Hollywood comes to Preston

Darebin City Brass-Preston Band, conducted by Jason Mears, Preston Town Hall, Melbourne, Australia, Saturday 26th November, 2005.

The month of November 2005 will go down in history as the time that Hollywood came to Preston. The Darebin City Brass–Preston Band presented "Hollywood Movie Themes" in cabaret on the 26th November.

Darebin Hollywood Ladies: Ruth Hardman (Whoopi Goldberg), Marita Davies (Morticia Addams), Brittany Crabbe (Cruella de Ville), Cass Liston (Tinkerbell), Jess Crabbe (Dorothy), Janice Ballinger (Ginger Rogers), Eileen Turner (Catwoman), Janet Ross (Princess Leia)

Each member of the band arrived dressed as their favorite movie star, and performed to an audience of over 300 people, who sat mesmerised by the standard of the costumes and the standard of the playing.

John Hardman & Robert Clark as Laurel and Hardy

The program opened with the hall in darkness (apart from music-stand lighting) as Batman, Catwoman and the Penguin appeared from nowhere to the strains of the Batman movie theme. The audience was spellbound as the eerie atmosphere of this music reached its climax, then Batman and Catwoman disappeared just as quickly as they had arrived. The Penguin disappeared after cavorting around trying to avoid Batman.

The lighting was gradually restored as Dorothy, the Tinman, Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion from the Wizard of Oz came looking for the yellow brick road accompanied by the band playing "We're off to see the Wizard". "Dorothy" (Jessica Crabbe) then gave a plaintive rendition of the classic "Somewhere over the Rainbow" on her baritone.

The program continued with the theme from "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". If the audience looked hard enough they would have seen "Indiana Jones" sitting on the repiano cornet chair.

Next the band gave a beautiful rendition of the love theme from the movie Braveheart, "For the Love of a Princess". This was followed by a tribute to Louis Armstrong by Andrew Power who gave an outstanding performance of the trumpet solo "Satchmo".

The band then performed "Cartoon Classic" reviving memories of many of the Looney Tunes and other cartoons.

Each member of the band was then introduced to the audience. There was Tarzan, The Adams Family, Lea from Star Wars, Austin Powers, Tinkerbell, Zorro , Ginger Rogers, Laurel and Hardy, the Pink Ladies and many others. All members of the band put in amazing efforts to reproduce their movie icons.

Chris Lee as Tarzan

After interval Steve Crabbe (Elwood) played a number from the movie The Blues Brothers, "Minnie the Moocher." Steve and his bass trombone went down a treat with the audience.

Steve Crabbe as Minne the Moocher

The band followed up with the theme from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, followed by "Soul Bossa Nova" from the Austin Power movies. This was followed by a ceremony during which Principal Cornet player, Robin Ford, was presented with a certificate of honour from the Victorian Bands League celebrating 39 years service to banding. Robin then followed this with a beautiful, emotional rendition of the cornet solo "You Raise me Up".

This concluded the band's program, after which the audience danced the night away to Stuart Ferguson's band "Red Sand shuffle". All in all, a great night was had by everyone who attended -  the band prepared and conducted by The Count (Jason Mears) played brilliantly! The band looks forward to presenting further innovative concerts such as this!

Peter Caldwell

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