ELVIS GOES A CAPPELLA IN AUTUMN CONCERTS

When an award winning Elvis impersonator joins forces with a top barbershop quartet you can bet on a great evening. The two worlds met in 'Love that Song', our concert at the Banstead Community Centre on Saturday 22nd September.

What a night! For a start it was a sell out, and the audience were in the right mood to lift the performers. So, why be modest, it was fantastic.

Our star guests were the four guys who took the Silver Medal at the National Barbershop Convention in Scarborough this year - 'By Appointment'. Franz Atkinson, Terry Bryant, Paul Cousins and Peter Kennedy are also well known internationally and so we were delighted to share a stage with them.

However, we were not the only ones to get in on the act as Matt Wakefield, playing Elvis, couldn't have wished for a better backing group when singing 'Love me tender'. His interaction with the quartet provided humour, and superb harmonising, as he stole Paul's role and then had a vocal dual with the 'By Appointment' lead man.

Add to this the lovely Helen Shaw, and a few of The Downsmen doing solos and duets, and the applause said it all.

It is always a pity to put on a show for just one night when so much effort goes into the preparation. Just look at us doing MacNamara's Band! Therefore, the package was offered to the Leatherhead Night Hostel in order to raise funds for refurbishment. The Downsmen, and their guests, had a bit more work to do on October 13th at the Parish Church Hall as 'By Appointment' could not make the date. But, with Helen Shaw producing more glorious Eva Cassidy numbers and Matt giving us extra Presley we topped up the programme. There was even a mystery performer, as a heavily disguised Eileen Mason brought the audience to tears - of laughter - with a rendition of 'Why am I always the bridesmaid?'

It was broad smiles all around at the end when it was revealed that, after expenses, just over £600 had been added to the Night Hostel coffers.