Zoë Dahse
Peet Rothwell, an expat from North Wales, has been performing Michael Bublé tribute shows for 15 years. Zoe Dahse went along to his show at La Sala to watch him perform the Canadian artist’s classic hits from such as Cry Me A River, Haven’t Met You Yet and Home.
I run late across Puerto Banus’ beach promenade, working up a sweat, and directly into the chaos of Peet Rothwell’s Michael Bublé tribute act. I’ve already missed Cry Me A River (my personal favourite), but he later sings it again, as per my request.
“My name is Peet and I’m the budget Bublé for the night. Not Jason” he introduces himself again to the room and draws a handful of laughs.
So, it turns out I’ve suddenly found myself in a half-tribute act, half comedy act, but it’s a truly enjoyable night by any measure.
The room initially looks somewhat unwilling to succumb to his enthusiastic attempts to bring the crowd to their feet and knock back copious amounts of alcohol to deal with it. I for one loosen up with one red wine, as is want.
Rothwell’s longevity as a Bublé tribute act is also due to the fact he performs popular Christmas shows too – who could forget Bublé’s 2009 chart-topping Christmas album, after all?
So much so is Bublé’s notoriety for this, that throughout the show requests filter in for Christmas songs: shouts of “Can you do a Christmas one” (in July!) to which Rothwell responds – “don’t you dare love!”
Bublé’s voice is hard to imitate in any case, but Rothwell does an excellent job baritone vocal style throughout the show, whilst also singing covers such as The Beatles’ Twist and Shout.
And the comedy show continues. Whilst delivering the final line of Bublé’s classic song, Home, he jokes: “they can’t make us go home … lock the doors!”
One woman shouts out, “take it off!” as he takes off his blazer, indicating at his shirt. To which he responds: “they don’t pay me enough for that”. Throughout the show (and albeit limited) a number of audience members get up to dance with him, and even some staff members join in on the fun.
“Please don’t put that in the review!” he says to me after the interval, when (for a reason that cannot be a result of his performance, which I have so far found exhilarating) half the room has left.
Overall, Rothwell delivered a fantastic performance: he certainly knows how to entertain. An enjoyable night had by all!
La Sala is holding more tribute acts this summer: coming up are tribute shows for ABBA, Amy Winehouse, Oasis, Freddie Mercury, Take That and Robbie Williams.
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