Another good house was present to watch the curtain go up on the penultimate session of Keeping it Live but before the afternoon events started I was treated to some close up magic by a very talented young man namely Andy Nicol, who had been on hand throughout te week entertaining the Horseshoe audience. Andy is an elite, in demand close-up magician whose sleight of hand skills can be tailored and utilised at any Corporate event, in any situation to create a huge impact on the event and his audience. Andy and his magic is so versatile he has worked from large trade shows to house parties. Any event that needs sophisticated entertainment needs Andy. His magic had me gob-smacked and lost for words – a situation that completely stunned my husband.

After an opening number from the smooth Mr Walls it was on with the show. Our third Amy Winehouse tribute of the week was Amy Wynehouse. This was a nice change as this was tribute with a live band behind her consisting of 6 band members plus the lead vocal. The vocals on this tribute have to be the best I have ever heard and also the fact that Amy Winehouse herself has an amazing voice this lady paid homage to her using a performance that did not make it look like she was high as a kite. Excellent.

Using her ten minutes in an ambitious non-stop medley arrangement with the band, South Wales vocalist Corrin Casini showed she has a very big voice A great start but unfortunately it seemed to me she lost it slightly on the section of the song “Its All Coming Back To Me” originally recorded by Celine Dion. The arrangement the segued into “I Dreamed A Dream” and I feel that Musical Theatre for this young lady is definitely the way to go. Congratulation must go to Mickey and the boys for the accompaniment.

Vocalist James Williams is a clean-cut, smartly dressed young man and performed his first number “Mack The Knife” with bags of confidence. Following with a Michael Buble number “Lost”. James has a fantastic voice so should try not to copycat the artist as he has a uniqueness of his own and when he came to his last number that was the James I was waiting for. James works with a 7-piece band and self-contained. A brilliant young man.

From male to female vocalist with the appearance on stage of Janie Underwood who is quite new to the business and also works as part of crew here at Keeping It Live!. Janie opened her spot with a fab number “Rescue Me” with the Keeping it Live! band and with Mickey giving her some support with backing vocals Janie soon relaxed into her set. Her second number was Because Of You with just the use of the keyboards was delightful. Ending her spot with the well-known musical number “Cabaret” Janie did herself proud and showed the move from behind the curtain to front of tabs should hold no fear.

Vocalist Vickee Lester seems to have been around for a great many years and her experience and professionalism shows. Vicky used the live band for her set and performed yet again diction perfect. Everyone know Vicky and what she does in her duo and other show so Vicky is really a good all round act to fit into absolutely venue from clubs to big corporate jobs.

Opening her showcase set with a super version of Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend Ella Walters is obviously a very confident vocalist. Ella delivered a great spot and the blues section of her act is where her vocals seem to be best suited.

I first met these two lads of Me & My Shadow in Stratford and fell in love with them. I did mention in my last review that it would be wonderful to here them with a live band and I am so pleased to say that they did use the live band and performed individually two songs A Portrait Of My Love and What Kind Of Fool Am I. These two have never used live backing before and they just flowed again like coffee and cream, I have to say for the first time at a showcase I was reduced to tears by their passionate performance. Now I would love these two lads to get a big band of their own. Absolutely fantastic. Their interview was funny and I am not sure they will have a manager much longer after calling him fat!

If I remember correctly this young lady last year performed as Diana Ross and it was nice to see Elicia as herself, she really has come on in the last twelve months and her vocals have strengthend and her confidence is great. Opening with a very big song “I’m Every Woman” she delivered the song to a T. I loved Elicia as Elicia .Fab & funky.

Made up of four members including a lead female vocalist, The Reason are a real party band. The female vocalist has an amazing powerful voice and delivered her songs with immense passion and attitude, supported by backing vocals from the other members I really enjoyed their short showcase set.

Aguilera UK is not surprisingly a Christina Aguilera tribute and consisted of lead vocal and two dancers/backing vocalists. Their rendition of this tribute was excellent and a refreshing change from some of the other tributes working around the UK. This act was required to have a very big voice to emanate the original singer and she did - great stuff.

Melissa is an unmistakable Shirley Bassey, a true and professional performer whose show Diamonds Are Forever is a wonderful tribute to Dame Shirley. The look, the dress and the complete image and presentation is fantastic and Melissa showed she is able to use both live backing as well as tracks.

I always find magic act hard to review but Devlin uses audience participation rather than just performing his magic to music, which is slightly different. He is also a very funny man. A great magician and spot delivered well. Devlin ws also on had during the majority of the showcase entertaining the audience with some clever, and speedy, close-up magic.

The highly experienced performer Sunny Daye is no stranger to everyone here at The Horseshoe and this time chose to showcase herself rather than her duo TiggerBlake. It was great to hear her launch into her signature tune once again and her spot was highly professional. Not only is she a great vocalist, she is also one very funny lady. Sunny works with live backing as well as being self-contained.

The Petra E Experience is a female vocalist with a very powerful voice. With a voice like that she would be fantastic at musical theatre but maybe should drop the male swing as it does not do her any justice. Power ballads are a must for this performer and I felt that the second and third songs were not great choices as she has a voice of fabulous range and power. She is obviously a character as her interview with Steve showed.

Vocalist Tim Ames obviously is an experienced performer who has a great personality and is funny to boot.. He is very diverse and uses the audience in his act very well. He, for me, is a great vocal entertainer. Tim had everyone on his side and laughing with him, particularly when he was joined onstage by a member of the audience for a hilarious Sweet Caroline. A great spot delivered really well.

Material World is obviously a tribute to the legendary Madonna and I had the pleasure of working on the BBC’s One & Only and this young lady made it to the last 3 but unfortunately did not make the live show. Her make up of this act is very good with the vocals interestingly very close it makes one wonder why she did not get to the live show. A very energetic show and again a refreshing change as this is the first Madonna tribute I have been able to review on the Keeping It Live! showcases. I would love to see the whole show with a full set of backing dancers.

Closing the afternoon session of Keeping it Live! were Chrissie Leigh & The Souls Of Motown, a band made up of five members including a female lead vocalist Chrissie. Smartly dressed, they gave us a very lively set of songs from the Motown era including the great classic Help Me Make it through The Night by Gladys Knight & The Pips. The band were a great end to the afternoon showcase.

My act of the session: Me & My Shadow