NeW
DiReCtiON
About Us
New Direction
Bob Martin - Guitar / Vocalist
Nicola Zielinski - Lead Vocalist
Vicky-Paige - Keyboard / Backing Vocalist
Based in the North East of England, New Direction are a professional 3 piece entertaining party band, performing a collection of classic cover songs from the past five decades (60s to present).
We have a powerful rich sound, backed up by our 3K P.A. system which can be reduced or enlarged for smaller or larger venues as required. The band is completely self-contained with a sound that is comparable to most 5 and 6 piece shows. We are a high tech show using state of the art equipment - sequencers & drum machines coupled with an exciting live performance, live vocals, keyboards and guitars.
We do not use any kind of karaoke or backing tapes, everything that you hear is us. We have created, arranged and programmed everything. Most 5 and 6 piece bands use music sequencers in this way, in fact I have often been commissioned to create sequencer files for many of them.
We have many years of experience playing the social clubs in the North East and North West of England. We also do regular two week mini tours all over the UK, including Scotland, South Wales, York and Norfolk. We do regular national corporate events for various organisations; this includes many union bodies end of conference shows. Annual Royal Forces shows, hotels and private functions including: staff parties, weddings, engagements, birthdays, retirements, holiday camps etc. We also do many Masonic events including ladies nights, summer balls, and Christmas parties.
We are ideally suited for all of these events because we play such a wide and varied selection of music.
We can guarantee an exciting, professional and friendly stage presentation that will thrill both you and all of your guests.
N.B. All of our equipment is P.A.T. tested annually and we have full public liability cover complying with current regulations & guidelines.
PLEASE CHECK OUR DIARY AND CONTACT US NOW FOR A VERY COMPETATIVE QUOTE
Email: robertmartin125_btinternet.com
To view our song list:
Click here
PlaYLiSt
CoLoRs DuO
Colors Duo is a one man, one woman show.
Made up of Bobby Topp and Nicola from New Direction.
Available for all your entertainment functions and parties of all kinds.
Genres include - Rock - Pop - Blues - Soul - Motown - Disco - Ballads etc.
No karaoke or backing tapes.
For more information email:
robertmartin125_btinternet.com
Or fax: 0191 2841927
For bookings please contact:
THE MARK LEWIS AGENCY 01670 360036
or
Bobby on his mobile: 07970 279609
BoBbY TOpP
SELF CONTAINED ONE MAN SHOW
Available for your entertainment functions & parties of all kinds.
Bobby has been playing in bands for most of his life and has 25 years + experience.
His huge repertoire includes songs ranging from the 50s - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s & Present.
Genres include - Rock - Pop - Blues - Soul - Motown - Disco - Dance - Ballads - Glam Rock - Rock n Roll - and
his own original material if required.
No karaoke or backing tapes. Everything you hear is created, programmed and performed on stage by Bobby. He also plays guitar and keyboard.
Bobby creates all of his own music in his home studio using Keyboard Sequencers, Drum Machines and other technology.
For more information email: robertmartin125_btinternet.com
Or Fax: 0191 2841927
For bookings contact:
The MARK LEWIS AGENCY 01670 360036
My Midi Files
MIDI FILES NOT WORKING YET - COMING SOON
The majority of these files are my own work but there are a few good quality ones that I have obtained via other sources and included them here.
If any of these files are under copyright please contact me immediately and I will remove them.
I can also make hard to find midi files to order if required for a mutually agreed fee - for more information contact.
situations vacant
As well as being a band in our own right we have also helped and work very closely with other acts and shows to get started in this business.
We are always on the lookout for people who are based in the North East UK who are interested in this type of work.
If you think this could be for you, please leave us the following Information. .
1) Name.
2) Age: (18+ Please for legal reasons)
3) Type of music you like and prefer to sing/play:
4) Your contact telephone number and home address if Poss:
5) Can you play an instrument? (If so, what?)
6) If you`ve had any experience: (please note: experience is not necessary)
We have found many extremely talented people with very little or no experience at all - who are excellent and have loads of potential who we can very quickly fit into a show. Confidence can be learned.
We look primarily for Commitment and Enthusiasm.
I have also found lots of people with tons of experience and ability who think they know it all but have not succeeded.
We would love to talk to you and we might just be able to help you.
Please contact Bob via
Phone: Robert - Mobile: 07970 279609
Contact us
Agent Contact Details
Main Agent Details:
Mark Lewis Agency - 01670 360036
Other Agent Details:
Act Shop - 01388 811222
AIR Limited - 01388 814632
Beverly Artistes - 0191 4562428
DCM International - 01388 608540
Gladwin Entertainments - 0845 6328348
Hi-Life Entertainment - 0191 430 0351
Martin Entertainment - 01642 616710
Personal Management - 0191 4835411
The Dixon Agency - 0191213 3333
Wansbeck Agency - 01670 823718
West End Agency - 0191 214 6883
BAnD hiSTorY
A band history written by Bob Martin
Bobby's 1st band - Dark Horse. (With Dave Collins - Sean Armstrong)
Humble Beginnings.
Bobby's 2nd band - Roadside.
Feeding the Dream?
Bobby's 3rd band - Parks Dept. (With Dave Elliott - John Laverick - Wendy Saint - Harry Fox)
Starting to work with real professionals by now.
Bobby's 4th band - Strange Brew. (With John Laverick - Harry Fox - Geordie Moffat) These Guys were great.
Bobby's 5th & 6th band - Night Train & Shadowland
(With Wendy Saint - Dave Elliott - Neville Irving - Billy Hales)
Real good friends and I miss them all.
Wood 'n' Top
Bob Martin - Guitar / Vocals
Peter Woodley - Guitar / Vocals
I suppose the Start of This band Has to be traced back to approx June 1990 with the creation of Wood `n` Topp Duo (Peter Woodley & Bob Martin) The band I had been playing in had disbanded, it had ended badly with big problems between certain band members. I think it had pretty much run its course anyway. Peter was the Sound engineer for the band and a very experienced Guitarist & Bass player in his own right. Peter & I decided to create a brand new smaller show (Duo) based on mostly classic 60s / 70s / 80s music.
We had to borrow money to start off with and Wood `n` Topp was born.
This worked really well and Wood `n` Topp successfully played for approx 2 Years when we were approached by a new and larger Entertainment agency and we decided to expand the show to a Trio.
The original COLORS Trio was then born with the recruitment of Keyboard player and vocalist
John Graham (Johnny Kong!)
COLORS TRIO - TIME SLIP DUO
Bob Martin - Guitars / Vocals / Sequencers / Drum Machines
Peter Woodley - Guitars / Vocals / Bass
John Graham - Keyboards / Vocals
We played very successfully as Colors Trio for quite a few years, during this time I decided to try and get a little extra work midweek so I created Time slip Duo featuring (Bob Martin & John Graham) This only lasted for about a year then we had to let it go because we were getting more and more Trio work and it was clashing. Colors Trio then went through quite a few line up changes, the first and most notable was that Peter sadly left the show and was replaced by Neville Irving (Bass / Vocals) and very soon after that John Graham also left and we brought in Tony Grieve on keyboards. Things were going quite well by now but due to an Injury and after a couple of years Tony also had to leave the show, he was then replaced by Steve Merrit on Keyboards.
We were about to have a big shake up though and we completely changed the show. With this came a brand new name - TEKNICOLOR
TEKNICOLOR
Teknicolor was probably the start of the show as it is seen today; in fact we still play a few of the songs we did way back then. With the help of our Agent Lewis & Vaughan (Now the MARK LEWIS AGENCY) we started out with some brand new material and even a little bit of Comedy. Steve Merrit left us and was replaced by a former member of the band, the very welcome return of John Graham on Keyboards. This was going really well when Neville Irving (Bass) had to leave the band for personal reasons. This was when we decided to change direction slightly and bring a female into the band for the first time, Tracy Ord (Backing Vocals & Percussion)
Neville Irving (Bass) then Returned to the band and we continued as a four piece. After a short time together - John & Tracy (who incidentally are now happily married) had to leave us due to John`s work commitments. Matty Graham - Johns Oldest Son - then temporarily covered as our Keyboard player for a time - and a few months later we brought in a relatively unknown and very talented young man that Id met. Colin Lee (as he is now known) became our new keyboard player and added some extra lead vocals, but very soon we were about to find and recruit a new member for our band whom was destined to completely change the Teknicolor show forever..... Miss Jolene Nolan.
NEW DIRECTION
I was sitting in a pub in Gosforth having a few drinks with my wife (Wendy) and my brother in law (Malcolm). It was Malcolm's birthday, and we were joined by a female friend of his called Jolene. There was a Karaoke show on that night and Jolene got up to sing. My brother in law said, " you`ve got to hear this girl sing " I sat and listened and I heard this huge powerful voice start to sing behind me (a Shania Twain song I think it was). I was astounded with the vocal talent of this girl. After talking to her she agreed to come to an audition.
She came to the audition and I was blown away with her raw vocal ability.
Jolene Nolan (Lead Vocals) This was the start of the show as it is seen today. Jolene was a teeny bit shy when she first joined us (you won`t believe that when you see her now mind!) and the whole show over the next year or changed dramatically. We decided to build the new show predominately around her. The Agent realizing that things had changed in a very positive way suggested that we change our name again. We all agreed...
New Direction was born.
Colin Lee (Keys / Vocals) - then left us to pursue his solo career and was replaced by Paul Grant, (alias Tucker) - on Keyboards and Vocals. You may have seen Paul on the Television actually, he was on: The Bill - Spender - Emmerdale - Crocodile shoes - Auf Weidersein Pet.. Incidentally Colin Lee is now performing very successfully as a Solo Artist in the North East, (I am proud to have had something to do with that.) Regrettably Paul was only with us for a few months when he left to pursue other lines of work in the entertainment Industry, very soon after that Neville Irving decided to leave again (because of personal reasons) was replaced by the welcome and long anticipated return of Peter Woodley (Keyboards / Guitar / Vocals) New Direction was now going very well and continued to go from strength to strength, we were getting more and more work and commanding better fees and we started to get bigger and better venues - for over corporate work and holiday camps etc.
Unfortunately things didn`t work out as planned and after a couple of years Peter had to leave the band for personal reasons. Peter was then replaced by our current keyboard player (Vicky Paige). Vicky was originally just covering temporarily until we found a replacement for Peter, but she has been with us now a year and I`m pleased to say seems happy enough to stay.
NEW DIRECTION (revised)
Female & Male fronted 3 Piece Band...
Jolene decided to leave us to pursue new avenues (Solo & Duo work as Sugar & Spice) and we wish her all the very best in her future endeavours... I always knew this would happen one day. She is still a fantastic Vocal Talent. Go and see her brand new show with Natalie they are brill.
With the departure of Jolene from the band (June 2008) New Direction's lead vocalist became Roisin Stobbs.
At the end of July / Beginning of August 2009 Roisin sadly left us to pursue other work commitments and we will miss her but with her departure comes exciting new times for the band with new lead vocalist Nicola Zielinski. Nicola has a fantastic stage presence and a huge stage personality, big things to come.
A brand new and dynamic show is now in place with some old revamped material.
Please come and see us very soon, we always love to see everyone at our shows.
See our diary (Gig Guide)
Many thanks to you all - Bob Martin says "Keep on Rockin`Man"
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