By Cathy Vaughan
The sounds and harmonies of the 1940s will fill Richmond’s Regent Theatre when the Starr Sisters with entertainer Meera Belle the Harmonix Big Band perform two shows of In the Mood.
The wartime swing concert will be presented at 1pm and 4pm on Sunday, November 8, combining the voices of a vintage vocal trio with the power of a live big band.
Audiences can expect a tribute to the Andrews Sisters and the music that provided a soundtrack to an era shaped by war, uncertainty and extraordinary social change.
The program includes familiar songs such as Rum and Coca-Cola, Sing, Sing, Sing and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.
The Andrews Sisters became internationally famous for their close harmonies and energetic performances during the Second World War. Their recordings and appearances entertaining Allied servicemen made them enduring symbols of the period.
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy, released in 1941, became one of their best-known recordings. Its combination of swing rhythms, military imagery and vocal harmony captured the popular sound of the early war years.
The concert will bring that style to Richmond through the Starr Sisters’ vocal harmonies and full arrangements performed by the Harmonix Big Band.
Meera Belle, who also operates the Gin Joint, has become known locally for vintage-themed entertainment that draws on the fashion, music and theatrical presentation of earlier decades.
Organisers describe In the Mood as a high-energy production rather than simply a historical recital, combining nostalgia with the excitement and scale of live brass, woodwind and rhythm sections.
The decision to hold two performances has also been influenced by a desire to make the concert accessible to more members of the community.
Organisers hope elderly residents and people living with disabilities, including residents from 14 nursing homes across the region will have an opportunity to attend.
For some older audience members, the music may revive personal memories of family gatherings, dances, radio broadcasts and songs heard during childhood. Younger concertgoers will have the chance to experience music usually encountered through recordings performed live on stage.
The event also marks another substantial live production for the restored Regent Theatre, which is again becoming a focal point for entertainment in Richmond.
Built during the great age of cinema, the Regent provides an appropriate setting for a concert celebrating music and presentation from the first half of the 20th century.
In the Mood will be performed at the Regent Theatre, 145 Windsor Street, Richmond, on Sunday, November 8.
Shows begin at 1pm and 4pm.
Adult tickets cost $58, concession tickets are $45 and children’s tickets are $40, with booking fees applying.
Tickets and further information are available through the Regent Theatre. Telephone enquiries can be made on 02 4578 1800.
