Entertainers at the top of their game

Local agent Harry Turnstyle is clearly a fan of this act and in this day and age of insane diesel prices, it’s always nice to save a few quid with a local gig.

North east-based band Slither are the star attraction at Pontefract Sports and Social Club this weekend for its Sunday concert night.

I hope that this gig goes a little better than their recent appearance over in Wakefield at Alverthorpe WMC, when band members had to go all the way back to Middlesborough to pick up a vital piece of equipment they only realised they had left behind once they were at the venue. Needless to say the gig started rather later than was first intended.

Glamorous singer Louise Martell is an artiste I had the pleasure of working with last summer at a well-known east coast holiday park. The lovely Louise can be seen locally this weekend when she takes the stage at Townville Miners’ Club on Sunday evening.

The ever-popular Jimmy Echo is the man on stage at Edward VII Club in Allerton Bywater this weekend. Jimmy is the ultimate all-round entertainer and Sunday is the night to see him in action at this fine club.

The lovely Michaela May is a local singer who is always worth listening to and the new live entertainment format at Halfpenny Lane Club in Pontefract has determined that Michaela appears at the club this weekend. Saturday is the night to catch her in action, so don’t miss it!

That grand Pontefract singer Sarah Pollin is the voice you can hear this weekend on Sunday evening at Willow Park Social Club. This is a smashing club and, as I learned when some friends of mine came over to see me at the club quite recently, the regulars are a very friendly and welcoming bunch of people.

One of my all-time favourites Cathy Summers appears in Pontefract this weekend with a Sunday night appearance at Prince of Wales WMC. Cathy has been at the top of her profession for some time now and she really is a classy lady.

There is a big night of live entertainment to enjoy at Ackworth Moor Top Club this weekend as local band Undiscovered will entertain.

Express reader Gary Dixon was in touch with news of this gig which takes place on Saturday February 26. All proceeds from the evening will be donated to a charity called The Laila Milly Foundation, which my colleague Sarah Whittle has been reporting in recently here in the Express.

Among the other charity news this week was the success of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance fundraising event at the Shoulder of Mutton pub in Castleford last weekend. Pam Stone from local acoustic duo Keystone emailed thanking me for covering the event in this column and, as ever for any truly worthy cause, I was delighted to oblige.

In next week’s Express I shall also be reporting on the Tony Wayne Tribute concert, which was staged over in Wakefield earlier this week and featured a galaxy of clubland stars, plus much of the new and young talent in the area. If you didn’t make it over, you can read about it right here in the Express.

Finally for this week, a memorial service took place last week for the former Wakefield and Pontefract Concert Secretaries’ Federation official Fred Horton, who died recently.

Fred was a lovely bloke and I was particularly sorry to miss the service as I was abroad at time working on a cruise ship. I know that this great clubman will be missed by many.

If you have any news or views for this column we would like to hear from you. Just drop me a line at the Express, email [email protected] or call my office number and leave a message on 01924 890800.