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Review: Doreen Doreen, Long Ashton Community Centre – ‘Smiles, tears and dance moves’
I don’t normally spend my Saturday night in Long Ashton but I made an exception for the delightful ten-piece Bristol legends that are Doreen Doreen.
This wasn’t my first rodeo having seen them at Glastonbury and at Bristol’s fabulous Valley Fest (which I’d recommend to anyone as a family-friendly festival with great food, views and music).
As I arrived after a picturesque cycle on Festival Way on a stunning sunny summer’s evening, the place was buzzing with feather boas, sequins and glitter, which was applied to my face, the drinks menu explained as I was draped in white feather boas – a nice touch.
is needed now More than ever
Carol was bedecked in silver sequins ‘like a disco suit of armour’ – photo: Matt Barnes
As we milled around I chatted to the night’s key curator Susan. She was very excited to have Doreen Doreen in ‘the village’, as a Big Name that are well known for all the right reasons.
The show was a key fundraiser for the community centre, a charity that raises funds to put back into the centre. Susan had clearly done an amazing job as word of mouth spread through the village, causing the event to sell out quickly with very little promotion needed.
From the moment I set foot in the glistening venue – decorated suitably with DD’s trademark viking hats glowing above our heads – it was clear the party was already in full flow and the music was soon to put the cherry on top.
Everyone was dressed up and ready to dance. As the many members of Doreen Doreen take to the stage people are dancing arms aloft with one group of youngsters having the time of their lives from the very start. “I’ve heard you lot can dance!” DD’s Carol shouted as a challenge to the crowd, who seemed far too busy already dancing to realise.
The audience were ready for a good time on Saturday night – photo: Long Ashton Community Centre
Doreen Doreen fuse pop classics seamlessly together, it’s what they do. They do it so well that someone grabbed me at Glastonbury and demanded I watch them.
“Who jizzed on my top!” shouts Carol, sitting covered head to toe in silver sequins like a disco suit of armour, before setting the singalong flying with an Elton John medley of Rocket Man / Don’t Let the Sun Go Down You.
The drinks were flying out of the bar onto the floor all around me. Spilled drinks = good times. Total Eclipse of My Arse has me yelling along with a smile on my face.
“If you don’t dance I’m not coming back!!” says Carol as she charges the crowd to get as low as they possibly can, then jump up for Faithless dance classic Insomnia.
The set highlight for me has to be seamlessly mixing ABBA’s Mamma Mia into Queen’ s Bohemian Rhapsody. Whoever’s idea that was should take a bow. Why not combine two of the most famous songs of all time? They even throw in a bit of Love Will Tear Us Apart leading into New Order’s Blue Monday.
This room was full of so many smiles, tears and dance moves it felt like I was at a wedding.
Lead singer Carol had the crowd eating out of her hand – photo: Angie Weller
Singer Carol who has “had a shit time of it recently” due to major surgery had the crowd in her glittery pockets throughout. There’s a ten minute guitar solo and the energy is kept to a max by the four backing singers: Doreen Doreen essentially have five front women all singing their hearts out and looking suitably shiny and happy.
I learned three things from this gig: 1. Bass sung in a Geordie accent is funny; 2. The people of Long Ashton clearly like to party; and 3. I now have an inbuilt rivalry with Backwell – Doreen Doreen should not play there again and should always choose Long Ashton Community Centre instead.
The show was a huge success, and hopefully it raised enough to be able to do this again, as they are keen to. Here’s to many more. Please see Doreen Doreen at this year’s Glastonbury or at Valley Fest, you won’t be disappointed. I’m still finding glitter in strange places now.
Main photo: Matt Barnes
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