Bang on time and bursting onto the stage with a boom, the party started within seconds with the force that is Leo Green with his saxophone and band. Forget tortured solos this is an ensemble that rocks and sways every weekend in Covent Garden, London and we are promised no two nights are ever the same.
Through the brand new and beautifully elegant Middle Eight Hotel down the brightly lit steps and into a sexy demi-monde of strong cocktails, shimmying waiters, plush seats, skimmed concrete walls and a jam-packed stage of talented musicians and singers you are thrust into a new kind of speakeasy. They couldn’t pack any more in, and still sound so good.
Leo Green – Master of Sax at QT Middle Eight Covent Garden London
It’s a Friday night and it’s going to be a party, it’s just we didn’t know it when we booked. Expecting a laid back Ronnie Scott’s vibe, with narrow seats and twee red-fringed table lamps, we got comfy armchairs, state of the art light and full surround system that woke us up from the first note. And there are a lot of notes, it’s impossible to say just how many hits we got through in that hour and a quarter. Leo tells us it’s a journey through the modern ages and gives little vignettes around the songs and artists. If you are missing some trad jazz he even throws a little bit of that in. To say the man is talented is to underestimate the power and breadth of his playing, and his singing – giving Dolly Parton a run for her money on 9 to 5. A Single Ladies (Put a Ring on it) had all the catchy familiar lyrics but came out in a powerful, jazz funk style that was intoxicating. A sultry Roxanne erased all memories of that notorious drinking game. Each number was a show-stopping encore finale, and then there was more.
Leo Green at QT presents at Middle Eight Hotel Covent Garden London
My new drink is now a cherry negroni – I know, I didn’t think they could do anymore to this classic giving us this quirky tipple. For those drinking bottles of wine, one of the table hopping singers obliged by pouring the drinks without missing a vocal beat. For all the lovers there was a soulful take on Ed Sheeran with the singer nestling and serenading the couples, even sitting on this reviewer’s knee. The wait staff need a round of applause too, and had their own show going on in towards the back of the room – with a whirling dervish of a staff member called Gatis delivering a very impressive jive with one of the customers.
Hits came and went from Toto’s Rains in Africa, to George Michael’s Careless Whisper with some Lenny Kravitz and U2 thrown in.
It was table theatre with a huge thumping beat and I didn’t want it to end. It did, but there’s a terrific bar upstairs with a DJ just to keep you in that groove.
It’s every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night – you do not want to miss this!
For tickets book here: https://www.middleeight.com/event/qt-presents-leo-green/
Tickets from £20.
Address:
QT Bar, 66 Great Queen Street, WC2B 5BX
Leo Green and MANinLondon Alan Greenhalgh
