Singing Superstars Set To Rock Rutneyland

Look out Rutneyland, some of the world's biggest selling artists are on their way to the Rut. Jay-Z? Rhianna? Lady Gaga? Not quite. Try Bryan Adams and Richard Marx for starters. Yes, the guys who once rocked big hair and power ballads are both confirmed to play at the Paramount Theatre. Not together mind you, which is a shame, we'd love a power ballad sing off.

Just when Rut Girl thought it couldn't get any more 80s/90s, Mrs Rutland told us two more superstars were going to rock RutVegas. Excitement pulsed through Rut Girl's veins at the prospect of seeing Bono. Okay, maybe U2 is aiming a little too high. What about Michael Buble? Canada's not that far away after all.

Sadly that wasn't to be. Instead Mrs Rutland revealed Pat Benatar and REO Speedwagon will be here in June to rock the fairground. Awesome. It's not the first time they've toured together either so a sing off is definitely on the cards. Mind you, that tour was back in 1995 and the Rut is only the second stop on the tour, so they might be a little bit rusty. And while we jest, Rut Girl would like to point out that needy kids will get a slice of the proceeds.

Look, don't get us wrong, we're very happy to have big names come to town, we just wish it was all a bit more current.....say an artist who had an album or a single that charted in the last two years (and no, compilations, best of's and Christmas albums do not count).

The Richard Marx ad that ran in the Rutland Herald last week was hysterical. 'Over 30million albums sold’ it boldly states. Yes, in the 80s and 90s. Let's look at the stats, because we love stats (thanks Wikipedia, remember to donate everyone, what would we do without Wikipedia?):

Bryan Adams (age, 50). Last album, 2008. Cracked #80 on the Billboard Top 100.
Richard Marx (age, 46). Last album, 2004. Failed to crack the Billboard Top 100.
Pat Benatar (age, 57). Last album, 2002. Failed to crack the Billboard Top 100.
REO Speedwagon (collective age, 290). Last album, 2007. Failed to crack the Billboard Top 100.

On a side note, Rut Girl hears when Taylor 'tell it to my heart' Dayne (age 47, last album 2008) played The Rut she was less than happy about her digs at the Holiday Inn and acted like quite the diva when she was here.

I can't imagine the same behavior from Richard Marx and Bryan Adams, unless there's no hairdryer in the room, then there could be trouble.

No More Beautiful Music At The Palms?

A couple of weeks ago, upon the recommendation of my friends, lets call them Mr & Mrs Rutland, I headed to The Palms restaurant on Strongs Avenue. The drawcard? A reportedly homeless man had been hired as the restaurant's entertainment.

Apparently the man's musical secondment had started with cello interludes but the clientele hadn't really taken to the performances so the owner asked him if he had another instrument he could play.

Mr Rutland had it on good authority that this new instrument would be a recorder. Yes, a recorder, the woodwind musical instrument commonly played by school children, much to the dismay of their parents.

This understandably was too good an opportunity to pass up. It's not everyday you see a grown up homeless man playing the recorder. Along with Mr Rutland and Butternut I headed to the Palms ready to see whether diners would enjoy eating Italian food to the calming sound of the recorder.

As it turns out, the recorder was really a clarinet. That disappointment aside, the entertainment lived up to expectations with The Beatles and a unique rendition of Pop Goes The Weasel all getting a whirl on the clarinet.

Understandably you'd be keen to head to The Palms to hear Pop Goes the Weasel on the clarinet but the homeless man apparently hasn't played at The Palms for the last two weeks and the rumor mill suggests he's played his last gig. Shame. I encourage you to voice your concern directly to the Palms.