Milton Keynes based tribute band The Strange Doors return to The Craufurd Arms this Saturday (December 23).
The band was formed by lead singer Grant Van Funkle of Wolverton in 2011 who was already an old hand on the tribute band scene as he has portrayed John Lennon in Ultimate Beatles since 2001.
Grant is joined by Joe McGruddie on organ/bass, Andy Hembry of Newport Pagnell on guitar and Jason Hastie on drums. After gigging locally several times the band toured the UK solidly for the next few years. Highlights include their 2013 headline set at Festwich, (the UK’s largest free tribute band festival) and a mini tour of France to celebrate the 70th birthday of late Doors lead singer Jim Morrison who died aged 27 in 1971.
A performance at Tribfest festival in Hull earned them a favourable review from Si Cunningham of NME magazine who said: "The Strange Doors look and sound so convincing that I start to forget we're not about to interview the actual Jim Morrison when the band have finished playing”.
They also had the honour of performing with Jerry Scheff, who played bass on the Doors’ classic album L.A. Woman (although he is better known as Elvis Presley’s bass player).
At a Strange Doors performance audiences will experience ad-libbed poetry, a singer that jumps into the air and writhes on the floor (whilst conjuring the Lizard King with his rich baritone voice), those crisp organ sounds of Ray Manzarek cutting through the air with beautiful precision, bluesy slide guitar and powerful, yet subtle drumming that punctuates the music and vocals; The music of The Doors continues to have the beguiling power to reach into souls in a way no other music can, whether it be the moving intrigue of Riders On The Storm, the expansive energy of LA Woman or the sheer exuberance of the out-and-out rock classic, Light My Fire.
The Strange Doors do not merely recreate The Doors' classic catalogue; their shows are events unto themselves, much like The Doors' own shows were - tight, but with an air of excitement, spontaneity and improvisation.
With their great costumes, authentic instruments, psychedelic projections and sets crafted through years of experience, the Strange Doors invite audiences to immerse themselves in the vibe, to move to the hypnotic beat and to allow the sound to help them break on through to the other side.
Doors open at 7.30pm and tickets cost £10 in advance or £12 on the doors.
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