Watching Cristian Marais perform Jailhouse Rock I was instantly reminded of the last time I heard an Elvis song.

It was at Cirque du Soleil’s Viva Elvis show at the Aria in Las Vegas. What made that performance unique was no cover artists were used – instead they played original footage on giant screens of Elvis singing and dancing, while Cirque’s performances acted as a “back up” to the King.

So Elvis is fresh in my memory.  And Cristian certainly did him proud.

In Mike McCullagh’s latest show at the Roxy Revue Bar, Milestones to the Millennium, his merry band of performers take on hits from the 60’s to the end of the 90’s. It was no doubt quite a challenge deciding on a playlist that would span five decades and accurately represent the greatest music of the times, still I felt a little aggrieved that Nirvana did not make it onto the list.

Nevertheless the playlist (see below) does read as a who’s who of music over the past half century, and anybody watching the show should be very familiar with the songs performed.

The cast is very talented. It’s hard enough to do a quality tribute to a legend like Elvis, but to also through in Freddie Mercury, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson…. 

Standout highlights for me were without doubt Marais’ performances of Jailhouse Rock, Sweet Transvestite and I Want to Break Free, and Jonathan Dryer, Celeste Schoeman and Monier Adam’s respective performances of Could You be Loved,  Respect and Billie Jean. Remembering now how good those performances were, I’m a little disappointed in their covers and interpretations of Jimi Hendrix and AC/DC, which just didn’t have the same powerful presence as their Marley, Jackson and Rock Horror Picture Show performances. 

Jonathan Dryer is an excellent host on the evening, injecting humour into the show with witty one-liners, without trying to turn it into a comedy show and the band are the unsung heroes, effortlessly performing some very complicated tracks.

Milestones to the Millennium is on at the Roxy Revue Bar Wednesdays to Saturdays until 12 January 2013. Shows start at 8:30pm and tickets are R78. The New Year’s Eve show start at 10:30pm and is R130.

PLAYLIST:

1st Half

• The Lion Sleeps Tonite ( The Tokens)
• Jailhouse Rock/Blue Suede Shoes (Elvis)
• River Deep Mountain High (Tina Turner)
• I Feel Good (James Brown)
• 8 Days A Week (The Beatles)
• Respect  (Aretha Franklin)
• I Can See Clearly Now (Johnny Nash)
• My Girl (Temptations)
• Purple Haze (Jimmy Hendrix)
• Crocodile Rock ( Elton John)
• American Pie (Don Maclean)

2nd Half

• Thunderstruck/You Shook Me All Night Long (Ac/Dc)
• Could You Be Loved (Bob Marley)
• Endless Love (Lionel Ritchie/Diana Ross)
• Sweet Transvestite (Rocky Horror Show)
• Stayin Alive (Bee Gees)
• Paradise Road (Joy)
• Mama Tembus Wedding (Magaret Singana)
• Living La Vida Loca (Ricky Martin)
• Superstiton (Stevie Wonder)
• I Want To Break Free/We Will Rock You (Queen)
• Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
• Dancing Queen (Abba)
• Encore:  Blame It On The Boogie (Jackson Five)

Jeremy Abbott is a born and bred Capetonian and loves everything about Cape Town,

except the southeaster, traffic jams, taxis... the list goes on... and so does he...

Add Jeremy to your circles on Google+