Christmas date for Buddy Holly's Winter Dance Party in Shoreham

Buddy Holly's Winter Dance Party tour heads to The Shoreham Centre on Saturday, December 23 at 8pm.

Spokesman Nick Wilson said: “In January 1959 Buddy Holly began a string of dates across the American mid-west. 'The Winter Dance Party Tour' included Ritchie Valens, The Big Bopper, Dion and the Belmonts and of course Buddy himself. 64 years on from what was to prove to be Buddy’s, Ritchie’s and the Bopper’s final concerts we present a celebration of their music, together with that of Dion and the Belmonts. It goes from the early songs such as Buddy's 'Blue Days Black Nights' and 'Rock Around with Ollie Vee' to 'True Love Ways' and 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' plus The Big Boppers 'Chantilly Lace', 'Running Bear' and 'White Lightning', Ritchie's 'La Bamba', 'Come On Lets Go' 'Donna' and Dions 'The Wanderer', 'Runaround Sue', 'I Wonder Why' and 'Teenager In Love.’ All the music is performed by real musicians in authentic 50s attire on real instruments. No backing tracks here! The attention to detail will have you believing that you are back in 1959. You will actually see how Buddy recorded songs such as 'Every Day' where the drums were replaced by the drummer slapping his knees and 'Not Fade Away' (No, The Stones didn't write it!) being performed again not on the drums but this time on a cardboard box!

“An acknowledgement is made to the influence of Elvis himself had on Buddy when we are treated to a short melody of Elvis songs that Buddy himself recorded. The expertise of the Counterfeit Crickets' double bass player at this point never fails to gain a standing ovation from the awestruck audience. As well as Buddy we also have Ritchie Valens. Radiating his Latino sex appeal he will have the female section of the crowded auditorium crying out for more as he alternates between the raw and vibrant 'La Bamba' and the sensuous and seductive 'Donna.’ When that larger than life character J P Richardson (more commonly known as 'The Big Bopper') takes to the stage with his renditions of 'Chantilly Lace' and the humorous 'Big Boppers Wedding', he will warm the audience with his sense of fun and cheekiness.

“Dion reignites and captures those memories of what it was really like to be young with one of his most famous songs 'Teenager In Love'. The rebelliousness of 'The Wanderer' makes it plain to the enthralled audience why Dion is regarded as one of the best performers and vocalists of the rock ‘n’ roll era. Tonight we prove that the music did not indeed die but lives on and is as vibrant and relevant as ever.”