BARNARD Castle art’s centre has lined up a range of entertainers to perform musical tributes.
Abba, The Carpenters and Queen are just some of international best-selling groups and performers whose music will be performed at The Witham.
Kicking off on Saturday, February 25, is A Celebration of Simon and Garfunkel.
But it’s not a usual tribute band performance, say the singer songwriters Tim Chu and Ian Bailey, who put the show together.
There are no costumes, gimmicks or backing tracks, just acoustic guitars and two vocals.
The pair will play nearly two hours of Simon and Garfunkel’s music in chronological order, with stories about the songs.
The folk-rock legends were one of the best-selling groups of the sixties.
“We don’t dress up or try to impersonate Simon and Garfunkel,” said Tim Chu, who grew up listening to the music on his parent’s record player. “We just concentrate on the music and arrangements ensuring that the sound is right.
“We did spend quite a bit of time working on our parts before we took to the road and although we do some of our own interpretations, we wanted to be true and at least hone the original versions.”
The set includes classics such as Homeward Bound, Scarborough Fair, The Sound of Silence, I am a Rock and Mrs Robinson.
Ian Bailey said: “Having the opportunity to sing and play the music of the iconic duo is a wonderful experience, whether it’s taking people back down memory lane or introducing a younger generation to the music of Simon and Garfunkel, performing and celebrating their songs is simply a joy.”
Doors open at 6.45pm with the performance starting at 7.30pm.
Next up at The Witham is Carpenters Experience on Saturday, July 1, followed by Abba Sensation on Saturday October 28.
Finally, it’s the turn of Queen UK Live Experience, the UK’s premier Queen tribute band on Friday, November 3.
The Witham’s marketing officer, Jane Woodward, said: “It’s a packed programme. We had Abba Sensation perform here two years ago and they were really popular so we have got them back.”
