Billed as a docu-concert, Inside American Pie, is a joyous and emotional deep dive into the lyrics of Don McLean’s beloved song ‘American Pie’ and was written to commemorate the 1959 plane crash that took the lives of musical icons Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and the Big Bopper. It was created by Mike Ross and Sarah Wilson and Ross guides us expertly and with great warmth through the 1960s and 70s whilst explaining his interpretation of the lyrics. The band on stage includes Mike Ross, Alicia Toner, Brielle Ansems, Greg Gale and Kirk White. The producers of this fantastic show are Harmony House, Nicole Bellamy and Mike Ross.

All of the performers are top class multi-instrumentalists and singers and do full justice to all of the fifteen songs delivering the energy and harmonies of each without mimicking the original artist. The songs include Chantilly Lace, Everyday, White Sport Coat, Where Have All The Flowers Gone, The Times They Are A-Changin’, Imagine, Helter Skelter, Bad Moon Rising, Piece Of My Heart and probably my favourite (because of Ross’s delivery), The Rolling Stones’ Sympathy For The Devil. And not forgetting American Pie itself. Each performer on stage delivers 100%

I am at the Saturday matinee on March 7th. The show gets a well deserved standing ovation at the end for the overall presentation and the high quality of the musicianship. Curve’s chief executive Chris Stafford gets his own big round of applause as Ross explains that Stafford was invited to Toronto to see the acclaimed show and was so taken with it he arranged for it to come to Leicester Curve. It has one more week to go until it finishes on Saturday 14th March. It is one hour and thirty minutes long with no interval and the emotional story telling warmth that emanates from the Curve Studio stage can make a grown man cry. Don’t miss this one. Inside American Pie is a docu-concert gem.

Photography by Manuel Harlan