Review: Rockwell Table and Stage Explodes with THE BEVERLY BOMBSHELLS

On Sunday evening March 5 The Beverly Bombshells exploded on the LA scene at Rockwell Table and Stage. This newly formed group that consists of Tiffany Dissette, Heather Lundtstedt O'Neill and Leah Sprecher reworks contemporary pop songs with a 40s style and all new arrangements. It's fresh, it's sassy, and its harmony is delightfully unlike anything you have ever heard. Adele's "Send My Love" or Lady Gaga's "Million Reasons" sung to the sound and beat of a swing song like "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B"? Yes, siree! These beautiful ladies have a one.of.a.kind approach laden with pizazz and gusto that takes a contemporary song and transports it back to a time when storytelling wasn't storytelling unless it poked fun at men, at seduction, at romance, at love...in both its sound and its meaning!

I love a group that dares to be unique despite the odds ,,, what makes The Beverly Bombshells extra special is that each of the three gals plays a character, totally distinct from the others. Tiffany is bold and unabashedly funny with her broad smile; Leah puts on a grin and with a twinkle in her eye and bourbon on her mind sets her sights on a man in the audience and does her best to lure him in, and as ringleader, Heather, the more sensible one, guides and keeps the other two in line. Backed by three devilishly fun and superb musicians Mathias Minquet on guitar, Jordan Lamoureux on bass and brother David Lamoureux on percussion, the ladies never let go of their sparkle in a 50 minute set that seemed much too short. David Lamoureux, by the way, is the genius behind the group, providing all of the stellar arrangements.

Highlights of the evening included songs by the aforementioned Lady Gaga and Adele, as well as Christine Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man", Katy Perry's deliciously amusing "Hot & Cold", Britney Spears' intoxicating "Toxic", and a beautifully catchy ode to LA "Los Angeles" by The Bird & The Bee. There was also a great duet of "Somebody I Used to Know" where the gals brought fine vocalist Gabe Kalomas onstage. He had his own microphone stage left and the girls sang center stage, pushing him into the background like a fading memory. Very amusing selection!. By the end of the set, the audience was craving for more, so the gals came back with "All I Want for Christmas Is You", the only other song in their repertoire...of course, in the upbeat, jovial 40s style. There's room for Christmas any 'ole time! It was an instant hit.

I first heard the trio as The Beverly Belles last June at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal where they performed "Says the Heart" to thunderous applause. Considering that they formed the group a mere nine months ago and have come so far since is literally amazing. They should be recording this crazy style for posterity.

My only suggestion is perhaps to include a few of the originals of the Andrews Sisters like "Boogie Woogie" to add another segment to the show... and to impress upon younger members of the audience the source, the origin of this musical style. Some know it, but many do not. Regardless of what they choose, The Beverly Bombshells are first class winners. All three possess such beautiful voices and with the superior accompaniment behind them, the album would be a perfect way to keep the musical mayhem of the 40s alive. If Linda Ronstadt did it with Nelson Riddle and the big band sound, then The Beverly Bombshells should do their thing too! They're that good! What glorious harmonizing! Don't miss this incredibly refreshing show when it returns, hopefully real soon!

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