Speakeasy Liverpool brought the classic style of the 1920s back to life as guests were transported to the days of sharp dressing and live music for a fun night out.
The Kazimier club hosted Speakeasy, which is known for its historical events, and its success depended on the amount of participants who adhered to the vintage dress code to help recreate the 20th Century’s early decades.
The Saturday night show was a jam-packed experience which suited audiences both old and young, including – perhaps surprisingly – students attending in their masses and dressed for the occasion.
The MerseySwing Dance troupe greeted everyone with their 20s’ moves on the modest-sized dancefloor, providing early entertainment alongside local Liverpool duo, The Chicken Bros’ DJ set, as people spilled in before the headline acts commenced.
A juggler also appeared on occasion with neon, light-up juggling balls, though he disappeared rapidly after failing to continuously juggle for longer than 30 seconds, which quickly became tedious.
First to take to the stage was the Harlequin Dynamite Marching Band, made up of 12 members, and they captivated the audience’s attention. They delivered their version of songs such as ‘Dreaming of You’ by The Coral, as means of tribute towards Merseyside’s own musical heritage.
The only complaint would be that all vocals were delivered via a megaphone to mimic lo-fi 20s’ recordings, which meant that the majority of the lead vocalist’s words were drowned out amongst the sounds of the instrumentals.
Glaswegian folk trio, The John Langan Band, were next to follow, with lead singer Langan propped atop a cajon drum box, one bare foot working a pedal-beater and the other tied to a tambourine. He was joined by a bassist and violin player who worked their way through numerous folk tunes.
The act appeared to lull towards the end after they announced their so-called final song, which eventually concluded around seven numbers later.
Burlesque dancer Mimi Amore was the most time-appropriate act during the second interlude, offering a raunchy change of pace.
Finally, after what seemed like a long-awaited entrance, headline performers Tankus Henge took to the stage.
Front pianist Jaz Delorean showcased amazing solos and it was the grand finale when things really hotted up – literally- as Delorean set his top hat alight on the piano, to great cheers from the spectators.
Although none of the acts seemed in tune with the 20s’ dress theme, they still managed to provide ample musical entertainment on what has proved to be one of Liverpool’s quirky and popular event nights.