On Saturday 1st. October Pailton became an oasis of musical extravaganza with
the arrival of the Doctor Teeth Big Band fresh from a record tour of Chicago.
The autumnal calm was enlivened by a throbbing non-stop programme of rock,
jive and jazz which kept the exceptionally large attendance on their feet all
evening.
The event was produced by the county council sponsored ‘Live & Local’ scheme
which certainly lived up to its claim to provide ‘surprising shows in
surprising places’.
The eight-piece band was headed by ‘Dr. Teeth’ himself
(a grammar school teacher named Steven Steinhaus when not on stage) who describes
himself as an Anglo-American practitioner of hot music. His rapid repertoire of vocal
favourites backed by his talented instrumentalists stirred the audience into
a state of exhausting participation. Sophisticates from as far afield as Australia
expressed polite surprise that world-class entertainment should be manifest
in a village community so distant from the principal cities.
The reputation of the band attracted many of their own followers which, combined
with a large local presence, produced one of the largest gatherings ever to
attend such an event justifying the additional space created during the recent
improvements to the hall.
The performance had been arranged by the Village Trust who also provided a
well stocked bar, cheese and biscuits also a grand raffle. The popularity of
the event ensured a worthy contribution towards Trust funds.
Fans of the ‘Live & Local’ shows are already looking forward
to the next event which will be a ‘magical tour of the Andes’ by
Peruvian group ‘Caliche’ to be staged on Saturday evening 26th
November.
The refurbishment of the war memorial continues to make progress with the recent addition of the missing name of Lieutenant A.G.A. Morris who gave his life in the Great War. The stonework has been cleaned, the roll of honour highlighted in gold and the area surrounded by brick paving and new grass. The final stage is currently in progress with Cllr. Tony Gillias actively re-installing the wrought iron fencing around the site. Tony Gillias deserves all credit for the considerable personal effort has given to this very worthwhile community project.
Many residents have expressed their approval of the extended facilities and
longer opening hours of our village shop since it was acquired by Sharon and
John Fitzsimmons. The reinstatement of the off-licence and news agency is a
very welcome development