Hotel gigging proves genius idea in Crawley with fab night of Queen

It’s an idea with genius written all over it.

You’ve got a hotel looking for business in tough times; you’ve got musicians struggling for work; and you’ve got gig-goers desperate for a night out.

Put it all together – as hotel director Chris Schoeman did in a moment of inspiration – and you’ve got Live From Your Bedroom! – a brilliant initiative for our troubled times.

The morning after, the courtyard at the Holiday Inn London Gatwick Worth doesn’t necessarily look an obvious gig location; but the night before it was just perfect.

Gathered in the warmth and comfort of our rooms, in our own little bubbles, we looked out on the finest concert since… well, at least since March.

And how good it was to hear live music again.

There are six gigs in what, let’s hope, is simply the first season in as many we need to see us through.

Kicking off the first night was Queen tribute band We Will Rock You – and they gave a superb performance.

It was a weird and rapidly seductive experience for us. How much stranger must it have been for the band – playing in a hotel courtyard in late October to a bunch of people bopping behind glass.

But they took it wonderfully in their stride.

“I hope you are not being naughty in your bedrooms”, shouted their Freddie as he stormed through a strong first 45-minute set and then an even better second half.

It was hard to think of a song you’d been hoping for that they didn’t play – and every one was a winner. Personal choice, of course, but for me the stand-outs were Killer Queen, Seven Seas of Rhye, Don’t Stop Me Now and Fat Bottomed Girls (would he be allowed to write that last one now?)

But really it was just about being there – and there was an incredible poignancy to the lyrics of These Are the Days of Our Lives. They summed up the night; they summed up the year we’ve all bern having:

“Those are the days of our lives

The bad things in life were so few

Those days are all gone now but one thing is true

When I look and I find I still love you”

So thank you, hotel director Chris and crew – a beautiful reminder of what’s still possible, however tough the times right now.

Still to come:

The Kicks: Saturday, October 24

The Take That Experience: Friday, October 30

All About The 80s: Saturday, October 31

Kings Of Indie Rock: Friday, November 6

Elton John Experience: Saturday, November 7

Full details here: https://higatwickworth.co.uk/live-from-your-bedroom

#WeMakeEvents and #LetTheMusicPlay