This critic first heard of these five musical ruffians when they had the honour of performing in the Royal Albert Hall at last year’s Proms (a two-month music festival in England with around 80 concerts in the Hall alone, for those of you who are unaware of such things). And now they’re back in Australia – having originated here – to perform some more concerts in the Playhouse of the Sydney Opera House.
Originally entitled ‘The Ennio Morricone Experience’ – which gives one some idea of the content of the show – the five-piece band is a sight to behold, dressed as they are in period costume. The stage is extremely busy, even for an orchestra, with a backdrop of three large transparent red plastic circles – a sort of sun-setting landscape that sets the mood for the evening.
The five members of the band – Patrick Cronin, Graeme Leak, Boris Conley, Shannon Birchall, and David Hewitt – lead the audience through an aural landscape of a paper-thin – indeed, basically non-existent, or at least not logically coherent – story, searching as they are for a ‘Bob, Bob Robertson – that’s Bob, Bob Robertson’. Throughout they play selections from Morricone’s film soundtrack career, from such movies as A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, Once Upon a Time in the West, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
Two percussionists (one on drums and one on vibraphone), a double bassist, a whistler, and a keyboard specialist make up the band, though there’s more switching and sharing of instruments than can be mentioned here, and indeed there are more instruments than can be counted on the fingers and toes of all five of the men, including, but certainly not limited to a Jews Harp, an Asthma Inhaler, a pair of Nail Clippers, a Cornflake box, and Tasmanian Lottery Balls. For this is not just a concert of Morricone’s music, but a foley-delight from start to finish, as the members constantly surprise with their weird and wonderful musical methods.
Highlights of the night came thick and fast, but especially memorable was the poignancy of the Theremin solo (the Theremin being a contact-free instrument that works by moving one’s hands closer to and away from a radio aerial). Indeed, the light and shade that was achieved in this 80 minute marvel was perfectly judged. Much of this was helped with the aid of some rather nifty lighting and rather prodigious use of two smoke machines, which misted up the night scenes. The music was constantly captivating, and, even as one laughed throughout the pieces, one was never not aware of the fine performance on offer. But, having said all this, nothing this critic can say can properly do this show justice – highly, highly recommended.
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
The Spaghetti Western Orchestra
Patrick Cronin, Graeme Leak, Boris Conley, Shannon Birchall, David Hewitt
Playhouse, Sydney Opera House
August 14 – 19
