"I knew every song you played, and you played everything just the way I remembered it!"
"Out of the Shadows were fantastic! They provided a really great night's worth of entertainment, the choice of music was perfect and they were very flexible fitting into our schedule. Everyone that was at the party has been raving about them..."
Out of the Shadows is a 50s and 60s style rock 'n' roll dance band that has been playing in and around Sydney, mostly at private functions, for more than 10 years. We do not attempt to cover every era of music, but instead play nothing but 1950s and 1960s material, ideal for dancing.
Our motto: "Nothing after 31 December 1969"
Most of our repertoire songs are familiar to almost everyone. We can perform well over 100 songs - although a typical gig has time for only about 40 or 50. Younger audience members usually are familiar with many of them through their parents or song revivals, and love to dance and sing along.
A highlight is a selection of Shadows instrumentals (like Apache, Wonderful Land).
We feature songs from early rockers like Elvis (e.g. Return to Sender, Don't Be Cruel), Buddy Holly (a medley), some fun numbers from the Everly Brothers (such as Bird Dog, Wake Up Little Susie), Roy Orbison (Working for the Man), Chuck Berry (Johnny B. Goode) and Little Richard (Rip It Up).
There are the 60s groups such as the Beatles (e.g. She Loves You, You Can't Do That, I Saw Her Standing There), the Searchers (e.g. Love Potion No. 9), the Rolling Stones (e.g. Under The Boardwalk, It's All Over Now, Route 66) and Bob Dylan as sung by the Byrds and the Turtles (Mr Tambourine Man, It Ain't Me Babe) and others like Van Morrison (Gloria) and The Doors (Light My Fire).
We also throw in some of the great 60s summer / surfing / Beach Boys songs (like Hanging Five, Surf City, Summertime Blues, Help Me Rhonda).
And there are a few Latino numbers (e.g. Diana – Paul Anka, Sway, Blame It On The Bossa Nova).
Plus some doo wop numbers, with those distinctive vocal bass lines and big harmony backing, like Little Darling, Blue Moon, Rama Lama Ding Dong.
Many ballads are included when some quieter music is needed at the start or the end of the evening (e.g. Stand By Me, Baby It’s You, Dream, Let It Be Me).
Then there are classic girl songs of the era – e.g. It’s My Party (and I’ll cry if I want to!), Stupid Cupid (stop picking on me!), I Only Want to Be With You, My Guy - through to the drama of You Don’t Own Me (I’m not just one of your many toys).
Types of functions have included corporate parties, weddings, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th,, 60th and other birthdays, balls, fundraising events, Christmas and New Years Eve parties. Out of the Shadows has played at dozens of venues and numerous private residences in Sydney over the past ten years.
