Slurring singer Bell fails to chime with crowd

FANS were left disappointed by a below-par performance on the main stage by headliner Andy Bell on Saturday.

The Erasure singer sang the synth pop duo’s hits but slurred his words and sang out of tune.

Bell, who wore red tights and cowboy hat for the majority of his
13-song set, was booed by the crowd and many had left by the end of the second number.

Fan Liz Felix, from Reading, said: “He was one of the acts that we had particularly gone to see but when he came on stage we were just open-mouthed, as were a lot of the crowd — we didn’t know what to think.

“We started packing up at song two when the booing started — there was such a horrid atmosphere.

“We’ve never been to a Rewind where people have booed, that’s just not the atmosphere. It was very disappointing.

“I’m surprised he was allowed on stage when there were so many artists and a very capable band. When he came on someone should have pulled the plug.” Richard Mitchell from Cumnor, said: “His singing was shambolic and he was off key and struggling to hit notes.

“Frankly, it felt like watching someone randomly plucked from the audience vandalising Erasure’s classic songbook.

“In between songs, he struggled with his words, rambling almost incoherently. It was a desperately sad spectacle.

“I saw Erasure twice in the band’s heyday and then he was a vivacious showman with a pitch-perfect voice and a winning charisma.”

Mr Mitchell said he had asked the organisers for a partial refund, saying he had only attended because Bell was in the line-up.

“There was widespread criticism of his performance at another Rewind earlier,” he said. “The organisers bear culpability for not recognising concerns over Bell’s ability to headline at Henley.”

On Sunday, when compere Clive Jackson, of Doctor and the Medics, asked the audience what they thought of Bell, they responded with boos.

A string of complaints and videos of his performance have been posted on the Rewind Festival’s Facebook forum.