“Sock Hop noun.; A social dance in which participants dance in their stockinged feet.”
Well, that’s the definition given by the Oxford English Dictionary, referring to the strict rules of 1950’s school dances which ensured no clean-cut, sharply dressed boppers would inadvertently scratch the gymnasium floor with well-polished pointed brogues. Two societies have another idea of exactly what makes socks hop.
Big Band and Footlights are bringing the Sock Hop back, with a night of live swing, blues and jazz music in The Lemon Grove. On Sunday 17th November, the pungent aroma of Cornwall House will replaced with hip beats, swinging jives and the most sensible clothes the building has seen in a long time.
With tickets selling fast, this student-run dance night is generating even more excitement than previous ‘Itchy Feet’ vintage outings, offering a lower price of £3.50. But what’s the obsession with the age of years gone by at Exeter? How come tickets for every 50s-themed night fly out of stands quicker than a hopped-up deuce in cattle pen?
“Music of that era was, at the time, very innovative,” say Big Band’s musical director James Lloyd. “In fact there was a band by Stan Keaton called the Innovation Orchestra which recorded a big band version of West Side Story.” Lloyd is the man in charge of making jazz boxes swing and licorice sticks wail. He knows a thing or two music from 40s and 50s.
“It was an industry that was just starting, improvisation was common so not much would sound the same twice, keeping everything fresh. There was also an awareness of how the band interacted, rather than getting recording with unaccustomed session musicians.”
Big Band is kitting out the entire ensemble in the full 50s attire, and performing a vintage score of Ellington, Sinatra and many other ‘classics’ – in addition to the comforting melodies of Bublé.
As a launch night for Footlights’ production of the mega-musical West Side Story, the cast will be providing a sneak peek at their biggest production yet. With iconic scenes set at the gym, it could get a little heated. Aaron McCrossan, West Side Story choreographer says “the timing of the show’s music is crazy: it’s irregular, unexpected. It makes for some really memorable dance sequences.”
Expertly choreographed numbers aside, The Hop at the Lemon Grove offers a quality of music and authenticity that ‘Itchy Feet’ has sometimes failed to deliver. Cramped dancefloors and a limited playlist made for nights which eventually turned in ‘Arena, but with fancy dress’. A swing night should be a swing night: a night of dancing, rambunctiousness and cool.
Vintage events always thrive at Exeter, and the springing up of second-hand, retro-styled clothing stores all across town only hasten the strange growing obsession.
With less than two weeks left until the Lemmy is transformed into a 1950s-era gymnasium, students with tickets are already grooving on down to Real McCoy to pick up zoot suits and high-waisted skirts.
A combination of talented musicians and true dedication to the cause promise The Hop at the Lemon Grove won’t just be a glorified club night in funny clothes. It’s richer, more authentic and, in the end, it’ll be a whole lot more fun.
‘The Hop at the Lemon Grove’ is on SUNDAY 17th NOVEMBER, at 8pm.
Tickets are available from the guild website.
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Marcus Beard
exeposedev 