Tropic at Ruislip Blog

Dear Live Music Fan,
 
DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL
 
If you respond at all to this e-mail the chances are I will not get it.
 
These mail shots are sent by a third party on my behalf from a server in the USA and all answers just get mashed up.
 
There are instructions at the head of every e-mail telling you how to contact me should you need to.
 
COMING UP
 
FRIDAY 29th NOVEMBER
 
IT MUST BE MADNESS
 
“With It Must Be Madness packing a huge popping punch, what’s not to love, dance to and generally go nuts to?”
(new-reviews.co.uk)
 
It Must Be MADNESS are the ultimate tribute to the Nutty Boys. Recreating the energy and excitement of Madness live in their prime, It Must Be MADNESS are one of the most thrilling and authentic tributes around.
 
Being genuine Madness fans and taking the music side of things seriously, It Must Be MADNESS are an exceptional six piece band who are renowned for their electrifying live performances. They feature members of the critically acclaimed ‘More Specials’ and top musicians who have played with Neville Staples and Roddy Radiation from The Specials, and Bad Manners to name but a few.
 
With a focus on their early, lively songs, It Must Be MADNESS play all the classic Madness hits (One Step Beyond, Baggy Trousers, House of Fun, Night Boat to Cairo…the list is endless!), alongside a selection of Madness greats right up to the present day. You won’t be able to stop yourself singing or dancing along – or probably both!
 
The UK’s most original and liveliest Madness Tribute band
 
This gig is booking well and an early reservation is advised.
 
Book now at https://www.tropicatruislip.co.uk/ebook or your usual web links.
 
SUNDAY 1st DECEMBER
 
STUART MAXWELL'S BIG RIVER BAND
 
From 8 p.m. sharp
 
For this very special exclusive Blues At The Tropic last gig of the year, former Storm Warning front man Stuart Maxwell presents his new rocking, foot stompin' blues band where he is not only the vocalist and one of the best blues harmonica players around but for part of the gig Stuart will also be playing organ, evoking sounds of the Graham Bond Organisation and onwards through the 1960s and 1970s.
 
The band's guitarist for the evening is session guitarist and composer Robin Boult who currently tours the world with Fish (ex Marillion)  and Howard Jones. Plus as an extra bonus, international blues guitarist Big Dez will be making an appearance with the band. Big Dez is a big name on the European blues festival and club scene and a regular headliner at Buddy Guy's Legends Club in Chicago as well as other Chicago and Texas blues clubs.  Big Dez ( aka Phil Fernandez ) is heavily influenced by Albert Collins and Chicago blues; " Fernandez’s slashing guitar combines Albert Collins’ icy tension with Johnny ‘Guitar’ Watson¹s metallic crunch, and vocals like Omar Kent Dykes” Blues Revue USA .
 
With Stuart Maxwell's Big River Blues Band you are guaranteed an evening of some of the best blues around.
 
Definitely a not to be missed one off gig. Could be Blues gig of the year!
 
Book now at https://www.tropicatruislip.co.uk/ebook or your usual web links.
 
SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT BOOKING FOR THIS SHOW.
 
Please book before Friday 28th November if at all possible.
 
Although I do not attend these Sunday shows I do process the bookings and I will be away from Saturday 30th November until well after the gig. It follows that there could be delays in processing your bookings (off my phone).

If you book and hear nothing just turn up anyway. The Sunday shows never sell out.
 
LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD
 
FRIDAY 6th DECEMBER
 
THE FLOYD EFFECT
 
Dark Animals
 
Was Animals the darkest Pink Floyd album ever recorded? Drawing upon material written at the same time as Dark Side Of The Moon, its angular musical passages and angry lyrics make it a remarkable contrast to the gentle psychedelia of ten years before.
 
Whatever the reason, when The Floyd Effect polled its audiences to ask which album they would most like to hear on their next tour, Animals was right at the top of the list. Perhaps it's not surprising; tracks such as Dogs, Pigs and Sheep perfectly capture the mood of the world today. What is incredible is how relevant those tracks remain nearly fifty years after they were written, proving that -despite the coming of the internet and mobile phones nothing has really changed since the 1970s.
 
The Floyd Effect's 2024-2025 tour includes two complete albums: the whole of Animals plus a signature performance of Dark Side Of The Moon. Apart from taking a moment to turn the records over, both will be performed unbroken and completely unabridged, exactly as they were meant to be. The Floyd Effect's 'Dark Animals' tour promises to be its best yet.
 
This show is as good as sold out, if you book now you might JUST get a ticket. Waiting list will not come in until next Wednesday 4th (see office closure below).
 
Book now at https://www.tropicatruislip.co.uk/ebook or your usual web links.
 
NEWS
 
ARE YOU DOING ON 28th NOVEMBER>
 
THE ANGRY BOATER
 
The star of Channel 4’s ‘Narrow Escapes’ finally floats back to Ruislip.
 
If you could abandon it all to follow a dream, would you?
 
Back in the day, Joel Sanders toured America, played Las Vegas and worked with all his heroes, including Robin Williams.
 
In 2008, he gave it all up to live on a canal boat.
 
Sixteen years later, he’s still floating around, never knowing where the next mooring will be, searching for …. he’s still not sure.
 
Now in its 9th year, Angry Boater will tell you what it’s really like to swap the comfort & routine of suburbia for a nomadic life on the UK’s archaic and unpredictable waterways.
 
If you’ve ever thought about living on a boat or if you can’t imagine anything worse, here’s a night of comedy just the way you like it … up the canal!
 
Joel Sanders used to run the Comedy Bunker in Ruislip and, as I (Philip) used to live on a narrow boat we had a few chats about the life before he finally decided to do it and take the plunge (sorry) and then he wrote a stand-up show around it.
 
I saw the early version of it a few years ago and it was very funny (and whilst I tried to sneak in at the back he spotted me and picked on me)!
 
The show is at Uxbridge Golf Centre
 
More details on https://www.comedybunker.co.uk/events/angry-boater-deep-comedy-from-shallow-waters/
 
OFFICE CLOSURE
 
I will be leaving home (the office) on Friday 29th November to come to London for the Madness show and will not return until late Tuesday 3rd December.
 
COMPUTER FAILURE
 
My PC is very sick. As I type it has taken some four hours today to get it to boot up. I am 99% sure it is a problem with the memory chips and replacements are on order (again, the first lot ordered and fitted today just did not work!).
 
It follows that if it all goes a bit quiet…..
 
LOOKING BACK
 
DIZZY LIZZY
 
The usual polished performance from H and the boys. It was nice to see their former guitarist back with them. Two full sets played with suitable aplomb. The boys really were back in town.
 
As usual we had a very lovely audience in but it was a bit of a shame the numbers were down a little on last year but that is the way the cookie crumbles I guess.
 
 
I think that is all, see you soon.
 
 
 
 
Philip