Swing memories from yesterday

CHENNAI: It is difficult to remember the last time Chennai had a concert that wasn’t in a plush closed-door auditorium. With streams of bright yellow lights draped from many an overhead branch at the St Michael’s School, Adyar, the ambience was certainly a refreshing change from the usual.‘Swing It’ by Nicholas Productions was a tribute to legends such as Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Robbie Williams and the like. And with the gentlemen on stage suited up from head to toe and the ladies in elegant evening dresses, it certainly did seem like a trip down the memory lane. Certainly an audience favourite was a retro smooth rendition of Spiderman (Michael Buble) performed by Yohan Chacko, who shortly after exhibited his talents on the saxophone as well. Not to mention his rather lively rendition of Jump (Van Halen). Prashant Oliver drew much applause for the ever popular Mr Bojangles (Robbie Williams) and an unexpected swing rendition of It’s My Life (Bon Jovi). However, there were some classics that were perhaps too big to be attempted on an amateur stage, such as the opening hymn of the concert, Amazing Grace.