Radlett Centre

So what do we know about ‘Some Guys Have All The Luck’?

Tribute acts rock

Paul Metcalfe, Rod Stewart tribute act
There’s an artist called Paul Metcalfe at the Radlett Centre Friday night. He and his band have a show called ‘Some Guys Have All the Luck’. He told me all about it.

What kind of show is it, Paul?

It’s a two-hour show full of music by Rod Stewart, the likely lad who grew up in North London, narrowly avoided becoming a professional footballer and went on to become one of the biggest stars ever. In the first half I tell Rod’s story, then, after the interval, it’s basically a party. We invite the audience to let their hair down and we play all the hits.

Have you been doing it long?

We’ve been on the road with this show for six months but I’ve been taking off Rod Stewart for twenty years so I must be doing something right! There are five of us in the band and we’re on the road with a lighting, sound and stage crew. They’re great songs to sing and I love singing, I love showing off, so it’s ideal for me!

You knew I’d ask – do you look like Rod Stewart?

I do when I’m on stage! I’ve got the feather-cut hair ad at least ten outfits, all based on ones that he actually wore. I’ve got a straight, white mic stand just like Rod’s and I’ve perfected the art of of swinging that around, so it’s all pretty authentic.

Tribute acts seem to be booming. What’s going on?

So many of the great artists are dying (what a year we’ve had!) and people still want to hear the music they love and have a great night out! I think it’s going to wind up like it is in classical music. The great composers are long gone but we’re still going to see their work performed by young artists. It’ll be the same for pop and rock!

Was there life before Rod?

I discovered music on my own, as a kid, and loved it from the start. I was a drummer for a while, then thought “maybe I should try and make a bit of money” so I switched to singing. Along the way I realised the importance of the chat between the songs, the way you could charm an audience. Then someone said to me “these tribute bands are all doing well and you do sound like Rod Stewart…”

Have you toured the world?

We’ve played all over Europe and in the States. We do a fantastic gig in Malaysia regularly – a charity event with a bunch of expat Scots. And we’re doing seventy dates with the show this year.

So you’ve played some pretty big venues?

Every shape and size of venue you could imagine. We played a brilliant Xmas party at the Millennium Dome at the end of 1999 – three songs in front of thousands of people. And we’ve done a gig at the London Aquarium – we were asked to keep the bass as low as possible because “it agitates the sharks”!

Join Paul and the band at 8pm tonight. Tickets are £19.50. Buy online at the Radlett Centre web site. There’s a terrific trailer on YouTube.

Street photography at the Radlett Centre

Gary Perlmutter walks the streets of London, capturing those decisive moments that define the city. He’s shared this gorgeous set of photographs – from the tradition that includes Henri Cartier-Bresson, Garry Winogrand and Martin Parr – with us and you can see the rest of his exhibition in the Apthorp Gallery at the Radlett Centre until 29 February. Highly recommended.

Two dogs waiting outside a supermarket. In the window, an advert reads 'Dinner for two' — Dinner for two

Two men walk in the city paying attention to their mobile phones. On the hording behind them the word 'Connectivity'. — Connected

Four people sit outside an upmarket cafe with coffee. — Bookends

Two people reading newspapers outside a beach hut, by Gary Perlmutter — Travel

Elderly man sleeping in deckchair in the sunshine — Last rays of sunshine

A woman walks past a wooden hording with a painting of hands on it. One of the hands appears to be grabbing the woman's head. — Handpicked

The Radlett Art Society’s annual exhibition

The 45th annual exhibition closed last weekend and I dropped into the Radlett Centre for a chat with Carmen Beal, the society’s chair, on the final morning. She reported another successful show – local artists exhibited and sold works in all media – and urged me to let you know that the society is always eager to welcome new members from the area for its programme of events, lectures and exhibitions. If you’d like to know more or to join, let me know and I’ll pass on your details to Carmen.

Every year, pupils from Fair Field Junior school come down the exhibition for a tour of the work and some inspiration (two years ago they exhibited their own work in the show). This year they were brought by art teacher Jacqueline Voyce and The Watford Observer covered the visit.

Habeas Corpus at The Radlett Centre

I ran into Paula Welham (left), secretary of the Radlett Players, and Georgia Dove, who plays Felicity Rumpers in the company’s latest production, outside Tesco in Radlett. They were handing out flyers for a version of one of Alan Bennett’s earlier plays called Habeas Corpus. By all accounts it’s a laugh riot. Wikipedia says:

It concerns the aging Dr. Arthur Wicksteed and his pursuit of a nubile patient, Felicity Rumpers. Wicksteed’s wife, Muriel, is, in turn, lusting after the charming head of the BMA, Sir Percy Shorter, who, as well as being Wicksteed’s old rival, turns out to be Felicity’s father – the result of an under-the-table liaison during an air-raid with Lady Rumpers, her mother.

Paula and Georgia were careful to point out that the production is not suitable for children and the flyer resembles a saucy seaside postcard from an earlier era.

Habeas Corpus runs from 10-13 November. Tickets cost £11 from the revamped Radlett Centre web site. And tell your friends you’re attending on the event’s Facebook page.

The Radlett Players’ web site and Facebook group.