Band

band red guitars
Band members

We are very pleased to announce our new permanent Bass Player … Mr Nathan Hulse, many will recognise Nathan from many Shadows circles. He will be playing centre stage with the Bootlegs for all our remaining shows this year into 2024 onwards. We all can’t wait to get going.

nathan hulse 2

Our huge thanks to John and David Christopher who have been brilliant,  filling in on bass for all of our 2023 gigs up to August.

Geoff Bearpark – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Keith Smith – Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Tim Jackson – Drums
Tony “Binks” Bayliss – Keyboards

Howard Gillespie – Rhythm  Guitar, Vocals. Since December 2022 Howard  has been standing in for Keith and doing a brilliant job. Howard will continue on for all 2024  Dates until Keith can fully return.

Oour sound man, Bob Dore is very much our 6th man. His website is here.

Former members:

Tony Cole :

Our founding band member, bass player extraordinaire and all round top man, Tony Cole, decided to call it a day with the Bootlegs early in 2023. After 17 years of van driving, setting up, packing away and band meetings (the pub) interspersed with bits of playing music and entertaining audiences around the UK and Europe, he decided it was time to move on. We look forward to news of his next adventures and wish him well.

 

35 thoughts on “Band”

  1. Enjoyed the show in Derby tonight. Shads fan for over 50 years and still love the music. You did it proud – well done. See you again I hope!

    1. Thanks Ian. We had a great night and should be back next Easter. We’ll put date on the web site if/when confirmed.

  2. Full house in Crawley last night and deservedly so. A terrific evening with both the audience and the band obviously enjoying themselves.
    You deserve to be more widely known and I can’ t wait to see you again when you come within travelling distance.

    1. Thank you for your great comments Bazza,
      We did all enjoy this one. It was also filmed with most of the numbers intact. We may do something with this.
      Glad you enjoyed it – we will see you next year, keep an eye out for more 2017 dates, one of which should be Crawley!

    1. Thanks Trevor. We enjoy mixing it up a bit and it’s nice to have a lead guitar spot for Keith. As Tony C puts it, think of it as a mixed salad and we’re the tossers!

  3. Daw you at The Guildhall Derby on 30th March 2018 and same as last year you were fantastic. I was brought up on Cliff and The Shadows and absolutely love the music. Keep the good work up looking forward to seeing you next year

  4. Hi Geoff and all of the band. I just want to tell you how much I enjoyed your performance at Tilburg on Saturday. And it was a great pleasure to talk you you. Pity you were not the last band to end the event because there was no increase possible and the final act was very disappointing (exept the brilliant “ELVIS”.)
    I hope to see/hear you again some day somewhere.
    And again “Thank you for the music” and the brilliant most entertaining show.
    Best wishes, Ernst (burnsernst)

    1. Hi Ernst – It was great to talk to you too, thanks very much for writing in. The Bootleg Shadows were there 10 years ago when Tim was in THE FOOTTAPPERS – He was recognised by many people which was lovely. For us, it was a fantastic weekend – memories will stay with us a long time.
      We all very much enjoyed the experience and would love to come back another time.

  5. Wonderful night at the palace threate in Paignton…these guys are as good as it gets..brilliant all round show , very funny and most of all fantastic music….if you like the shadows , they are as good.

    1. Hi Ken Thanks so much for writing in – it was our pleasure! Tony will be pleased his Jokes are funny… We are back at the Palace Paignton in July 2019 so hope to see you again.

  6. This is Keith – the bass player from the Wannabe Shadows, saw you guys last night at the Shadows celebration at Lakeside in Frimley – what a fabulous show – the energy, the professionalism and the effortless musicianship was a joy to watch……..well done lads……….. 🙂

  7. Came to see you at the Tivoli Wimborne last night. What a fantastic evening, a great show. Came out with a smile on my face, as well as a CD and tee shirt. My wife wondered what I’d been doing! Hope to catch you again when you’re next in Dorset.

    1. Our wives wonder what we are doing too….or more like jobs we’re not doing while we’re out gigging. Thanks for the comments and see you next time.

    1. Hi Sue
      Many thanks for writing in – all being well Autumn / Winter 2020 for Bootleg Shadows – the sequel!

  8. Hi Geoff and all the Band.
    Great evening at Crawley on Friday.Our first time and won’t be our last.Couldn’t believe the time !0.45pm,The time just flew by!!
    Lovely mix of great music and fun,Well done.
    Hank be very Afraid!!!

    Chris and Christine

    1. Hi Chris & Christine, Thanks so much – It was as Tony said our “end of term” date – we love playing the Hawth and will be back there next year ( see our GIGS tab ). We usually are in bed by 10.30PM look forward to seeing you both soon. Cheers Geoff

  9. Saw you all on 8th August 2021 at the West Cliff theatre Clacton on sea. What a great show as always. You couldn’t improve on perfection ( I was the one who commented about improving after your last appearance 2 years previous. I’m a joker as ever.) The one thing that my wife and I enjoyed about the show was the fact that you all seemed to be enjoying yourselves. It was not so much a job more a party that we were invited to. Can’t wait to see you again.

    1. Thanks for the comments and the heckling. All good fun and thanks to you and everyone for coming out to support us.

  10. Had a great night watching in Telford and meeting afterwards.
    Loved the association with the Thunderbirds theme.
    Would recommend to anyone who wants a good night out.

  11. The second visit to see you talented men at Crawley tonight.
    My son came with me as l went on about you fellas so much.
    He could not believe the professional performance you give. Shut your eyes and you go back almost 50yrs and was as a perfect performance from then. Will be back on your return. Gentlemen thank you for a perfect evening . Dave…

    1. Thanks for that very nice message Dave. Many people say we look better when they shut their eyes. The alternative is wearing masks, which was suggested for us even before Covid, but we do try to put on a good show and put a lot of time into making it sound good. Our very sound sound guy Bob Dore is a big part of that. All the best and hopefully see you back at the Hawth next year.

  12. I saw the original Shadows in 1962 and later in the 80s, but you lot are far more entertaining. Musically and presentation 10/10 as well as having us in stitches. You are brilliant and we can’t wait to see you again. You certainly raised the roof at Coalville’s Century Theatre last night. I’ll have to get one of those long silk ties for my band, not to mention wear a fox hat.

    All the very best, and keep on keeping on.

    Tom & Marianne

    1. Hi Tom & Marianne. Peter Gabriel used to wear a fox hat and red dress back in 72/73 with Genesis. He didn’t do the joke but Tony doesn’t wear a dress (except sometimes in our Abba tribute show – but for that it’s usually hot pants). Thanks for coming to the gig and the compliments – gratefully received.

  13. Hi guys, just wanted to say what a brilliant show tonight at Gorleston Pavilion, great lead guitar especially, and the comedy made it a great all round evenings entertainment. We saw you in Cromer before Covid and have been waiting for you to come back to the Yarmouth area, looking forward to the next time, thanks once again, Phil and Sharon.

    1. Thanks for the support and comments. Think that was our 5th visit to Gorleston in the last few years so I’m sure we’ll be back – hopefully next year. Long trip but well worth it for the great audience there.

  14. We do so enjoyed the Gorleston gig think it’s 3 times we have seen you now.

    Have contacted Warners head office as I said I would, nothing ventured and all that, you would please the audiences there much more than some if the so called professional acts we have seen!!

    1. Thanks so much for your support and contacting Warners. We did two of their 60s weekends in the early days of the band – must be 10 years ago now. We went down well but new management came in and we haven’t managed to get back in there since.

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