When I first wandered into the Assembly Rooms I honestly did not know what to expect, as my understanding of ‘Ragtime Jazz’ was poor. However, as soon as I made my way up the stairs and entered the cozy, intimate setting of Oscars, my eye caught sight of an almost sold-out audience with not much space left for me to sit! This could only indicate one thing - everybody had huge faith in the Washboard Resonators and their ability to execute a stellar show.
Throughout their first set, the two men were nothing but charming - giving us an introduction to the origins of their instruments (many of them originating back to the 1920’s and 30’s). They played enchanting songs with a gorgeous acoustic feel (they stated there was no electricity involved in their setup - purely the resonation of sound from their instruments which had been caught via microphones and fed into the PA system) - this added to the high quality of their musicianship as the sound was so raw, yet there was not one incorrect note and both of them had solid rhythm and timing. We couldn’t help but bob our heads in time to the music or tap our feet, or sing along to well-known numbers such as ‘Ain’t Nobody Here But Us Chickens’!
Set 2 was a lot more lively - it featured multiple, quite abnormal instruments such as slide whistles, slide guitars and even bicycle bells and a ceramic jug (the latter made a rather unique, bass-like noise!), with the duo performing more original numbers as well as tracks from the 20’s, 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. The eclectic nature of the instruments amused everybody in the room - latterly we were even treated to an unexpected tap-dancing performance which was brilliantly executed and so rhythmic! Needless to say, an encore was called for and a fair few people made for a standing ovation at the end. I left the theatre that night with a feeling of joy and contentment…and I now most definitely know what ‘Ragtime Jazz’ is all about!
A must if you fancy a night out and you’re in South or North Shropshire - check out their concert dates online!
Sounds like such an entertaining night, with some true musical talent!