Loughborough University is practically a stone’s throw away from Nottingham so it’s not surprising that the two communities are closely linked. The party-loving UoN students travel to Loughborough SU for their FND fix and the universities’ sports teams often compete in sports fixtures. Tuxedo Swing is one of Loughborough’s longstanding societies, performing big band tunes at various events throughout the year. Saturday night saw the band take to the Students’ Union stage with its annual Union Jazz concert. It was a wonderful evening of music, alcohol and dancing; it’s no surprise they label it the highlight of the year!
Doors opened at 7pm but the performance didn’t begin until 8pm, leaving time for us to collect our tickets, grab a drink and complimentary nibbles and find our table. Having enjoyed a few FND’s at the Union, it was a pleasant change to see the venue transformed for a tasteful jazz evening with tables for each party and space at the front for dancing towards the end of the night.
The evening was split into three sets, which nicely built the atmosphere as the night went on. The first set eased the audience in, establishing some of the vocalists and key soloists. Such laid-back tunes included ‘Mr. Bojangles’ and ‘American Patrol’. The second set made a gradual shift to the more lively songs, including a jazz arrangement of ‘Mr Brightside’ and an instrumental version of ‘Lady Marmalade’. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of dancers in ‘All That Jazz’, a nice touch that might have also nicely translated onto other songs in the show, like ‘Moondance’ or ‘Sing Sing Sing’. The final set was the best, featuring the most well known pieces and really demonstrating the musicians’ passion for the music, which was clearly echoed in the audience’s eagerness to get up and dance.
It was a nice touch towards the end of the concert to see the singers come together on some songs. It was a joy to see the more experienced vocalists (Jack, Jess and Josh) lead the way for the newer but equally talented singers (Abi and Kat). Although I enjoyed ‘Valerie’ as the concluding piece, I would have liked to have seen the harmonies better established from the outset, but it was clear this song was fun for the performers and audience alike, regardless. My only other criticism would be that I would have liked to see more instrumentalists have the opportunity to solo to give further variety, although I understand that others might not have wanted to do so.
In summary, Union Jazz is a fantastic event and well worth the watch. Who wouldn’t turn down a sophisticated jazz concert by a talented group of musicians at an affordable price? If you’re looking for something a little different to your usual evening out, Union Jazz is certainly worth a thought. I give the event a well-deserved 4.5 stars.
Check out the Tuxedo Swing Facebook page here to see where they’re playing next: https://www.facebook.com/LSUtuxedoswing/
Edited by: Jessica Greaney
Sources:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/LSUtuxedoswing/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1011908412244626