LES SAVANTS - NEW YEAR'S EVE

Old Father Time was seen boogying last night at the Geldart Pub. Casting off his long white beard and cloak, against pounding rhythms, the stooped ancient became an agile youngster once more. As we all did. The attraction at the legendary Cambridge pub was the equally legendary local band Ezio and Les Savants. Led by the charismatic vocalist Ezio Lundedei on lead guitars, Fabian Bonner on bass, Mal Hyde-Smith and Sean O’Hanrahan on drum kit and keyboards, the band gave a stonkingly good concert of Ezio’s catchy, earworming tunes. The quartet are consummate musicians who superbly deliver their ever-surprising melange of rock n’ roll, bluesy ballads, jaunty dance numbers and poignant ditties (not least a gorgeously melodic tribute from Ezio to his daughter, a song which had parents in the room awash with tears). There was often a strong Spanish/Latin feel to their playing – a magnetic attractiveness that brought the sunny cadences of Seville to the damp back streets of Cambridge. Ezio teased the audience asking for requests – but he ‘only knew his own songs’ (a blatant fib). ‘Do you want rock ‘n roll or dance music?’ he roared at the happy onlookers only to play what he had planned to do anyway. It was all part of a catchy charismatic act that attracted at least one new fan – me.

I hope that Les Savants really are in the know and will usher in a happier new year than clapped out old ’22. It was a great start. The band is back at the Geldart on 22 Feb. Book now!