The 1901 Arts Club had never rocked like this
I was attracted to this concert because of its niche uniqueness. Yes, we all know Elvis and his role in making rock ’n’ roll famous, but how many of us have heard it performed with just piano, cello, and, of course, voice? I was intrigued and my curiosity was raised when I saw that this event would be at the 1901 Arts Club, a place that was new to me but had been hiding in plain sight in an area I knew well for almost twenty years, writes Michael Holland.
The 1901 Arts Club has its own interesting story. Built in 1901 as a schoolmaster’s house, the private residence fell into disrepair towards the end of the 20th century, which is when conductor and violinist Joji Hattori saw its potential in filling a gap for rehearsal and performance space in London, so bought it and brought it back to it’s old glory. Since 2007, the 1901 Arts Club has built a reputation as an intimate and unique event space, where recitals and chamber concerts have been performed ever since.
Cue Daniel Aranda and his love for Elvis Presley needing somewhere to display his musical skills in The Music of Elvis Presley, as he works his way around the world entertaining us. Hence, the first time pop music has had an audience in such hallowed surroundings.
None of us knew what to expect other than songs we grew up with being played in a way that was probably alien to most in attendance. So let me begin by saying it was a beautiful concert.
The songs seemed like the playlist of someone struggling to get over a break-up; songs of lost or unrequited love. But these were not Daniel Aranda merely unloading his own personal trauma onto us, but were tunes Presley had recorded as his own or did cover versions of, and had really put his heart and soul into. Plus, numbers suited to piano and Daniel’s voice. Every one of them could touch our own hearts.
Thankfully, Daniel didn’t do an impression of Presley but interpreted the songs in his style; he paid tribute to The King, telling us, between numbers, a little history of each song. We heard how he had found Elvis after his death, so had to discover the back catalogue himself, having not had it as the soundtrack to his life, which is what most of the audience had experience of – over half of them had actually been to Graceland.
At around the halfway mark, there was a medley of Presley’s more upbeat songs from the era that had the USA calling it ‘the Devil’s music’ and TV would only film Elvis (the Pelvis) from the waist up so his swivelling hips would not be sending teenage America into a frenzy of lust. The 1901 Arts Club had never rocked like it did for this bit. Only middle-aged decency stopped us from dancing in the aisles like we did when we first saw Jailhouse Rock at the local Odeon.
Josh Gray, the cellist, must have been completely out of his comfort zone, but he was unfazed. His playing brought another kind of beauty to the show. Sometimes adding an imperceptible undertone to Daniel’s voice and piano, often adding soaring, emotive strings. At one point, Josh was playing his instrument like a double bass. I thought he was going to slap those strings like Bill Black would in those iconic Sun Studios recordings.
This was an evening that covered all bases. It rocked, it rolled, it remembered. The concert ended with the last song Elvis Presley ever sung, Can’t Help Falling In Love. A perfectly poignant finale.
Check Daniel’s socials for future shows: https://www.instagram.com/danielarandaofficial/?hl=en
