THERE’S non-stop entertainment at Melksham Assembly Hall with enthralling new shows and live music coming up over the coming months.
On Friday 12th January, the Assembly Hall welcomes John Otway – Rock ‘n’ Roll’s Greatest Failure – to the stage. From the age of 9, John Otway knew he wanted to be a pop star. But even at that young age, having listened to his sister’s Beatles and Stones records, he knew he would never be able to do what they do. However, when his sister got the latest Bob Dylan album, he knew there was a place for him and he set about learning how to play guitar.
For nearly 40 years John Otway’s running joke of a career as ‘Rock and Roll’s Greatest Failure’ has won him a cult following that has led to him playing the Albert Hall and premiering his own biopic in Leicester Square.
Outrageous, sentimental, capable of catastrophic failure and moments of great genius, Otway flaunts it all on stage. He’s a one-man tour de force. Tickets cost £12 and doors open at 7pm.
Turn up the heat this winter with the Forbidden Nights’ show on Friday 19th January.
Forbidden Nights are skilled and professionally- trained performers, hand-picked from around the UK with charisma, undeniable talent, sparkling personality and honed physiques in equal measure. They can sing, they can dance and they are very easy on the eye! The show features a vocalist, aerial chain artist, acrobats and fire act- all delivered with an element of naughtiness, but not so naughty that you can’t bring your granny! The evening is suitable for over 18s. Think Cirque de Soleil meets Magic Mike! Show is now Sold Out.
On Friday 9th February, The Kast Off Kinks take to the stage to get the party started. The iconic British rock band, The Kinks, are often cited as one of the most important and influential rock bands of all time.
Their first hit, You Really Got Me, in 1964, broke new ground with driving power chords and Dave Davies’ distorted guitar sounds, and created a template for many bands to follow in a rock and roll development, which led variously to heavy metal, new wave and grunge.
Later work saw the band’s style change to more melodic songs, highlighting Ray Davies’ lyrical and observational skills in songs like Sunny Afternoon, Dead End Street and Waterloo Sunset.
Although the band’s popularity in the UK waned in the 1970s, they found new commercial success, particularly in the USA, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and returned to the UK top 20 in 1983 with Come Dancing. The Kinks continued as a recording and gigging band until 1996, when the Davies brothers went their separate ways with solo careers.
The Kast Off Kinks comprises long time Kinks members: Mick Avory (Kink from 1964-1984) on drums who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, Jim Rodford (Kink from 1978-1996) on bass and vocals who in addition to his Kast Off Kinks duties is a current member of The Zombies, co-founded Argent and also did a stint with The Animals, Ian Gibbons (Kink from 1979-1989 / 1992-1996) and current member of Ray Davies’ band) on keys and Dave Clarke on guitar and vocals who has worked with Noel Redding, Tim Rose, and members of the Who, Wings, Animals, The Beach Boys and Spirit.
The band are also sometimes rejoined by former Kinks bassist John Dalton (Kink from 1966-76), who founded the Kast Offs in 1994.
Tickets for all shows are available from the Assembly Hall on 709887, Melksham TIC in Church Street or visit www.melksham town.co.uk /assemblyhall
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