Bringing Back The Motown Sound to Leicester at Maiyango

Since May, on the last Thursday of every month, we have been creating a new musical scene at one of Leicester's best restaurants, Maiyango and, in all honesty, we have been completely blown away by the support that we've received over the past few months.

The concept of Adam Thomas and The Souljers was originally conceived at the turn of this year (when we had the publicity shots below taken by Gary @ SMD Photography) but it has taken us a while to get up and running as we weren't sure what kind of show we were looking to create - purely soul and Motown? With some Reggae? Pop? Country? (Joking on the country!!)

In the end we decided that the energy of the show would carry any style of music through to the audience and, as luck would have it, it has turned out this way!

Barbie Girl to Need A Dollar, Two Can Play That Game to Seven Nation Army: our set list is an eclectic mix for sure, with many songs that the audience recognize... but they're not like the originals as we tend to give things a real soul feel! We always try to put together songs that are either fun, cool, energetic, cheeky, old school or just downright funky.

We didn't want to become just another Leicester Soul Band or Motown Show but something truly different. So, we put together a fully choreographed show, along the same lines as The Temptations, mashed together with a wonderful bit of geek chic (#geeksarecool) and so far the demand has been phenomenal! :)

So, if you haven't been along to see the best Soul Band in Leicester at one of Leicester's best kept secrets then you're missing out on the best cocktails, food and entertainment by the biggest geeks in town!! :)

Last Thursday of every month at Maiyango, Adam Thomas and The Souljers - Bringing Back The Motown Sound!

This is a review of our show from our friend Gary's blog at SMD Photography (obviously he's a little biased but hey!)

We really, really, really had a great time at Restaurant Maiyango last night. Adam Thomas has created a three piece group who put on a fantastic show singing and dancing to modern classics… with a twist. It’s a really clever and entertaining show with great singning and dancing. I’m not going to say why it’s so clever… you’ll just have to go yourself and find out.

You can catch the show at Restaurant Maiyango every last Thursday of the month. The next one being on the 29th September.  You can book a table for a meal or just turn up later for the drinks and the show.

It was thirsty work watching all of the dancing going on so it was an added bonus that I found my new best mate… sorry my new favourite bottle of beer. It was called Viru, it comes in a funky bottle and it goes down a little too well.  It took me about six or seven bottles to realise this.

Gary @ SMD Photography

A Singing Snooker Star is Born! Introducing "The Selby Thomas Show!!"

The new Mr and Mrs Selby...

We first met Mark Selby and the then Vikki Layton after we had performed our Swing Show with our lovely dancers at a fancy corporate event at Leicester City's King Power Stadium in 2009. We immediately began talking about music, singing and even about Mark performing in our Toast & Jam project (more about that at a later date!) 

I'd heard on the grapevine that Mark was a very keen singer and anyone who has been to a karaoke bar in Leicester city centre has probably heard him singing his personal favourites: Dean Martin's "Kick In The Head," Elton John's "Your Song" and Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars to name just a few!

Click here to watch the HD larger scale of the video from the Adam Thomas Channel on Vimeo.

Mr Selby to the stage please... 

Mark & Adam had chatted quite a lot before the big day and it had been decided that a duet was in order (although this remained a surprise for 198 of the 200 guests!) Three quarters of the way through his set, Adam began performing "Kick in the Head" but was rudely interrupted by another singer at the bar! ;)

As you can see from the video their duet went down a storm, as did the remainder of the set, and there was even a short encore from Mark during New York, New York!

Great feedback

The evening was a huge success and I'm sure that everyone enjoyed themselves thoroughly. It was great to see the video footage of the ceremony itself played on the screens around the room (although they did make us all jealous parading around in Mexico!)

It was a great night with a fantastic crowd and we both wish Mark and Vikki all the luck in the world. We're so glad to have been a part of their day... "Thank You!" x x x

-- For those of you that are particularly nosey then you can also view Mark and Vikki's wedding slideshow taken in Mexico here.

Gary @ SMD Photography Surprises Us All!

There isn’t anyone on this earth that enjoys having their photos taken and anyone that says they do is, quite simply, telling fibs!!

Gary setting up the shoot. He looks a bit lost doesn't he!?

It’s a truly painful experience for me with real moments of distress (mainly because you know that you look good, quite stunning perhaps, and yet the camera seems to see a distorted reality and makes you look nothing short of horrendous!!) Damn you cameras, lenses, tripods and other photographic tools and equipment!!


For most people this pain is (thankfully) restricted to their wedding day and the odd social gathering and, if the photo doesn’t reflect their beauty, they can simply delete it (or ask a friend to remove a tag!)

Adam appears to be measuring something? Gary finds it funny

Up until last Friday I had similar fears. As part of a new project that we’re launching (watch this space... secretive so-and-so’s aren’t we!) I was invited to join Adam, along with Tom Francis (a fellow dancer) at his latest photo shoot. I was overcome with dread. It’s OK for Adam… he has several great shoots under his belt already (check out his amazing photo shoot from last year with Michael Scorr and Martin Wright) and knowing how photogenic Adam is simply made me feel worse!


I wasn’t to know that the aforementioned fears were soon to be allayed…

Oh, very Hugo Boss

Dark and distinguised

In a disused industrial unit in the north of Leicester, as the rest of the Midlands basked in the freakish heat wave that we’ve been enjoying recently, something magical took place: Gary Summers of SMD Photography spent his Good Friday creating some of the most amazing images ever… really, WOW!

Adam Thomas Stylings!

Gary is the kind of photographer that is equally comfortable shooting a wedding as snapping live entertainment or fashion photography and he’s also our newly found best bud and a photographic genius! His honest, kind demeanour alongside his energy and passion for photography made the whole experience a real treat.

Tom never did learn how to walk properly.

The atmosphere was immediately relaxed and the three of us found our feet immediately. As well as shots of the three of us, Gary took some spectacular solo images of each of us and, keep it to yourselves but, he even made me look human! His ideas were really wacky and out of the box… luckily we are too and I think that’s why we get on! ;)

I can actually take a lovely photo, Yay!!
With such killer shots to show for the day, the next sets of images are already in the pipeline! Gary was absolutely fantastic and the pictures were so much more than we could have ever expected… thanks so much Gary, it was a real pleasure working with you, you’re the man!

Jude Law-esque??

You can follow Gary on Twitter @photographySMD, on Facebook or you can keep up to date with all his many happenings on his great blog

Ohhh!

And finally... a taste of things to come!!!!!!!! Geek chic?? Really!!

An Eric Morecombe Tribute show maybe?