Hugh Laurie and the Copper Bottom Band Review
“Please, Mr Music, will you play…” a young Stephen Fry told a young Hugh Laurie to close out each episode of Thatcher and Major-era sketch comedy show A Bit of Fry and Laurie. And Laurie, who began piano lessons at the age of six, would play a masterful piano solo to end each show (while Fry made cocktails and danced, of course).
Now several decades later, Laurie has tilted the balance away from acting altogether (“I was, until recently, an actor,” Laurie told the cheering crowd at Melbourne’s Palais), focusing on his jazz and blues octet, the Copper Bottom Band. On Saturday night they delivered an electrifying performance, including hits such as Wild Honey, Let the Good Times Roll, Kiss of Fire and Send Me to the ‘Lectric Chair.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yYnJrluzbQY&feature=youtu.be
The seven men and women behind Laurie are certainly not playing second fiddle. All are extremely accomplished musicians, and they produced jazz, blues and gospel hits with energy, pizzazz and significant skill and musicality. Although Laurie sang many of the songs (either from his customary place at the piano or, occasionally, with a guitar at centre stage), on some he was an accompanying player, letting singer-songwriters Gaby Moreno and Jean McClain knock the audience’s socks off with their impressive vocal stylings.
But those who wanted to see TV’s most irascible doctor singing his heart out wouldn’t be disappointed, with Laurie giving his all on keyboard and the microphone. He seemed to be having an absolute blast, dancing, cheering on his band and delivering some of his trademark wide-eyed comedic fare between songs. Laurie was exceedingly funny and charming, comfortable in front of a large crowd and passionate about his fellow musicians and the American soul they played.
Laurie seems as if he can’t believe his luck (“Here’s a sentence I thought I’d never get to say – outside of a shower cubicle – here’s a song off our first album”), and his love for the music and extraordinary musicians on stage with him means this is no mere vanity star vehicle. Indeed, Laurie himself, though a very good musician, is probably the least skilled there – and he’s happy to let the others shine with numerous intricate solos. It might be the band thatHouse built, but it’s got real heart and soul and is a hell of a lot of fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HrmAgYE-6k&feature=youtu.be
CANBERRA : The Royal Theatre – Tuesday 22 April
ADELAIDE : The Barton Theatre – Thursday 24 April
PERTH : The Concert Hall – Saturday 26 April
BRISBANE : The Brisbane Concert Hall – Friday 02 May
NEWCASTLE : The Civic Theatre – Saturday 03 May
SYDNEY : The State Theatre – Monday 05 May
SYDNEY : The State Theatre – Tuesday 06 May
SYDNEY : The State Theatre – Wednesday 07 May
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au
