Band Leader
Werner Braun

Band Manager
Rebel Elick

Hotshots Big Band

Why Big Band? | Why the Hotshots? | Future Events

The Hotshots Big Band is an independently operated band of which Cairnsbands is proud to be affiliated.

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The Hotshots Big Band draws it's players from Cairns and all Tableland centres. With up to 20 players in the band it is most likely the only non-military, non-television, working big band in the country.

The band provides music for balls and dances; they play for events such as the 'Grey Nomad" gathering, and have performed at sell-out concerts at Brothers Leagues Club in Cairns. In most cases, the expectation is that next year's booking will come from each job they do.

With the same instrumentation as the big bands of the War era the music played covers many styles. Female and male vocals are also a part of the standard repertoire.

From the famous times of the big bands some examples of the music played are:

• Armstrong (Mack the Knife, Wonderful World Etc.)
• Miller (In the Mood, Moonlight Serenade, American Patrol Etc.)
• Ellington (Take the A Train, It Don't Mean a Thing Etc)
• Sinatra (New York New York, Lady is a Tramp)

Then on to the Rock 'n Roll and Pop music of the last 50 years our programmes include the music of:

• Bill Haley
• The Beatles
• Tom Jones
• Cilla Black
• Ray Charles
• Lulu
• Three Dog Night
• Van Morrison
• Billy Joel
• Buble
• Robbie Williams
• and many others

For dancing the music really covers everything:

• Swing
• Rock
• Waltz
• Modern
• Latin
• and much more

Why a Big Band?

There is a huge, world-wide resurgence in big band music and it is evolving all the time.

Such entertainment industry names as Robbie Williams, Michael Buble, Harry Connick are only (and always) backed by big bands. They are really only doing what was covered by Sinatra and others, but the modern feel is provided by the more driving big band sound backing of today.

In recent (2006) announcements of the top selling British music albums of all time, Robbie Williams featured three times in the top 10, while The Beatles had one album in the list. The Rolling Stones had none in the top 20.

We have seen other pop stars moving into the same music. Most successful is Rod Stewart with his four "American Soundbook" volumes.

In Australia we see such artists as David Campbell releasing a 'swing' album for Xmas 2006 and a subsequent 2007 popular music release.

Recent TV shows such as 'Dancing with the Stars', bring the music into the home in peak time evenings.

The music is extraordinarily popular with an ageing (more affluent) community.

The music style represents the largest growth area in US live music performances.

Why the Hotshots?

The Hotshots can play any job where the music style requirement is 'above teenage'.

In any 4-5 hour dance job there is no need to repeat play anything. There are well over a 100 items in the play-list. The music can be picked to suit the job.

Given the number of people in and around the band, and the fact that the band can play anything, the hire cost represents very good value for money. (There is also the opportunity of quite a bit of return at the bar).

Future Events

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