Great gig in Rotherhithe | The Skamonics

Great gig in Rotherhithe | The Skamonics - London ska band

Oct 30, 2011 gig, wedding set list, wedding Comments are off

>Update: We’ve had a nice message from our clients:

” Thanks so much for playing on Saturday, we had such a fantastic time. We’d like to send you all a card “

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We had huge fun playing for D and N’s wedding blessing last night. This was at the Hilton hotel on the banks of the Thames in Rotherhithe, just across the river from Canary Wharf.
As Steve’s photo shows, it was a beautifully clear evening though not the time of year for outdoor gigs.

We learnt three new songs at the couple’s request. For their first dance we had to knock up a quick arrangement of They can’t take that away from me. This is an old jazz standard written by George Gershwin, though we suspect many people today are more likely to know the Robbie Williams version and probably think it’s called The way you wear your hat as at least some of the band did. As we already do songs like Fly me to the moon and In the Mood for Love, we know how to ska up these great old swing tunes.

For their second song they wanted Moondance. We didn’t think this could really be done with a ska or reggae feel so did it rather like the original.

We had the most fun with Hava Nagila. This introduced the band to the traditional chair-lifting that goes with this old tune at Jewish ceremonies. And it makes for a great bit of ska, allowing Steve to demonstrate the klezmer side of his clarinet playing. We will be playing this one again.

Here’s the set list we played.

They Can’t Take That Away from me –a special request for the first dance

Moondance – another request

Guns Of Navarone – all ska bands have to play this

Latin Goes Ska – a favourite 60s ska instrumental

I’m in the Mood For Love – swinging ska jazz that we often do as a first dance

You’re Wondering Now – a 60s ska song that Amy Winehouse recorded

Alley Cat Ska – another 60s instrumental

Man In The Street – and another

Fly Me To The Moon – ska swing

Can’t Get You Out out of my Head – Kylie goes ska

Enola Gay – many 80s songs make great ska