7 - 11 April 2010
Music Tribute

Set your phazers to ROCK and join the crew of the Starship Enterprise as they explore strange new musical worlds and boldly travel back in time to decade stardate 1-9-7-0, there to discover the meaning behind the curious rock and disco phenomenon’s of this bygone era, as Centrestage presents its latest musical installment  for six shows only.

The second in a series of 3 critically acclaimed hit shows, The Magnificent 70’s follows The Crazy 80’s, this time celebrating  the big songs, bands, personalities and genres that re-defined the musical landscape of the1970’s.  Centrestage has teamed up with Durban’s own Isidingo head scriptwriter Greig Coetzee (author of the more serious literary award-winning comedies  ‘White Men with Weapons’ and ‘Johnny Boskak is feeling funny’) to create a zany, tongue-in-cheek parody of all things Star Trekky in the show’s audiovisual linking as the Centrestage “crew-sicians”  ‘boldly go where no band has gone before’!

The 70’s were the playground of rocking bands such as Toto (Hold the Line), Boston (More than a Feeling), Free (All Right Now), ZZ Top (Tush), Queen (Tie Your Mother Down, Killer Queen), Led Zeppelin (Stairway to Heaven), The Eagles (Hotel California), Pink Floyd (Another Brick in the Wall) and Golden Earing (Radar Love) – and the Centrestage All-star band pays a kick-ass authentic tribute to these rock greats as Wayne Kallis recreates the searing vocals, with virtuoso signature guitar solos by the talented Donovan Hattingh.

On the other side of the musical galaxy, guesting in front of the Centrestage All-Star band is the golden-voiced Andre Strydom, who will reprise his remarkable falsetto which took the Bee Gees to new heights in the original Magnificent 7. Andre will also bring some his magic to the fore as he portrays 70’s icons Neil Diamond, Elton John and Billy Joel in his superlative style. 

Funnyman and drummer extraordinaire Gino Fabbri takes a front-man role as he casts a light-hearted eye over some of the lesser cool groups of this era, poking fun at the likes of Boney M and The Village People whilst also reminding us why these groups were so entertaining in the first place!  Big voiced Donna Africa is in her element saluting the larger than life disco songs of the seventies such as I Will Survive, I Love the Nightlife and Knock on wood – and as the early Tina Turner pounding out Nutbush City Limits and Proud Mary. 

Unforgettable favourites such as Piano Man, American Pie, Forever in Blue Jeans, Crackling Rosie, Go Your Own Way, Video Killed the Radio Star, Waterloo, You Make Me Feel Like Dancing and Saturday Night Fever  are all part of the varied collection of seventies highlights encountered by the bemused future Starship inhabitants.   A magnificent evening’s entertainment awaits with an ideal package of feel good season family  entertainment. If you were there at the time, be sure not to miss out on revisiting a nostalgic stroll back to the 70’s – and if you were too young, come and see what all the fuss was about!