Melanie and The Madmen is a band for hire in Sunshine Coast, QLD.
Smooth vocals, real soul, and a vintage look to match the songs. Melanie and The Madmen work the 1920s through to the 1960s: jazz, swing, blues, wartime numbers, the American Songbook, rhythm and blues, musical theatre. Think Vera Lynn, Doris Day, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Bessie Smith, Julie London, Ray Charles, Ruth Brown, Aretha Franklin, Etta James. The repertoire is deep enough that requests are usually a yes. At Last, Back To Black, Big Spender, A Tisket A Tasket, Alright Ok You Win. Small rooms suit them and so do larger theatres, and the line-up scales from a duo up to a big band depending on the space. They need power and a covered spot to play.
Watch
The show
Melanie's voice does most of the work, and the vintage look is not a costume gag, it fits the songs. The material sits between the 1920s and the 1960s: jazz, swing, blues, wartime numbers, the American Songbook, rhythm and blues, musical theatre, gospel, funk and soul. Vera Lynn and Doris Day sit alongside Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee, then Bessie Smith, Julie London and Ray Charles, then Ruth Brown, Etta James and Aretha Franklin. And they'll take newer songs backwards too, giving Michael Jackson, The White Stripes, Amy Winehouse or Duffy a vintage arrangement. The repertoire is wide enough that a request is usually a yes.
On the day
Two things and they're happy: power to the performance area, and a covered spot to play under.
Performance options
It scales a long way. Solo at the small end, then a duo of voice with either guitar or keys. The trio adds bass. A quartet brings in drums, and the quintet puts a trumpet or sax on top of that. Above that sits an eight piece with keys, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, sax and trombone behind the vocal, and at the top end a twelve piece big band. Pick by the room, not by the number, and ask if you're unsure which one suits.
Insurance and paperwork
Public liability insured
Police check
Song list
190 songs
A Thousand Years – Christina PerryA Tisket, A Tasket – Ella FitzgeraldAin't Misbehaving – Ella FitzgeraldAll About the Bass – Meghan Trainor, PMJ ArrangementAll Shook Up - ElvisAll That Jazz – Chicago MusicalAlmost Like Being In Love – Ella FitzgeraldAlright, Ok, You Win – Peggy LeeAnyone Who Had A Heart – Dusty SpringfieldAnything Goes – Cole PorterAs Time Goes By – Billie HolidayAt Last – Etta JamesBaby Its Cold Outside – Ella Fitzgerald/Louis ArmstrongBack To Black – Amy WinehouseThe Bare Necessities – Louis ArmstrongBe My Baby – The RonettesBewitched, Bothered And Bewildered – Doris DayBig Spender – Shirley BasseyBlack Coffee – Peggy LeeBlue Moon – Billie HolidayBlue Skies – Doris DayBlues In The Night – Dinah ShoreBoogie Woogie Bugle Boy – The Andrews SistersBy The Light Of The Silvery Moon – Doris DayBye Bye Love – The Everly BrothersCabaret – Liza MinnelliCan't Help Lovin' That Man Of Mine – Ella FitzgeraldCan’t Help Falling In Love With You - ElvisCelebration – Kool and the GangChattanooga Choo Choo – The Andrews SistersCome Away With Me – Norah JonesCrazy Little Thing Called Love – QueenCrazy – Patsy ClineCry Me A River – Julie LondonDancing Queen - AbbaDanny Boy - VariousDiamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend – Marilyn MonroeDon't Sit Under The Apple Tree – The Andrews SistersDon’t Get Around Much Anymore – Ella FitzgeraldDon’t Know Why – Norah JonesDream A Little Dream – Doris DayDream Lover – Bobby DarinDreams – Fleetwood MacEight Days A Week – The BeatlesEverybody Loves A Lover – Doris DayFaith – George MichaelFeeling Alright – Joe CockerFeeling Good – Nina SimoneFever – Peggy LeeFields Of Gold – Eva Cassidy/StingThe First Time Ever I Saw Your Face – Roberta FlackFly Me To The Moon – Julie LondonGet Happy – Judy GarlandGetting To Know You – The King and I MusicalGirls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi LauperThe Glory Of Love – Patti PageGoody, Goody – Ella FitzgeraldHallelujah, I Love Him So – Ray Charles/Eva CassidyHappy – Pharrell WilliamsHeart Break Hotel – ElvisHeatwave – Martha And The VandellasHit The Road Jack – Ray CharlesHo Hey – The LumineersHome – Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic ZerosHound Dog – ElvisI Can’t Make You Love Me – Bonnie Raitt/AdeleI Can’t Say No – Oklahoma MusicalI Could Have Danced All Night – Julie AndrewsI Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine – Patti PageI Feel The Earth Move – Carol KingI Get A Kick Out Of You – Ella FitzgeraldI Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin GayeI Just Want To Make Love To You – Etta JamesI May Be Wrong – Doris DayI Only Want To Be With You – Dusty SpringfieldI Put A Spell On You – Nina SimoneI Smell A Rat – Big Mama ThorntonI Will Survive – Gloria GaynorI'm Beginning To See The Light – Doris Day/Ella FitzgeraldIf I Ain’t Got You – Alicia KeysIf I Should Fall Behind – Bruce SpringsteenIs You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby? – Dinah WashingtonIsn’t It Romantic? – Ella FitzgeraldIt Don't Mean A Thing, If You Ain't Got That Swing – Ella FitzgeraldIt Had To Be You – Billie HolidayIt’s A Long Way To Tipperary - VariousIt’s Magic – Doris DayIt’s My Party – Lesley GoreIt’s Only A Paper Moon - Ella FitzgeraldIt’s So Easy – Buddy Holly/Linda RonstadtIt’s Too Late – Carol KingI’d Rather Go Blind – Etta JamesI’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair – South Pacific MusicalI’ve Got You Under My Skin – Ella FitzgeraldJackson – June Carter and Johnny CashKilling Me Softly – Roberta FlackLady Is A Tramp – Lena HorneLandslide – Dixie ChicksLean On Me – Bill WithersLets Do It (Lets Fall In Love) – Ella FitzgeraldLove Yourself – Justin BieberLover, Lover – Sonia DadaLullaby Of Broadway – Doris DayMack The Knife – Ella FitzgeraldMad About The Boy – Dinah WashingtonMagic Moments – Perry ComoMakin Whoopee – Ella FitzgeraldMama Said – The ShirellesMama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean – Ruth BrownMambo Italiano – Rosemary ClooneyMercy - DuffyMustang Sally – Wilson PickettMy Baby Just Cares For Me – Nina SimoneNatural Woman – Aretha FranklinNobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out – Bessie SmithOh What A Night – Franki ValliOld Time Rock And Roll – Bob SegerPapa Loves Mambo – Perry ComoPeople get Ready – Eva CassidyPerfect – Ed SheeranPerhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps – Doris DayPillow Talk – Doris DayProud Mary – Ike and Tina TurnerPuttin' On The Ritz – Ella FizgeraldQue Sera Sera – Doris DayReady, Willing And Able – Doris DayRed, Red Robin – Doris DayRespect - Aretha FranklinRock Around The Clock – Bill Haley And The CometsRoll Out The Barrel – Vera LynnThe Rose – Bette MidlerRum And Coca Cola – The Andrews SistersSecret Love – Doris DaySentimental Journey – Doris DaySeven Nation Army – White Stripes, PMJ arrangementShoop Shoop Song - CherShow Me The Way To Go Home - VariousSigned, Sealed, Delivered – Stevie WonderSing It Back – MolokoSinging In The Rain – Gene KellySingle Ladies - BeyonceSmile – Nat King ColeSomeone To Watch Over Me – Ella FitzgeraldSomething’s Got A Hold On Me – Etta JamesSomewhere Over The Rainbow – Judy GarlandSONGS TO FILL THE DANCE FLOOR (and sing along to)Stand By Me – Ben E KingStay With Me– Bette MidlerStormy Weather – Ella FitzgeraldSummer Holiday – Cliff RichardSummertime – Ella FitzgeraldSuspicious Minds – ElvisSway – Rosemary ClooneySwing/Jazz/Blues/Soul/Easy ListeningS’Wonderful – Ella FitzgeraldTainted Love – Gloria JonesTeacher's Pet – Doris DayTennessee Waltz – Patti PageThat’s Alright Mama – Elvis PresleyThese Boots Are Made For Walking – Nancy SinatraTime After Time – Cyndi LauperTo Make You Feel My Love – Bob Dylan/AdeleToo Darn Hot – Ella FitzgeraldThe Trolley Song – Judy GarlandTwist and Shout – The BeatlesTwistin’ The Night Away – Sam CookeUnder The Boardwalk – The DriftersUnforgettable – Nat King ColeUp On The Roof – Carol King/DriftersUptown Funk – Mark Ronson Feat Bruno MarsValerie – Amy WinehouseWalking After Midnight – Patsy ClineWalking On Sunshine – Katrina and the WavesThe Way You Look Tonight – Ella FitzgeraldThe Way You Make Me Feel – Michael JacksonWe Are Family – Sister SledgeWe’ll Meet Again – Vera LynnWhen You Say Nothing At All – Ronan Keating/Alison KraussWhen You're Good To Mama – Chicago The MusicalWhite Cliffs Of Dover – Vera LynnWhy Don’t You Do Right? – Peggy Lee and Benny GoodmanWill You Still Love Me Tomorrow – The ShirellesWonderful World – Louis ArmstrongWouldn’t It Be Loverly – Julie AndrewsYou Are My Sunshine – Johnny CashYou Belong To Me – Patti PageYou Can’t Hurry Love – The SupremesYou Don’t Own Me – Lesley GoreYou Know I’m No Good – Amy WinehouseZoot Zoot Riot – Cherry Poppin’ Daddies
