If I was a Richmond: Broadcast 2000's parlour game

Roundhouse Studio Theatre
27 October 2009

The BBC Emerging Prom organised by Platforms:live featured, in order of appearance, Mariner's Children (not bad, a bit nervy, need voice training quick, one good song), Stars of Sunday League (don't really do it for me so sat that one out), Broadcast 2000 (vibrant, really know what they are doing, best ever use of a stepladder for musical purposes in Chalk Farm on a Tuesday evening*) and Stornoway (sound problems unsettled them, basically fine although least convincing set I have seen from them).

So far, so.... fine, y'know. No surprises, generally.

Except that when B2K were on, during a pause for Joe to retune, Louise was eventually persuaded to share with us a game they play: replace a word or phrase in a song with the name of a tube station, and after giving a couple of examples she invited any contributions up on stage; one girl did jump up, curled her lip and did a fair impression of Billy Idol - "It's a nice day for a Whitechapel". Quick on the draw, well done to her, although she did decline her prize of a participating role in the next song which was a disappointment.

Oh yeah - and they used a stepladder as a strikingly effective percussion instrument; check the photo again.

* Probably, but how can I know for sure?

EDIT: well The Internet has been very kind today and thrown up a second film to add to one of my little post-ettes; here in all their glory are the B2K mob playing name games and singing a song. And I didn't quite recall it all word-for-word but managed a reasonable version, I'm sure you will agree. If you can wait until 5 mins in, you get a close-up of the ladder doing what ladders usually don't.