The Overtones were performing in the beautiful Royal Hall in Harrogate, which is a perfect venue for a show to feel intimate with its ambience. Support act Ben McKelvey was not there just to make the numbers up, his talent was evident from the second he started to perform. Ben was placed at the front centre stage in the single spot light, yet his presence was felt around the whole venue. This is a real talent to warm the crowd up who are generally there for the main act The Overtones. McKelvey’s performance in it’s own right deserves credit for wowing the crowd. I get the impression he’s got through a fair few guitar strings in his time as he strums with such energy. McKelvey’s performance is very easy to listen to as he covers a classic Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire, this made the crowd shout and cheer and join in with the chorus. He also engages the audience with ease talking about his experiences in the music industry and the difficulties he’s faced throughout his career, singing to empty rooms and the temptation to quit music as a career. However, an inspiring conversation with his Dad changed it all and kept him motivated to continue. McKelvey’s Dad was in the audience to receive his shout out and to watch his son proudly.
The Overtones took to the stage looking like they had just left the catwalk with their immaculate fashionable looks. The Overtones are now a four piece band after long-term member Lockie Chapman left earlier this year. Newbie Jay James has joined the band and after watching their performance you wouldn’t know he hadn’t been part of The Overtones for long. The band gelled perfectly with their dancing, interaction with each other and their harmonies. The band introduced Jay James and the audience clapped and cheered his new membership. The band briefly mentioned their troubled couple of years but they said they are doing music as much for the fans as themselves. The Overtones announced a summer tour in 2020. The Overtones set a Christmas game which had everyone looking for a golden ticket while a Christmas melody was being played, after searching high and low there was one lucky winner finding the golden ticket to a show next year.
The Overtones were great performers as they looked like they loved being on stage doing what they do best. The band danced and gyrated to the extent that Tom Jones would have been proud of their moves. The Overtones got the crowd up on their feet and encouraged them to dance, take photos and have a great time. The crowd were shown some basic Overtone dance moves and they copied to the best of their ability, for what the crowd lacked in skill they certainly made up for with enthusiasm.
The Overtones can each sing brilliantly, I felt this was showcased in particular when they sat down to sing as you could hear their voices blending together with the softer ballads. The Overtones mixed the tempo well changing from the fast paced dance routines to the slower ballads. Darren Everest is the falsetto voice of the band, Mark Franks and Mike Crawshaw are the middle harmony singers and Jay James as Tenor. Each of their voices stood out giving their own unique sound to their songs.
Written and photographed by Rich Clarke
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