The Woohoo Revue

Reeling the curtains back on a full stage set to the teeth with brass, percussion and string sections; a half full bandroom set itself for the fantastical stylings of The Woohoo Revue last Saturday night in the Northcote Social Club.

All eyes were on the burlesque violinist, Rebecca Wade, both for her alluring dress and also for the spine thrilling, violin thrashing which immediately set the tone for a no holds barred big band bash.

I was lucky that at the beginning the room was only half full, as everyone in the room began to dance bigger and louder than I had seen before. Swing, Salsa, Can-Can, Balkan, Tarantella and various forms of interpretive dance were all present as the brass and strings punched out grooving melodies and thundering crescendos. Others seemed to be moving like they had just realised they had knees and elbows.

Making their way through their 2008 album, Dear Animals, the passionate audience grew and the dance floor continued to get smaller and smaller. Eventually it was not only my body which was moving with great size and diameter, single words began to take up entire pages on my note pad. This was generally a large experience.

With such an intimidating presence on stage, the audience seemed more prepared for a theatrical show, each musician with his or her own character to play. The guitarist and violinist fused solos to create a very Latin, hip swinging tension. I believe every guy in the room wanted to learn how to play guitar at that point.

As the show went on, in came the belly dancer. Swinging onto the stage in full costume, the audience limbered up and suddenly the show was no longer just on stage.

The Woohoo Revue is one of those groups who provide the full experience, the full range of not only music and dress, but also movement and sexuality. When a group can arouse the imagination with their sound, one can only suggest that they have successfully ventured beyond their musical abilities and are now creating a fantasy of their own.

As the curtains reeled back over the group at the end of the show, faces turned around with a pure, near sinful expression of delight. Next time I see The Woohoo Revue, I imagine being in a field surrounded by travelling caravans, tarot readers and mystical dancing creatures throwing themselves around a roaring bonfire… It could happen.

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