Tropic at Ruislip Blog

COMING UP

FRIDAY 4th APRIL
 
TOTALLY BLONDIE
 
Totally Blondie are one of the highest regarded tribute bands in the UK, expect a blistering live performance.
 
Fronted by a stunning Debbie Harry lookalike, the band is made up of experienced professionals, who amongst them have played with many well-known artists.
 
After training at The Arts Educational Schools, Chloe toured extensively throughout Europe, has many TV credits to her name, and has performed with Katrina (And The Waves), Craig David, John Legend, Beverley Knight, Ronan Keating, Chris De Burgh, and The Feeling, to name but a few. The rest of the band are exceptional pro players who’ve played with all sorts of well-known names including Nik Kershaw and D-Ream and the band have supported Bob Geldof and The Boomtown Rats, Neville Staples (The Specials) and John Coghlans Quo.
 
Blondie were one of the most iconic bands of the 70’s & 80’s, with posters of Debbie Harry adorning most teenagers’ walls, and they’ve continued turning out hits and great music right up to 2017’s Pollinator album. People of all ages, not just hardcore fans, know and love songs like Hanging On The Telephone, One Way Or Another, Call Me, Atomic, Heart Of Glass, Sunday Girl, Denis and all the other famous chart-toppers. And Totally Blondie make sure these fantastic tunes sound as fresh and exciting today as they did back then.
 
So, come along and relive those classic moments with a stunning lookalike and soundalike singer, an exceptional, professional live band giving a high energy, passionate performance – it’s totally authentic … it’s totally awesome … it’s Totally Blondie ..!Blondie were one of the most iconic bands of the 70’s & 80’s, and they still turn out hits and great music today. So, come along for an exciting, passionate performance – it’s totally authentic, totally awesome, and Totally Blondie!
 
We are looking busy so if you are coming please note: -
 
Admission is £14 and please have the correct money ready. If everyone gives us a £20 note we will quickly run out of change. If we do not have change we can give you we will have no option but to ask you to wait until persons paying with the correct money have provided us with some!
 
Doors may be opened early and as soon as 8 p.m. if we are ready.
 
You must arrive at the venue and pay to come in by 9.30 at the very latest.
 
It will get very warm in the room. Please wear something thin under any layers you may have on (that you can then remove).
 
The show will end around midnight.
 
Book now at https://www.tropicatruislip.co.uk/ebook or your usual web links.
 
SUNDAY 6th APRIL
 
JACK-AUSTIN DESPY BLUES BAND
 
UK Blues Federation Finalist for Young Blues Artist of the Year – 16 year old JACK-AUSTIN DESPY is a talented young rising guitar player with a passion for Blues. Jack-Austin and his band deliver a performance that leaves audiences wanting more. His music is a blend of traditional blues with a modern twist, plus his own original material, which has captivated the hearts of music lovers everywhere. In the last few months the band have played at the Rhythm & Blues Festival, Ballyshannon, Blues Rhythm & Rock Festival Blackpool, Broadstairs Blues Bash and London's legendary 100 Club. His influences include Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Jimi Hendrix, Rory Gallagher, Robert Cray, BB King, Albert King and Zac Schulze. In a recent review from the Riverside Rhythm Club, reviewer Phil Honley said,  “This guy has a big future ahead of him”.
 
Jack began his musical journey at the tender age of six when he wanted to learn to play harmonica. He quickly progressed to guitar and by the age of nine was jamming with veteran musicians. At the age of thirteen he played at the Rory Gallagher Festival UK in Nantwich where he amazed the audience with his skills on stage with Barry Barnes, Bri Chambers and Jonny Brutal.
 
In 2022 he was invited back to Nantwich to open the festival. Blues Magazine in Netherlands had this to say: “At half past six the festival kicked off with the 14 year old guitar prodigy Jack Austin Despy, supported by a rhythm section that sounds familiar to Rory fans, Dave Burns (Tony Dowlers Hellhounds) on bass and Jonny Brutal (Sinnerboy) on drums. All known Rory hits were played. Playing flawlessly, the audience present embraced this young man. (Wijk aan Zee take advantage of this and get this boy to the Netherlands). Steve “Rory” Web would later say, ‘this kid is the future’.
 
2024 has proved to be a pivotal year. Jack began gigging regularly at pubs and clubs and many of them rebooking him several times throughout the year. Jack’s first “ticketed” event was a sell-out when the band played in Hatfield Peverel Village Hall.
 
He was fortunate to be invited to play at the birthplace of one of his guitar heroes at the Ballyshannon Rhythm and Blues Festival in October 2024. This was a fabulous experience and the people were so welcoming and appreciative – following him from gig to gig.
 
In December his band were invited to play at Tuesday Blues 100 Club in Oxford Street, London (supporting Big Dez – international touring star from France) – definitely an iconic venue and a great crowd. At the end of the evening, Big Dez jumped off the stage in the middle of his final song and handed Jack his vintage guitar to finish the night.
 
2025 began with a trip to the famous Blackpool Winter Gardens where Jack and his band played on the Introducing Stage at the UK Blues Rhythm and Rock Festival. The set was mostly made up from new original songs.
 
Jack is honoured to have been nominated for two awards by the UK Blues Federation and in the final  Top 5 for the category “Jules Fothergill Young Blues Artist of the Year”, and in the final for “UK Blues Emerging Act of the Year”.
 
Over the years Jack has gravitated towards Fender amps and uses a Blues Junior, Blues Deluxe, De Ville Deluxe and a Deluxe Reverb . He also favours Fender Stratocasters over other guitars and all his guitars are customised to suit his particular style and tone. Jack uses a combination of Tube Screamer and Klon clone pedals. Jack is also now an endorser of DR Strings – Handmade Pure Blues.
 
Support from Mike Day.
 
Book now at https://www.tropicatruislip.co.uk/ebook or your usual web links.
 
This will be a seated show with doors around 7.30 p.m. and music from 8 p.m. to around 10.30 p.m. which is actually beyond Jack’s normal bedtime.
 
LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD
 
FRIDAY 11th APRIL
 
THE ROLLIN STONED

We hope you've got the name and if you're puzzled by our game, why not take a look at some of the things that have been said about us, “.... the nearest thing to the real article” was the view of one reviewer who claims to have seen them all in 'The Times', “.... about as true to the originals as you can get” raved another and “Just like the real thing” enthused rock star photographer Gered Mankowitz at his recent private view. Indeed Keith Richards' own mother, Doris, was kind enough to describe us as “outstanding” and fit to “stand in for the Stones” which is about as good an endorsement as any could wish. Well we could go on, but you get the picture, it’s not just enthusiastic fans who rate the Rollin’Stoned so highly, it is the people in the know and those from the Stones' inner circle.
 
With a Rolling'Stoned show, the costumes are shamelessly camp gaudy and fab, the instruments genuinely vintage and the wit irreverent. However while the tongue is never far from the cheek we make sure it is never to the detriment of the music. This band is not to be confused with the grotesque parody on parody 'Stella Street'-Lite Stones bands that abound, nor a bunch of seasoned old pros, opportunistically hitched on to the “Tribute Bandwagon” for an easy ride. What clearly comes across to audiences seeing the band at work is the passion we all have for the music of what is, cliche or not, "The Greatest Rock'n'Roll Band" the world has seen.
 
A typical two hour show includes not only all the classic crowd pleasing hits, but is spiced with enough eclectic selections from the deeper recesses of Stones Album archives to satisfy the most demanding of “Buffs”, all performed with the same vibrantly authentic attack and raw energy that characterised the original Stones shows in their prime.
 
For those who witnessed the Stones - Brian Jones et al - in their heyday, this is a chance to revisit lost youth, for the rest of you, now’s your chance to see what all the fuss was about.
 
SOLD OUT (a waiting list is now in operation)
 
To go on the waiting list just book as normal at https://www.tropicatruislip.co.uk/ebook or your usual web links.
 
NEWS
 
NEW SHOWS BOOKED IN
 
The following shows have been booked in and are listed on the web site meaning you can reserve your spaces for them from now.
 
Friday 3rd October
 
Logicaltramp (a tribute to Supertramp)
 
Friday 14th November
 
The Pistols (a tribute to The Sex Pistols plus support from The Price (featuring Leigh Heggarty))
 
Friday 5th December
 
Telegram Sam (A tribute to Marc Bolan and T-Rex)
 
LOOKING BACK
 
ELO ENCOUNTER
 
Well one thing is for sure, we were certainly busy! I think everyone enjoyed themselves and nature was kind and whilst it was warm by day last Friday in the evening things cooled off and with the windows open we managed to keep the room to an acceptable temperature notwithstanding the number of people in there.
 
Thanks to you if you brought the right money!


We finished a few minutes early so everyone could get the Last Train To London (sorry).
 
Great show, great audience. What was not to love?
 
If you came then thanks so much.
 

I think that is all, I will end with a few jokes a few pictures that made me smile.
 
 
See you soon.
 
 
 
Philip