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Fringe Review: The Magnets: All this Time

The Magnets

The Magnets made the atmosphere of The Vagabond tent seem like a stadium concert. This UK act has oodles of charisma.

 

The MagnetsPresented by Andrew Kay & Associates
Reviewed 18 February 2014

If, like me, you’ve been planning on seeing The Magnets at past Fringe festivals but haven’t got around to it yet, go! The Magnets are an a capella delight with moves as smooth as their tunes.

Opening the night with an Australian rock classic, ACDC’s It’s A Long Way To The Top, the six men who make up The Magnets made the atmosphere of The Vagabond tent seem like a stadium concert. The UK act has oodles of charisma with each member capturing the audience’s attention and interacting with them throughout the show.

They cover a range of classics including a mash up of Dire Straits’ Romeo and Juliet and Madness’ It Must Be Love. Top 40 hits Blurred Lines and Pharell’s Happy are also included; the former, featuring a hilarious bump and grind display from bass vocalist Fraser. (Front-row audience members, be prepared!)

The harmonies are pitched perfectly and each member has their time to shine including the newest member of the group Billy Booth, supposedly chosen because he “halves the age of the other band members”.

Percussion vocalist Andy Frost is a star as the seated ‘drum kit’. His rhythmic abilities, beat boxing and range of vocals are amazing. In a solo performance he went from performing Prince to producing sounds that would be found in a DJ set in a number of nightclubs.

My personal favourite was a stripped-back rendition of Together in Electric Dreams, which saw bassist Fraser Collins’ rich vocals on display.

To finish the night The Magnets grabbed six audience members who each picked an iconic Australian band which the group then made a medley from. On our night we had Cold Chisel, Midnight Oil, Men at Work, The Angels, Savage Garden and Jet.

An encore of ACDC’s Highway to Hell was enough to get the audience up on their feet for a dance and of course a standing ovation.

The Magnets are a true-class act, one that should not be missed. Get your vocal chords ready!

Reviewed by Isabella Pittaway

Venue: Garden of Unearthly Delights, The Vagabond, Rundle Park, Adelaide
Season: 14 February – 16 March
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $30.00 – $40.00
Bookings: Book through FringeTix online or call 1300 621 255

 

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