Review : 'The Spaghetti Western Orchestra'

by Laura Stratford, 

Before reading our review why not hear our interview with performer and creator of 'The Spaghetti Western Orchestra' on the ((URY PLAYER)) here now! 

The Spaghetti Western Orchestra, currently on their UK tour, stormed the Grand Opera House the other night and took the good people of York into some ‘serious sonic territory’.

You know as soon as the show starts that you’re going to be taken on a journey. Lights fade. Darkness on stage. A raucous Texas accent whispers ‘Once upon a time in the West’. We’re told they’re looking for a Bob Robertson. That’s a gentleman called Mr...Bob Robertson. The rousing ‘Fistful of Dollars’ medley is then played out. If you don’t know what that is, look them up on YouTube.

The Gold-Schmeller, Lieteller, Bankteller, Youngfeller and Storyteller are all from Australia, musicians and actors with diverse backgrounds that are passionate about the Spaghetti Western genre. When interviewing Patrick Conin recently for YorWorld, he commented on how it was natural in Australia for eclectic and musical collaborations to take place, which comes through in their performance. They take foley artistry to the next level, creating bar hubub with beer bottles, footsteps with crushed cornflakes and falling dead birds with marigold gloves. A highlight had to be the moment when the Bankteller plays the ‘theremin’ in ‘Once upon a time in the West’, a cracker of an instrument that involves metal antennae and no physical contact.

As well as the unpredictable source of instruments, there’s an entertaining mélange of improvisation, farce, grunting, synchronised choreography and audience participation. I won’t spill all the details, but there’s a surprise encore which involves the crushing of a lettuce. Out of the blue and hilarious at the same time. To give you an idea of how much the audience enjoyed it, everyone started stamping their feet on the floor when applauding the quintet. The last time I saw that happen was at my school teachers’ pantomime.

The Spaghetti Western Orchestra will be performing in Leeds Town Hall this Saturday. An uplifting way to start a night out. See http://www.spaghettiwesternorchestra.com/ for more details!