<img src='' title='Event Category: Music' alt='' id='templ_icon_' width='' height='' /> Event Category: Music

Steve Pretty (and friends) On the Origin of the Pieces

Presented by Steve Pretty

Steve Pretty is best known as bandleader of internationally-renowned brass pioneers Hackney Colliery Band (‘one of the greatest live bands that we have in this country’ BBC Radio 2), but he is also a composer, performer and podcaster with an enduring fascination with what music is, where it comes from, and why it even exists in the first place.

He explores these questions and more on his podcast for the musically curious, Steve Pretty On The Origin of the Pieces (‘Wide-ranging and insightful’ Guardian), which promises to ‘help you to hear, understand or just enjoy music in new ways’.

And for this live podcast show, he will be joined by special guests Guy Pratt, Robin Ince and Theon Cross.

Whether you’re a musical novice, a seasoned professional, or just a curious shower singer, this unique evening of music, entertainment and enlightening chat will leave you ‘better informed and happier about the world’ WhatsOnStage.

Bollywood Greats

Presented by the London Bollywood Orchestra with Rekha and Navin

Navin Kundra and Rekha, stars of the British Asian music scene front a band of top London classical musicians powered by Indian percussion. Bringing alive the Golden Era of Bollywood and performing arrangements of songs composed by Bollywood legends, this is the launch of the London Bollywood Orchestra.

Award-winning singer, songwriter and actor, Navin’s vocals have received praise from the likes of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Cliff Richard, Shaan and King Charles. Rekha’s theatre credits include Bend It Like Beckham and Bhangra Nation. She has performed and collaborated with Shankar Mahadevan, Kuljit Bhamra, Naughty Boy, Ellie Goulding and Arjun. Music Director Tim Pottier was the lead arranger behind the Lata Mangeshkar Prom, the CBSOs ‘Best of Bollywood’ concerts, Sonu Nigam’s Rafi Resurrected and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s Remembering Nusrat. His Bollywood and qawwali arrangements have been performed throughout the world.

See your favorite Bollywood songs performed live in the magical surroundings of Wilton’s Music Hall. Intimate and steeped in history, Wilton’s is one of the world’s oldest working music halls. Frequently used as a film set, it is a perfect Bollywood venue.

Vocals: Navin Kundra and Rekha
The London Bollywood Orchestra
Music Director: Tim Pottier

 

Carradine’s Cockney Sing-a-Long

Presented by Tom Carradine

Celebrating a decade of sold-out performances at Wilton’s, your piano-playing host, Tom Carradine returns for another uproarious evening of song.

Let Tom lead you in a traditional East End sing-a-long around the old Joanna, including ditties from the Music Hall era, WWI and II, the West End stage and popular songs from across the decades. It’s a good old-fashioned knees-up!

Since launching at Wilton’s back in 2014, Carradine’s Cockney Sing-a-long has gone from strength to strength, performing every Thursday at Mr Fogg’s Tavern in Covent Garden and for vintage festivals, corporate events and private parties across the country.

The sing-a-long has also appeared on television (including The Apprentice and Sunday Brunch), two transatlantic crossings on the Queen Mary 2 and in Trafalgar Square for the Mayor of London’s 2024 St George’s Day celebrations.

In January 2022, Tom was recognised by the British Music Hall Society with an award for “keeping the spirit of music hall alive”.

Photo credit: Matt Grayson

Brian Clemens Jazz Orchestra featuring Francesca Confortini

Join pianist and composer Brian Clemens as he leads his Jazz Orchestra through an unforgettable night of music and glamour. Fronted by the powerful and charismatic vocals of one of Europe’s rising star vocalists, Francesca Confortini, the two will join forces for a thrilling night that will transport you back to the sumptuous golden era of jazz and feature their unique musical catalog, described by Jazzwise UK as ‘an exhilarating and entertaining set of creative arrangements of standards and original music’.

Also featuring artistic and entertaining arrangements of much-loved Beatles tunes, Motown masterpieces, Great American Songbook classics, and even 1940s Italian hits, Brian will lead you through a whirlwind of his artistic catalog, complemented by Francesca’s soaring vocals and inimitable energy. Of course, the show will also include some beloved music hall favorites for this special Wilton’s performance, adding a touch of nostalgia to the evening.

As part of their core group, Luminoso, the duo has been entertaining London audiences at legendary jazz clubs such as Pizza Express Soho and Hampstead Jazz Club and are thrilled to be teaming up with their big band of London veterans for this special performance. Don’t miss this chance to experience a night of spectacular music in one of London’s most iconic venues that promises to be a highlight of the season. Get your tickets now!

Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words and Music

Presented by Hambletts

Laurie Lee’s extraordinary story told in a captivating weave of music and his own words!

Red Sky at Sunrise follows Lee through his much-loved Cider with Rosie trilogy, when he famously walked out of the Slad Valley one midsummer morning and ended up fighting with the International Brigades against Franco’s forces in the Spanish Civil War.

Anton Lesser (Game of Thrones, Wolf Hall, Endeavour) and Charlie Hamblett (Killing Eve, Ghosts, The Burning Girls) play the role of Laurie Lee older and younger, along with a rich array of other characters. Together, they celebrate Lee’s engaging humour, as well as his darker side, in a performance that has startling resonance with modern events.

Devised as a show by Judy Reaves, the text by Laurie Lee has been adapted by Deirdre Shields. A ‘breathtaking’ musical programme by Orchestra of the Swan devised by the Swan’s Artistic Director David Le Page, weaves around Lee’s writing, from the lush Gloucestershire countryside made famous in Cider with Rosie, to the arid landscapes of Spain. Featuring music from Vaughan Williams, Britten, Turina and De Falla, with Northampton-born guitarist Mark Ashford performing Albéniz and Spanish Romance

Following sell-out ★★★★★ performances at the RSC, in Malvern and Oxford, this ‘triumph’ comes to Wilton’s Music Hall for three performances only.

‘The two actors and their orchestra encompass Lee’s life completely. The unique use of Orchestra of the Swan is a brilliant and novel device. Red Sky is a triumph, its understated theatricality allowing this musically accompanied autobiography to truly resonate. It leaves us aching for the pastoral wonderland of Lee’s childhood, both the music and the words still echoing around my brain, reminding us of the beauty of life itself.’  Ox in a Box