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Indelible Bond between the silver screen and the concert hall

A show that had its origins at the Brisbane Festival in the depths of the pandemic has emerged, shaken but not stirred, and is set to return to the Queensland stage.

Jul 04, 2022, updated Jul 26, 2022

James Bond movies have thrilled audiences for 60 years and The Little Red Company will take audiences through the musical bangers that have become almost as big as the Bond franchise itself.

The newly invigorated show has evolved significantly since its initial success at the Brisbane Festival in 2021.

Naomi Price and Luke Kennedy are joined by a 12 piece band to dovetail through the best of the musical anthems  integral to a James Bond movies as  martinis and Aston Martins.

Together the vocal powerhouses will pay homage to timeless Bond classics by Paul McCartney, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner and Tom Jones and recent chart-toppers by modern superstars Adele, Sam Smith and Billie Eilish.

Luke Kennedy said while each Bond artist has their own distinctive sound, he’s enjoyed exploring the attributes of all the great Bond theme songs: sweeping dynamic strings, a big brass section and lyrics that tackle epic themes like love, desire, separation and betrayal.

“Skyfall is coming back bigger and better,” Luke said. “This year we’re bringing it to the QPAC Concert Hall and turning it into a two act show and adding more numbers and more glitz, more glamour.

“We’re bringing back the same band that we had last time and bringing in some new, special guests as well. So, if you saw it last time, it’s the show you love with some added surprises.

“The show is just jam packed. It’s a big thing for us, but we absolutely love it.”

Ever since Dr No first hit our screens in 1962, the musical opening of each James Bond film has taken on a life of its own.

Luke said he’s revelled in delving into the mystery and bringing out the best of what makes a great James Bond song.

“There are all these bold, epic tunes with a handful of exceptions. But normally they’re these massive songs,” he said.

“My favourite Bond song, is actually one of my all-time favourite songs. The fact that it’s a Bond song is just a coincidence – it’s Live and Let Die.

“Just such an amazing song, incredible composition. I think Paul McCartney, Sir Paul, outdid himself on that one. That’s the thing with this show, every single song feels like the 11th hour power song in the show.”

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He said Bond songs have a magic that brings out the best in performers and the audiences revel in that energy.

“It is an odd thing. But I think that most of the time it’s just trying to match the drama and the action and the energy of the Bond film. That’s what we come to expect from these songs, but they always have these dramatic themes, don’t they?,” he said.

“Then you have your songs, like Nobody Does It Better, or there are some songs that put a bit of a twist on it.

“A couple of recent ones too, that have been knocked out of the park – Skyfall itself is a great song. The Writing’s on the Wall. Sam Smith is a cracker. So there’s plenty of great repertoire and it’s been decades of great songs.”

Brisbane audiences have the chance to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the James Bond movie franchise at the QPAC Concert Hall on July 15 and 16.

Originally Skyfall was slated for a comeback in May, but Luke Kennedy said the Brisbane floods pushed the musical tribute to 007 back.

 

“We were meant to be in the Playhouse in May, but that’s ok – these things, as we know over the last couple of years, you’ve just got to roll with the punches when they’re thrown,” Kennedy said.

 

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