel Orocco Pier.  What a charming place it was, set on a quaint little cobbled street in a seaside town near Edinburgh.  The bunting that had been arranged all the way down the street gave it a real vintage feel.

wedding singer orocco pier

Once I got to my room I was very pleasantly surprised by beautiful views right out over the Firth of Forth.

The function room for the wedding also shared these same views, making the balcony a very popular place as it was a lovely warm summer evening.

I was very impressed by the bride and groom’s first dance selection – they had put together a cool mash-up which started off with a romantic love song then blasted into 80s classic ‘The Power of Love’ by Huey Lewis and the News, as they invited all their friends up to join them on the dancefloor.  Great choice – that’s got to be one of my favourite 80s numbers!

As for my part of the proceedings, the bride had asked for a mixture of music from a variety of eras and genres, and specifically requested some theme songs from my James Bond/Casino show – including the famous Shirley Bassey classics ‘Goldfinger’ and ‘Diamonds are forever’ to add a touch of diva-type sophistication to the evening!  I was happy to oblige, and as the evening went on I added in some more upbeat numbers to keep everybody moving.

Julie, the bride, very kindly sent me some excellent feedback, which you can read on my testimonials page.

Wishing Mr and Mrs Ryan all the very best for the future!

Airth Castle Hotel – A Vintage Fairytale Scottish Wedding

August 17, 2013 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Professional vintage vocalist at fairytale Scottish Wedding Castle

Vintage Fairytale Scottish Wedding

I had the pleasure of singing at a beautiful vintage fairytale Scottish Wedding at Airth Castle Hotel  last weekend.

Even though Airth is less than an hour away from me (near Falkirk), I’d never been there before (and was not even aware it had a castle!) so it was nice to get the chance to visit a new place.

Airth Castle Hotel provided a beautiful venue for this vintage fairytale Scottish wedding.  The castle itself dates back to the 14th century, and was once owned by the family of Robert the Bruce.

 

Of course, it’s now been refurbished to the high standards that people expect for a luxury vintage Scottish wedding, with outstanding facilities, plus an excellent team of friendly attentive staff.

The bride had asked me to provide some romantic vintage love songs while people were enjoying their Wedding Breakfast.  She wanted some swing and jazz from the 1940s and 1950s – lovely old classics such as ‘The way you look tonight’,  plus some more modern ‘chilled out’ music, including ‘Come away with me’ by Norah Jones.  This is not a song I’ve ever done before, but it was a great suggestion, as it’s such a beautiful song with a very romantic sentiment.  So I’ll keep that one in my set list for future weddings.  It’s a waltz too, which always comes in handy at functions, as everyone loves to dance a waltz, and there are not so many great songs in that particular time signature.

Wedding photography was provided by the excellent TDH Media.  Well, ‘wedding photography’ doesn’t really fully describe their service, as they also provided videography, and even the latest craze: ‘marryoke’.  All the guests had a lot of fun singing along to the marryoke song, as they created a unique video to celebrate the occasion.  I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of this trend, as media companies get creative and provide more fun interactive services for their wedding parties.

Idyllic surroundings, gorgeous suites and fabulous dining – not to mention the luxurious Spa facilities – make Airth Castle Hotel a very popular venue for wedding parties from all over the world.  The bride was a big Disney fan, and it looks like she picked the right place for a perfect vintage fairytale wedding.

Scottish Wedding Singer

Prior to the guests’ arrival… the view from my microphone!

Vintage Wedding Show Glasgow

August 1, 2013 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Lisa Martin Retro Singer

Last weekend saw me at the Trades Hall in Glasgow as I appeared at a wedding showcase for Freak Music which was part of The Vintage Wedding Show at the Merchant City Vintage Festival.

It was great to see Glasgow packed with all things vintage, with so many people showing up dressed for the occasion.  Merchant City was transported back in time as people braved the weather to watch live bands, learn jive dancing and get hair and beauty makeovers.  It certainly seems like the Vintage scene is alive and kicking here in Scotland.

First up at our showcase was the quirky and unique fourpiece ‘Banjo Lounge Four’ who performed a great mixture of songs both old and new.  Playing banjo, guitar, double bass and drums, they had a cool acoustic sound and made every song their own – from classics such as ‘Just a Gigolo’ to the latest chart hits from artists such as Beyonce and Calvin Harris.  We were even treated to a unique take on the theme from Knightrider, via their version of Punjabi MC’s remix ‘Mundian To Bach Ke’.

Next up was little ol’ me!  I performed a range of songs from the 1940s and 1950s, and featured some of my favourite wedding songs such as ‘The way you look tonight’, ‘Let there be love’ and ‘At last’.  I’m just an old romantic at heart!

Andy-Miller-Swing-SingerLast but not least was the fabulous Swing singer Andy Miller.  I’m always glad to get the chance to work with this superb performer, as not only is he a great singer, but he is also a really nice guy – always a bonus in this business!  Andy is a true all-rounder, as not only does he do a fantastic Swing show, but he is also in great demand for his Robbie Williams and Michael Buble Tribute shows.

Afterwards I had a wander around to see some of the other exhibitors at the show.  Bouquets, cakes, photography, flowers, and of course, wedding dresses – all in a gorgeous vintage style – it makes me wonder why anybody would consider having a ‘normal’ wedding!

Then as luck would have it, I bumped into my good pal and ‘dancer extraordinaire’ John Ritchie from top Big Band ‘That Swing Sensation’.Vintage-Wedding-Show-Scotland

Fred Astaire eat your heart out!

All in all, the day was a big success, with a great turnout of prospective Brides and Grooms looking for that stylish Vintage touch to add to their special day.

A big thank you goes out to Chris from Freak Music for being on hand throughout the day for help and support.

 

 

 

Lisa Martin Vintage Singer

 

James Bond Tribute and Best of British Music at Berwick

May 18, 2013 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Last weekend I nearly made it back onto English soil; travelling down to The Borders to perform my James Bond tribute show ‘Casino Royale’ at Berwick Holiday Park.  They put on a special ‘Best of British’ themed night for the owners’ party – so of course ‘Bond’ fitted the bill perfectly!

The team at Berwick did a great job in decorating the room in true British fashion, with plenty of bunting and balloons to add to the atmosphere.  The crowd were obviously up for a party and many had come in fancy dress (including one very inventive ‘postbox’ from Newcastle!) so I added into the set some uptempo pop songs from British favourites such as Emili Sande, Jessie J and Amy Winehouse to keep them on the dancefloor.

I was appearing with top Elton John Tribute Act Joel Coombes.  What a great performer this guy is!  He not only looks and sounds the part, but he is also a fantastic musician.  A true professional and a pleasure to work with, he really got the crowd going with all the popular Elton John classics such as I’m Still Standing, Rocket Man, and of course the classic Candle in the Wind.

Joel Coombes Elton John Tribute

Joel Coombes as Elton John

 

Autotune – Handy Studio Tool or Singer’s Curse?

April 14, 2013 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I was doing some session work the other day and was having a bit of a lively discussion (!) with the producer about pitch correction devices such as autotune.  He seemed to think that autotune was just another editing tool that could be used in the same way that reverb and other effects might be added to the vocals, and made the point that even legends like Frank Sinatra had their work edited.

I feel quite differently; it’s one thing to ‘cut and paste’ the best parts of a performance during a studio session – but to change the actual notes that a singer decides to sing interferes with the artistry of singing, in my opinion.  When a machine is used to alter these notes by measuring and gauging whether they are perfectly ‘in tune’, I think we can run a real danger of removing some very important nuances of the singer’s performance.

Pitch correction software such as melodyne shows each vocal note on the screen.  Every little ‘flaw’ is made visible, making it very easy for producers to ‘pull’ the errant note back into perfect pitch; effectively editing with their eyes instead of with their ears.

But why this need for everything to be so ‘perfect’? 

Some of my favourite songs are full of ‘imperfections’ in terms of pitch.  In fact I think those very imperfections are what makes them so unique.  Take Billie Holiday’s ‘The Very Thought of You’, or Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’ – two very different styles of singers – but it would be a travesty to change a single note of either of these performances, in my opinion.

When I compare Marilyn’s version of ‘Diamonds are a girl’s best friend’ with the more modern ‘Glee’ version, I am in no doubt as to which one I prefer.  I would much rather listen to a performance with pure heartfelt emotion, as opposed to a technically perfect, but soulless version.

Imagine iconic moments such as Audrey Hepburn’s rendition of ‘Moon River’ in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s, taken and hacked neatly into submission by a pitch correction machine… would it remain such a poignant and unforgettable piece of movie history?  I personally don’t think so.

Now, I don’t completely disagree with producers who claim that autotune is a vital time-saving piece of studio equipment; used judiciously I agree that it can be a useful addition to the producer’s toolkit, especially in time-limited situations.  However the problem arises when people get ‘lazy’- doing a couple of quick takes and leaving the rest to the ‘post-production magic’.

Pitch correction software first came out in the mid 1990s, and ever since it has become more and more ubiquitous in the world of popular music.  Like it or not, it seems it is here to stay.  Just like when we see models with flawless complexions in the pages of magazines, we will never again be sure that we are faced with the ‘real’ thing, or a technically altered version.

I just count my blessings that this kind of technology was not around in the days of Billie, Ella, Frank, Nat, Judy, and all the other legendary singers whose artistry we are fortunate enough to be able to listen to in unadulterated form.

1940s, 1950s and 1960s tribute shows at Nardini’s, Largs, Scotland

March 22, 2013 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Lisa Martin 1950s showI recently appeared at a great venue on the West coast of Scotland called Nardini’s.  This famous Scottish landmark was first opened in the 1930s, and it still retains its ‘retro’ art-deco style – perfect for me of course!

I was booked to perform 3 tribute shows in one night – starting with my 1940s wartime show, then my 1950s show, and finishing off with my 1960s show, plus some lively modern songs to keep everyone dancing.

I really enjoyed my first visit to this fabulous restaurant.  The staff were very friendly and helpful, and the audience were ready to enjoy themselves.  A big coachload of ladies from Ardrossan ensured that I was kept as entertained as my audience – they were really up for a laugh and enjoyed dancing and singing along to all the old favourites.

 

New Year Dinner Dance at Seamill Hydro Hotel

January 6, 2013 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Lisa Martin wedding singerMy first booking of 2013 was on New Year’s Day for a dinner dance at the beautiful Seamill Hydro Hotel in West Kilbride.  This is the first time I’ve been to this hotel – or to West Kilbride for that matter – and I must say I was very impressed, both by the lovely setting, and the friendly helpful staff.

The Seamill Hydro is set in a stunning location – it was dark when I got there, so it wasn’t until I looked out of my window the next morning at magnificent views over the Firth of Clyde that I realised it is right on the seafront.

There were a lot of families staying at the hotel over New Year, and it was obvious the hotel catered for them very well, with a fun kids’ club, and even an old-fashioned Carousel outside in the gardens.  Not to mention all the great leisure complex facilities for the mums and dads!

I was performing alongside the fantastic DJ ‘Cheeky D’ of Cheeky Entertainment.  A true professional, he played all the right songs, and did a great job in getting the crowd up to party on the dancefloor.

All in all, it was a great start to the New Year.  It was quite a mixed crowd in terms of age-range, so I sang a mixture of modern pop songs and older classics, to try and include something for everyone.

Here’s one of the songs I performed on the night; the Nat King Cole standard ‘Let there be love’

 

Lisa Martin Retro Singer

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About Lisa Martin

Lisa Martin retro singerLisa Martin is a professional singer based in Glasgow Scotland who specialises in classy vintage style shows.. Read More…

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