Music Review: The Bar Steward Sons of Val Doonican live at The Mill Theatre

Making it look easy is not easy, and yet Barnsley's favourite comedy sons made two sold-out nights at Banbury's Mill Theatre look like a festive stroll in Spiceball Park.

Scott, Alan and Bjorn became the living embodiment of the legendary Irish crooner, he of the famous rocking chair, and the trademark knitwear.

Yes, Mr Val Doonican.

Their own instant wardrobe department playing an obvious big part.

For the uninitiated, the form is satirical alternative versions of well-known pop, rock, or folk songs. (Not that there were many of the aforementioned in)

The evening kicked off with the glorious a cappella All Around My Hat, merged into Motorhead's Ace of Spades, setting the bar high early on.

Travis (Sing), Bono (Sunday Bloody Sunday), and Cornershop (Bin Full of Bottles) were among the first half of amusing character and song assassination, ‘Its all done in the best possible taste as Mr. Kenny Everett would say.

A generous first half set the pace and an unquestionable high standard, leading to the interval in which copious refreshments were taken by the faithful, preparing themselves suitably for another chapter of woolly anarchy.

Set two was kicked off with Pint Fever (Bee Gees) Paint em’ back (Rolling Stones) and a hysterical take on Ray Parker Juniors Ghostbusters, the mighty Goat Yoga.

Illuminated mobile phones were waved by the capacity crowd during the classic Lady in Greggs, a sight rarely if ever seen in this venue, Chris de Burgh would surely approve.

Solo stints with Scott singing Campervan of Love (Housemartins) Bjorn with Student House (Blur) and a very visual Alan, resplendent in Keith from Prodigy's gear to hit us with Silent Farter, complete with smoke effects, a genuine laugh out loud moment.

The set list was comprehensive and only some have been featured here.

Seeing and hearing really is to believe this cult, outfit and to hear their take on Abba’s Winner takes it All was possibly the comedy moment of the evening. Let’s just say the word Zipper came into it, and leave it at that.

The band is claim to be the hardest working in the UK, I'll go along with that, just look at the tour dates.

They deserve the acclaim, Glastonbury loved them, Cropredy loved them, and for two nights running, the Mill loved them. Mr Doonican would surely have been amused and proud of his adopted jesting offspring’s walking tall.

The Irish songsters Celestial rocking chair would've been busy this evening overlooking North Oxfordshire, that's for sure.