'Feeling Groovy' back by demand
THE Simon and Garfunkel tribute Feeling Groovy is back at Old Grey in Port Elizabeth this week following an enthusiastic response to the original run.
"The feedback from audiences who saw this show was overwhelming," Centrestage's Gary Hemmings said.
"This show displayed so much heart and fantastic musicality that it immediately became one of my all-time favourite productions which I have been proud to present.
"The pacing of Feeling Groovy was significantly different from many of our previous Centrestage offerings, as the focus was placed more on the subtle instrumentation and emotional interpretation of the wonderful Simon and Garfunkel songbook than on sheer entertainment value... When it comes to local musical icons, nobody has a pedigree to match that of Neil Thomson, whose articulate guitar finger work and deep understanding of the folk genre made him an ideal Paul Simon stand-in."
Hemmings said long-time compatriot Roger Gilson's clear and high voice was a perfect match for Art Garfunkel.
They are joined by the virtuoso talents of Hugo Kleinhans, supported by Devon van Rooyen and Andre Strydom in the rhythm section.
The seven-piece ensemble delivers 32 songs in the lineup, including favourites such as The Sound of Silence, Homeward Bound, Mrs Robinson, Slip Sliding Away, Bridge over Troubled Water, Hazy Shade of Winter, 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover and American Tune.
Selections from Simon's solo career such as You can call me Al, Late in the Evening, Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes, Take Me to the Mardi Gras and Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard are also included, as is the soaring Garfunkel solo hit Bright Eyes.
Aside from their Port Elizabeth performances on Thursday and Friday, the group also return to East London to perform for two more evenings at The Venue at Hemingways on August 23 and 24.
Tickets for Feeling Groovy, which starts at 7.30pm each evening, can be purchased through Computicket at R120, with tickets for blocks of eight or more costing R110 each.
