Thank you

A big thank you to everyone who made it along to the Panache reunion shows in Greenock in July 2009. We’ve put together a few video clips of the Friday evening performance - thanks to Gerry (video) and Hugh (sound).

If you missed the shows or would like to revisit the scene, please check out the Panache channel on Youtube The original members of Panache - Alan, Dougie and George - would like to thank Paul, Suzanne, Brian and Storme for lending their musical muscles to the occasion. We couldn’t have done it without you! Thanks also to special guests Groovefellas and The Verdict (unplugged) for entertaining everyone so brilliantly.

We had a great time and raised some funds for charity (£1100 went to CHAS - Children’s Hospice Association, Scotland - and £150 went to the Haven project in Port Glasgow).

Maybe we’ll do this again sometime!

Panache was formed during 1976 when Alan Mackie (Bass), George McClarkin (Drums) and Dougie Campbell (Guitar) joined forces with Pat Hamill (Vocals) and Robert Williams (Keyboards) in an attempt to become Scotland’s “Steely Dan”. Based in Greenock with a regular gig at the Victorian Carriage in Inverkip Street, the band performed their cover versions of “Kid Charlemagne” and “Haitian Divorce” as well as songs by Stevie Wonder, Hall and Oates and others.

All the while, they mixed in their original songs and explored tasty arrangements and 5-part harmonies. The focus of the band was the unique voice of Pat Hamill – sometimes sweet and soulful, sometimes soaring and passionate.

The other musicians in the band were also passionate about their craft and Panache became a collective music academy in pursuit of musical excellence. There were a couple of line-up changes. Robert left and Alastair Sinclair joined on keyboards. George left and Derek Taylor joined on drums. In the few years that Panache played out in the West of Scotland, their sound evolved into a funky fusion of rock, soul and jazz that attracted interest from the music industry in London and the U.S.A. Check out the mp3s on the music page.