Beatbox band 
DUKE launched the 2016 Shipston Proms with an exhilarating performance that got the crowds dancing, in the Townsend Hall in Shipston-on-Stour.
The band who play everything live, with no samples, demonstrated with Ed Travers (vocals & beatbox), Marko Pandazis (vocals & beatbox), and Flynn Stronach (vocals & guitar), how they create their amazing sounds.
The evening started off with DJ Dirty Harry warming up the ever-increasing crowd with his dance tunes, before 2015 Fame Contest band winner Brixton Alley took to the stage.
Brixton Alley lined up with Jonny Magro (vocals & guitar) Ben Wells (vocals and bass
guitar) and Alex Wells (drums) and gave us some of their ever-expanding repertoire of their own songs, have improved a lot since they last performed on the main stage at the 2015 Last Night of the Proms.
Then DUKE played their amazing set with encores to an ever-appreciative crowd.
The following day was the Fame Contest with two categories – Solo/Duet and Bands.
In the Solo/Duet we had grunge band The Pettibones with Ben Bryan (vocals & guitar) & Grace Spalding (drums), soulful ballads from singer Savannah Eden and a violin duet from Hannahflail (Hannah Porter & visiting American Abigail Hobart).
In the band's section, we had Feedback with Sam Albury (vocals/bass), Shane Leahy (vocals/bass), Jamie Pullen (drums), and Tom Cawley (rhythm guitar) from Shipston High School.
In competition with them was a more mature band Rock Roots Revival with Alex Lilley (electric drums), Rob Banfield (bass guitar), Andy Robinson (vocals & guitar) & Neil Pearson (guitar).
Rock Roots Revival were planning to play at last year’s Fame Contest but due to the ill health of their guitarist Mike Seddon (who sadly passed away later in 2015), they had to pull out.
After each act had performed two songs the judging panel of Chris Davies, Alan Thompson (Chair), Dan Packer, Laura Furnell & Richard & Louise Harvey then had to decide which point to give to each act.
After a short break, the Shipston Proms chair Tim Porter announced that Savannah Eden had won the solo/duet category and Rock Roots Revival had won the bands section.
Prom's chair Tim Porter thanked Charlie Thomas & Stephen Haynes for manning and setting up the sound and lights, along with thanks to James Thomas & Eleanor Stanley for loaning some of the sound equipment
With still two weeks of interesting acts playing at various locations in and around Shipston-on-Stour.
Events of note are the Ceilidh on Friday 24th June at Shipston Primary School with music from 16 Strings Ceilidh Band, Saturday 25th June with Jazz at the Feldon Valley Golf Club with music from Hot Club ’42 and 3rd Dimension (with platinum sponsor Translyft’s George Scholes on guitar) on Friday 1st July at the George Inn in Lower Brailes.
Then we have the Goin’ Local Street Party in the main square in Shipston-on-Stour on Saturday 2nd July with Fame Contest winners, Kinky Farnham and WIRED, which is put on as a Free event.
