Studio seated | Start time: 6:30pm
“It’s just the way that I feel. I’ve never copied anybody or styled myself after anybody. The way my voice showed up was a kind of accident in the first place.” – Karen Carpenter, BBC Radio 2, 1981.
And what an “accident” it was – one that gave the world one of the most unforgettable voices in popular music. Rainy Days, Mondays & Good Old Dreams is an intimate, beautifully crafted homage to the music and story of the Carpenters. From their first tentative steps toward a recording contract to the soaring hits that defined a generation, the show traces the duo’s influences, their meteoric rise, and the personal struggles behind their shimmering sound. Kerry Le Bern captures the warm, soulful contralto that made Karen Carpenter a legend, while revealing the human story behind the songs.
“I adored the Carpenters from an early age,” Kerry recalls. “As a child of the 1970s, I’d sing along to the Close To You album on my trusty cassette player, pretending I was Karen. With this show, I want audiences not only to hear echoes of her voice in my own interpretation, but to walk away thinking, ‘How fascinating – I never knew that.’”
Joined by the outstanding Jambalaya Band, Kerry transports audiences straight back to the Carpenters’ magic of the 1970s and early ’80s. One moment you’ll be tapping your toes and singing along; the next, you’ll be moved by the poignant beauty of these timeless classics. This is no impersonation or tribute, but a heartfelt celebration – an immersive Carpenters experience that honours their music while uncovering the story behind it.
Rainy Days, Mondays & Good Old Dreams: a night of nostalgia, discovery, and the enduring power of one of pop’s most extraordinary voices.