PORT Elizabeth’s best known piano playing entertainment celebrity, Ian von Memerty, joins forces with Centrestage to front the band to present a rollicking tribute to Elton John entitled Honky Cats.
This is the first time that Centrestage has focused on the flamboyant showman and also represents the first time that Von Memerty has fronted a music tribute review, making this collaboration a rather unique affair.
Honky Cats – A Tribute to Elton John, will open a three-night run at the Guild Theatre in East London from January 28 to 30.
“Elton John is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the last half century. To tackle his music is a challenge and delight. I saw him live at his peak in 1982 in Sun City and I remember thinking what a superb singer he was live!” says Von Memerty.
“I can’t wait to start working with a big live band – I know some of these musicians already – and we are going to rock this!
“My shows are normally about exploration – I have never done a straightforward tribute – so it is new ground for me and I am going to have to make sure that my pianistic chops are on the braai! Thankfully I have the costumes already!”
He added: “I first worked with Gary Hemmings 19 years ago when he was just starting out. So it is a natural extension for us to be working together on a project that we are both really excited about.”
Said Hemmings: “Ever since the early days of Centrestage when Ian performed his witty, interactive cabaret shows at the Port Elizabeth club, I have been a long-standing Ian von Memerty groupie, in awe of his theatrical showmanship, likeability, the sheer entertainment whirlwind which blows into town every time he is involved in a show, and of Ian’s incredible piano playing.
“I have wanted to cover Elton John for the longest time, as he is one of my own personal favourite artists”, he continued, “but it would really take a very special musician and performer to be able to emulate the larger-than-life Elton John energy”.
“Knowing that Ian is an A-list SA celebrity and TV star in his own right, I took the longest of gambles when approaching him with this idea, thinking that it would take an immense amount of coaxing to convince him.”
Winner of 15 national awards as a performer, creator and director, Von Memerty is best known as the host of Strictly Come Dancing and as a judge on SA’s Got Talent.
His two-piano show A Handful of Keys has played to more than 420 000 people, in over 1400 performances.
“Imagine my surprise and delight when Ian not only agreed, but immediately opened up his extremely busy diary to commit to dates!” said Hemmings.
Ian was quick to point out: “I am not an impersonator – so this is not an Elton John sing-a-like.
“Elton sounds like he sings low – but he actually sings high; I sound like I sing high but I actually singer lower – so we are going to do some adapting so that I can really give the songs their full worth.”
The Centrestage band backing Von Memerty consists of Gino Fabbri on drums, Andrew Warneke on bass, Fenlin Pitie on keyboards, Wayne Kallis on acoustic guitar and Andrea Morris on vocals and sax.
The show also introduces a new guitarist to the Centrestage lineup, that of Sandy Robbie, who has an impressive guitar pedigree which includes having played guitar for Clout and Little Sister.
In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300 million records. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No 1 US albums, 58 Billboard Top 40 singles, 27 Top 10, four No. 2 and nine No. 1.
The shows on January 28 and 29 start at 7.30pm and January 30 show starts at 8.30pm. Tickets cost R160 and can be booked at Computicket or by calling Wendy on 0826616921.
Von Memerty takes on Elton John challenge
This is the first time that Centrestage has focused on the flamboyant showman and also represents the first time that Von Memerty has fronted a music tribute review, making this collaboration a rather unique affair.
Honky Cats – A Tribute to Elton John, will open a three-night run at the Guild Theatre in East London from January 28 to 30.
“Elton John is one of the greatest singer/songwriters of the last half century. To tackle his music is a challenge and delight. I saw him live at his peak in 1982 in Sun City and I remember thinking what a superb singer he was live!” says Von Memerty.
“I can’t wait to start working with a big live band – I know some of these musicians already – and we are going to rock this!
“My shows are normally about exploration – I have never done a straightforward tribute – so it is new ground for me and I am going to have to make sure that my pianistic chops are on the braai! Thankfully I have the costumes already!”
He added: “I first worked with Gary Hemmings 19 years ago when he was just starting out. So it is a natural extension for us to be working together on a project that we are both really excited about.”
Said Hemmings: “Ever since the early days of Centrestage when Ian performed his witty, interactive cabaret shows at the Port Elizabeth club, I have been a long-standing Ian von Memerty groupie, in awe of his theatrical showmanship, likeability, the sheer entertainment whirlwind which blows into town every time he is involved in a show, and of Ian’s incredible piano playing.
“I have wanted to cover Elton John for the longest time, as he is one of my own personal favourite artists”, he continued, “but it would really take a very special musician and performer to be able to emulate the larger-than-life Elton John energy”.
“Knowing that Ian is an A-list SA celebrity and TV star in his own right, I took the longest of gambles when approaching him with this idea, thinking that it would take an immense amount of coaxing to convince him.”
Winner of 15 national awards as a performer, creator and director, Von Memerty is best known as the host of Strictly Come Dancing and as a judge on SA’s Got Talent.
His two-piano show A Handful of Keys has played to more than 420 000 people, in over 1400 performances.
“Imagine my surprise and delight when Ian not only agreed, but immediately opened up his extremely busy diary to commit to dates!” said Hemmings.
Ian was quick to point out: “I am not an impersonator – so this is not an Elton John sing-a-like.
“Elton sounds like he sings low – but he actually sings high; I sound like I sing high but I actually singer lower – so we are going to do some adapting so that I can really give the songs their full worth.”
The Centrestage band backing Von Memerty consists of Gino Fabbri on drums, Andrew Warneke on bass, Fenlin Pitie on keyboards, Wayne Kallis on acoustic guitar and Andrea Morris on vocals and sax.
The show also introduces a new guitarist to the Centrestage lineup, that of Sandy Robbie, who has an impressive guitar pedigree which includes having played guitar for Clout and Little Sister.
In his five-decade career Elton John has sold more than 300 million records. He has more than fifty Top 40 hits, including seven consecutive No 1 US albums, 58 Billboard Top 40 singles, 27 Top 10, four No. 2 and nine No. 1.
The shows on January 28 and 29 start at 7.30pm and January 30 show starts at 8.30pm. Tickets cost R160 and can be booked at Computicket or by calling Wendy on 0826616921.
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