Blog Archives - Page 2 of 6

Gosford House East Lothian

June 19, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently had a lovely evening performing at Gosford House in Longniddry, East Lothian, where I was booked to sing during dinner at a corporate event.

Gosford House is a majestic neo-classical mansion built in 1800. The family seat of the Charteris family, it has been featured in movies, international brand photo-shoots, and is a much sought-after location for weddings, gala dinners and other events.

Tina at Hello Scotland was in charge of organising the night, and what a great job she did, as there was lots going on throughout the night, with pipers, a private tour of the house, and a sumptuous five-course dinner.

I kept the guests entertained during dinner with a selection of popular jazz and swing songs from throughout the decades.

The audience were a lovely group of Germans who were very appreciative of the music. At the end of the night we all bid farewell outside in the grounds singing Auld Lang Syne together and waving our sparklers in the cool evening air.

What a beautiful end to the night, at a truly magical and historic place.

Vera Lynn Tribute – Happy 100th Birthday

March 20, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Today is a very special day, as it’s the centenary of 1940s World War 2 singer Dame Vera Lynn. Vera Lynn, ‘The Forces Sweetheart’ started her singing career at the tender age of seven, and she’s still going strong now, having just released her latest album to celebrate her hundredth birthday!

Vera Lynn captured hearts across the nation during the Second World War, keeping the home fires burning and spirits high with her popular radio show ‘Sincerely Yours’. She entertained the troops in Egypt, India and Burma, remaining a total professional despite terrible conditions.

After the war she remained very popular around the world, with hit records, TV shows, and Royal Variety Performances.

To this day she remains a national treasure, and has been honoured for her centenary by a special variety performance at the London Palladium theatre. Her image has even been projected onto the white cliffs of Dover as a special tribute to this living legend.

I made my own tribute to Vera Lynn with this video of my rendition of one of her most beautiful songs: The White Cliffs of Dover.

Happy Birthday to a truly remarkable woman!

60th Birthday party at Carnbooth House Hotel Glasgow

January 20, 2017 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I had the pleasure of performing at a 60th birthday party recently at the beautiful Carnbooth House Hotel in Glasgow. This hotel is not so far from me, so I’m surprised I haven’t come across it before. What a hidden gem though! Stunning surroundings and lovely old-world charm, it’s a real touch of class on the outskirts of the city centre.

The staff couldn’t have been more helpful, and the night went very well indeed, with laid-back easy listening classics to start the evening, and lively party songs for dancing later on. Gwen, our birthday girl, was truly the ‘hostess with the mostess’ and was on the dancefloor all night.

It was such a pleasure to meet Gwen and her friends and family, and to visit such a gorgeous place. Hopefully it won’t be my last visit.

Wedding Reception at Trump Turnberry Hotel Ayr

October 31, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

The beautiful Trump Turnberry Hotel in Ayr was the setting for a wedding reception I recently performed at. This luxury resort on the Ayrshire coast boasts a championship golf course, a spa, several restaurants, bars, and stunning views over the Firth of Clyde.

The bride-to-be had requested a list of beautiful songs from across many different eras; from old-time classics like ‘I only have eyes for you‘ right through to more modern numbers like Amy Winehouse’s version of ‘Valerie’. She chose the very popular ‘At Last’ for the first dance, and a smashing finishing number for me to add into my set – ‘Enjoy Yourself’ by Jools Holland and Prince Buster. I’d heard this many times on Simon Mayo’s BBC Radio 2 show, and never realised it was originally a 1940s song!

The hotel was very plush, and the staff and event organisers were super-helpful in getting me to the right place and making sure I had everything I needed to set up for the show. Our function room was the perfect setting, with gorgeous views across the golf course.

It was a lovely afternoon and the happy couple looked superb. I wish them all the best for the future.

70th Birthday Party in Glasgow

September 15, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently sang at a 70th birthday party at the Condorrat Social Club in Glasgow, performing some great hits from the 1950s and 1960s for a lovely audience of young and old.

I had some special requests for lots of Connie Francis and Brenda Lee numbers, plus a smashing old song called ‘If you love me’ which I really enjoyed learning and adding into my set.

The ‘birthday boy’ Bill had a great night – he didn’t know he was getting live entertainment as it was organised by his daughter as a surprise. I got this lovely feedback from him and his daughter:

“Just enjoyed a surprise 70th party arranged by my family. Entertainment was from Lisa Martin and she was fabulous. A 50’s/60’s night, loved her Connie Francis numbers in particular. The night ended too soon. I would recommend to anyone looking for a similar night. Thanks Lisa” ~ Bill Brackenridge

“Thank you so much! You were exactly what we were looking for, and my dad just thought you were great (we had told him we were getting a dj so you were a nice surprise for him!). I have to tell you, absolutely everyone I spoke to at the party commented on how good you were, that you were perfect for my dads party, and how they much preferred your sets to a dj – a few even said they were definitely booking you for their upcoming parties!

Thanks again, you were really wonderful!” Caragh

It was fantastic to meet everyone. Happy Birthday Bill, may you enjoy many more!

Battle of the Somme Centenery

July 17, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I recently visited the Corbridge Corstopitum Social Club in Northumberland to perform my wartime tribute show at their Battle of the Somme Centenery commemoration.

The Battle of the Somme represented a defining moment of the First World War, as it was the first major engagement in the history of the war, and caused a great deal of tragic loss and bloodshed. 2016 marks its centenary, so all across the UK there has been a big surge of interest in this historical period as people pay their respects to the brave soldiers who gave their lives.

It was a great pleasure to meet the lovely people at the Corstopitum Club. They had made a big effort to transform the club into a cool vintage style, complete with sandbags, flags, and even ration tins of pickled onions. There were some great outfits on show – one very glamorous lady in particular came up to me at the end of the night and announced that ‘she’ was really a he!

I love my wartime show as I have to admit the old songs from those days are among my very favourites. Music from the First World War includes lots of cheerful sing-alongs – it’s easy to see why they needed cheering up, during such dark days. I included ‘Bless em all’, ‘Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag’, and a few Al Jolson numbers that prompted many pairs of ‘jazz hands’ to start waving!

I received some lovely feedback posted on my Facebook page from audience members, such as:

‘Awesome night thank you’

‘The singer was amazing’

‘Fantastic night thank you’

‘Fantastic singer. Lovely lady definitely book her again. Thank you Lisa’

It’s great to know that everybody enjoyed themselves, and all for such a good cause.

Many thanks to Kate and her team for organising such a fabulous night, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone again soon 🙂

1940s Tea Party Waldorf Astoria Hotel Edinburgh

April 29, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

Last weekend I performed my 1940s show at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel (the Caledonian) in Edinburgh. A very special event was taking place as it was a tea party for Contact the Elderly, a wonderful charity organisation who organise get-togethers for elderly people who live alone. This is such important work as there are so many older people who are alone and lonely, with no real way to get out and about.

Contact the Elderly brings together volunteers and older community members so that they can enjoy tea, cake and a chat. This year is a special year for the charity as it is their Golden Jubilee year, so Bailley Gifford (an investment management firm who has chosen Contact the Elderly as its Charity of the year) very kindly organised a fabulous 1940s style tea party at the luxury hotel right across from the Edinburgh Castle in the heart of the city.

Also performing were the fabulous trio ‘Le Swing’ headed by excellent guitarist Marcus Ford. I was booked to perform my show during the band’s break, and afterwards we did a couple of impromptu numbers together. It was lots of fun, and it’s always a treat for me to work with such great musicians.

Here’s a video snippet we caught on the day:

The audience had a fantastic time dancing and singing along, and there was lots of lovely feedback from people who were so pleased to hear all those beautiful songs again.

Big thanks to Sam from Ballie Gifford and Kirsty the events coordinator for all their help on the day, and also to Doug and Fiona at the Entertainers Agency.

Christmas Party at Gleneagles Hotel Perthshire

January 8, 2016 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

After a lovely Christmas visiting family and friends back home in Liverpool I was delighted to return to the world-renowned Gleneagles Hotel to sing for the guests. Last year I had so much fun with everyone, so I was very glad to be asked back. Once again, the Christmas spirit certainly hadn’t dampened and everyone was in the mood to party!

Where better for a vintage gal like myself to perform than the gorgeous hotel bar, with its 1920s-inspired décor. The music didn’t stay in the 1920s for long though 😉

I started out with some laid-back classics to suit the mood while everybody relaxed with a few drinks, but just like last year, the pace quickly picked up. I moved onto some lively numbers from the 60s and 70s together with a selection of modern chart hits and the party soon got into full swing with plenty of dancing around the bar.

Elsewhere in the hotel, things were a little more jazzy as Euan Stevenson and his trio performed some cool jazz standards. There really is something for everyone at Gleneagles over Christmas, with plenty of activities laid on for both adult and younger guests, together with a great selection of musical entertainment on over the holiday period.

But one of the best things about Gleneagles is the staff. The porters, the reception team, the bartenders and the bar manager were all so friendly and courteous, as usual going out of their way to be the best of service.

All in all, it was a real pleasure to return to this famous Scottish hotel.

1940s style 80th Birthday Party

December 18, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

This month I performed at my most important VIP gig of the year – my mum’s 80th birthday party! We decided to have a 1940s / 1950s theme to give her a little reminder of what life was like when she was a young slip of a thing 😉

Nobody needed much of an excuse to get into the mood and dress up accordingly. It helps that 1940s fashion is so easy to access nowadays with many online shops providing cool vintage looks.

My gorgeous cousins suit the 1940s look!

I did a little snippet of my 1940s and 1950s show to get the party started, then two of my cousins (Shirley and Becca) took to the mic and kept the singing going (what a talented family we are!). My partner Stephen is also a singer and musician, so he finished the night off with some music to keep everyone dancing.

My mum had a brilliant time, she was grinning from ear to ear from the moment she walked in. She was up on the dancefloor all night – I don’t know where she gets her energy from – she’s living proof that age really is just a number!

The birthday girl looking fabulous

It took me two car journeys to get all the presents and cards back to my mum’s house – not to mention the all-important birthday cake.

It was so nice to get to see all my family, as I really don’t see enough of everyone now that I live up in Glasgow. Big thanks to everyone that helped organise the party, including my brother Danny and his girlfriend Barb who laid out a delicious buffet, my cousins Kate and Shirley for providing a stunning vintage-style birthday cake plus some lovely party decorations, and everyone else for joining in with all the fun!

Vintage Wedding Music at Greywalls Gullane

November 23, 2015 By Lisa Martin Leave a Comment

I performed some lovely vintage style wedding music at the gorgeous Greywalls Hotel in Gullane a little while ago. I was booked to sing 1940s and 1950s classics during an afternoon drinks reception, the day after The Big Day.

After a very pleasant drive along the coast from Edinburgh to Gullane, we arrived at Greywalls, which is a stone’s throw away from Muirfield Golf course. Even though autumn was well on its way we were very lucky with the weather, with clear blue skies and bright sunshine, so I was able to set up outside in the enchanting grounds of the hotel.

Not my car… unfortunately 😉

Greywalls Hotel is a charming place that retains a quiet homely feel while remaining perfectly elegant, inside and out. Built in 1901, it has seen the whole of the 20th century go by, so it seemed very fitting to choose the best of popular songs from throughout the century.

The old-style romantic songs such as ‘The way you look tonight”, “As time goes by” and “Cheek to cheek” seemed to suit the character of the hotel perfectly.

The charming gardens at Greywall Hotel

It was a delightful afternoon, with guests either sitting and listening while they enjoyed their refreshments, or having a little dance when the mood took them.

Sunshine, good music, and great company – what more can you ask for? I think these sunny afternoon gigs are my favourite type of bookings!

Are you looking for ideas for vintage weddings in Scotland? Take a look at this video, which features some lovely vintage suppliers, including elegant bridal dresses, quirky vintage cutlery, delicious cakes, and classy photography – plus me singing one of my favourite romantic ballads ‘What a difference a day makes’.

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