Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 2, EVERYBODY DANCE! THE SOUNDS OF DISCO, Royal Albert Hall

Never to shy away from embracing new genres, BBC Proms introduced its first ever Disco Prom at a glitter ball-bedecked Royal Albert Hall. Everybody Dance! The Sound of Disco was a heady mix of infectious grooves, slick vocals and dynamic floor-fillers that shook the venue to its very foundations.

Taking inspiration from the soundtrack of New York City's Studio 54, the night featured classic hits from Donna Summer, Boney M and Gloria Gaynor, played with absolute gusto by the BBC Concert Orchestra and accompanied by a selection of brilliant vocalists. There was a real party atmosphere in the hall, with many audience members dressed up to take full advantage of the disco theme.

Opening the night was the West End's (and BroadwayWorld Award-winner) Cedric Neal, resplendent in gold and black lamé jacket and sequinned shoes, smashing the Trammps "Disco Inferno" and then "Everybody Dance", seguing into "Le Freak". He returned later in the show to give us an unashamedly joyous version of Sylvester's "You Make Me Feel", with a stunning saxophone solo.

Other main vocalists were US-born Vula Malinga, sauntering onto the stage in a big fur coat to reveal a fabulous skintight silver playsuit. She nearly brought the house down with her soulful renditions of Gloria Gaynor's "I Will Survive", with its anthemic strings, seguing into "Never Can Say Goodbye".

Lead singer from band Incognito, Vanessa Haynes, brought us a spine-tingling version of Donna Summer's "Hot Stuff". Singer-songwriter Elizabeth Troy brought the whole hall to its feet with "Turn The Beat Around", dressed like a sequinned Cleopatra and executing a perfect rap in the middle of the track.

The backing vocalists Meg Birch, Tehillah Daniel, Sacha Savory, Shanice Steele and James Thompson were stars in their own right, despite being occasionally upstaged by the volume of the orchestra. "Daddy Cool/Rasputin" was a particular hit, with an extended orchestral intro to "Rasputin" and using a Russian stringed instrument called the balaliaka.

Original disco orchestras were quite small, rarely using woodwinds or horns, but Callum Au's arrangement for the superb BBC Concert Orchestra made full use of every section to create an incredible sound. Each track had been tweaked or enhanced to take advantage of the potential of a full orchestra, with the percussion section given huge prominence. Track such as "If I Can't Have You" sounded as though every element of the composition had been enhanced. 

Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser looked as though he was having a ball throughout the night, with bundles of infectious energy, encouraging every section and each soloist as they took their turn. Walter Murphy's "A Fifth of Beethoven" and "Rhapsody in Blue" were both musical triumphs, showcasing the power and impact a full orchestra could have in disco-inspired tracks.

The track selection also cleverly reflected the wide variety of influences on disco music such as funk, soul and Latin. Tavares' "Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel" sounded fresh and incredibly modern as a melting pot of inspirations.

Special mention must also go to the lighting team on the night, who created a disco wonderland with vibrant colours, glittering strobes and highly creative sequences.

This may have been BBC Proms' first Disco Prom, but judging by the wild audience reaction on the night, it certainly won't be the last.

The BBC Proms continue at the Royal Albert Hall until 14 September

Photo Credits: BBC / Andy Paradise  

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