Funny brothers in new club roles

Ladybalk Social Club in Pontefract is in the news this week as the venue has pressed forward with a refurbishment and redecoration scheme.

The new people involved in the club include brothers Brian and Mal Cunningham, better known as comedy duo Funnybones, and Friday night entertainment is being featured again at Ladybalk.

Club secretary Mal seems very optimistic about the future for this once struggling club.

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Ladybalk club first opened in 1936 and it is planning a 75th anniversary members’ night, as well as a charity night this coming weekend.

Saturday features all-girl act Bellissimo and Brian and Mal bring their Funnybones act out of retirement. It’s nice to hear about a club on the up and up.

Another club which has seen an improvement in fortunes recently is Westgate Common Club in Wakefield. Club official Les Turfrey was in touch with news of a much healthier looking balance sheet, which can’t be bad.

South Elmsall singer Lucas Primmer is a busy lad these days. A recent club spot supporting Billy Pearce at Horbury WMC last week, two spots at the Christmas lights switch on ceremonies in Wakefield and Pontefract and a host of other work is in the pipeline for this popular young man.

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If you want to see Lucas at a club in his home area, why not go along to Mill Lane WMC in South Kirkby on November 26.

Country band Stone Creek were a big name back in the 80s and the lads are back with their first gig in 18 years being staged at Wakefield City Club on November 22.

Gilly’s country music club meet at the City Club every Tuesday night and organiser Chris Gill has secured the services of Stone Creek after seeing them at the birthday party of a country fan.

It all sounds very colourful and somewhat similar to the set of a Clint Eastwood film, so if you want a piece of the country action why not head for the City Club any Tuesday night and particularly November 22, when Stone Creek make their return to Wakefield.

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I had the great pleasure of seeing Pontefract singer Carol Lee in action last weekend when I was over in Manchester working in a show with her.

The double-up scene in Manchester, where entertainers work two clubs during the same evening, is still going strong and acts that can work with live musicians as well as backing tracks are always in demand on this circuit.

Carol and her husband tell me that Carol’s lovely dad Johnnie Towler, who was formerly concert secretary at Ladybalk Social Club in Pontefract, is in good health, although not getting out as much as he once did.

I’m sure we’d all be pleased to see the ever-amiable Johnnie back around our clubs again soon.

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A recent national trade showcase in Coventry, which was staged last week, saw a number of entertainers from this area taking part.

One strongly recurring theme among those taking part was the sheer volume of Adele tribute singers.

As I reported in a recent Express column, I took a look at Normanton singer Olivia Leigh performing her Adele tribute at a trade event in Blackpool only a couple of weeks ago.

At the Coventry event I hear that other Wakefield lasses like Leanne Czerwik of the duo No Contest and singer Natalie Anne are likewise donning their false eyelashes and strutting their stuff. There must be plenty of Adele fans out there right now!

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If you have any news or views for this column we would like to hear from you. Just drop me a line at the Express, email [email protected] or call my office number on 01924 890800 and leave a message.