AFTER 15 years playing in the same duo under the same name, SPECTACULAR FEETS guitarist/vocalist KEITH ALLEN has seen a few changes.
Playing on Sunday afternoon at the Bonnells Bay Hotel with CHRISTINE FREEMAN, who sings and plays blues harmonica, Allen began his duo in another time and place.
'When we started out in duos it was a bit of a novelty,' he said.
'We used to use one of those tinny little drum machines.'
Now is an era of inexpensive high quality computer backing and whole song arrangements that can be downloaded off the Internet.
For Spectacular Feets, however, Allen plays real bass into pre-recorded backing, including computerised drums, and plays live guitar over the top.
'The duo scene now is not what it was,' he said.
'What's happened now to the covers scene in the local hotel is where it was a band it is now a duo.
'We play to the crowd that's there and you do the songs they want to hear.'
He said venues liked to see plenty of people up and dancing, and for duos that meant newer songs such as MAMBO NO.5 and EVERY MORNING by SUGAR RAY. But there is a trend now for songs from the past, which are re-released on movie soundtracks, to make comebacks once the movies are released.
'Songs like I CAN SEE CLEARLY NOW and BROWN EYED GIRL. 'There's constantly stuff in my repertoire that seems to come back in,' Allen said. TE
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