Catching up with The London Essentials

No one knows how to get the good times rolling quite like The London Essentials, a five-piece ensemble who’ve stealthily become one of the world’s greatest party bands. Founded by musician and actor Ben Matthews – who was inspired by a stint busking in Nice – they perform around the globe, swapping the safety of the stage for performing amid the audience. “It’s like a concert at your table, where you’re almost part of the band,” says Matthews. Suited and endlessly charming, the band know no boundaries: think sax solos played perched on a prime minister’s lap, or surprise mic-shares at gala dinners (Oprah Winfrey didn’t miss a beat when they popped up by her chair). They’re always game for an adventure, whether it’s wowing Miami Beach with a spot of vintage Whitney, or skiing the slopes in Verbier, belting out The Human League – a performance that included several collisions and a mid-air sax solo. We catch up with Matthews to talk travel, epic parties and a certain moonlit night on Lake Como.

What happens when you take music off a stage and into a crowd?
For the audience, there’s an initial fear – “They’re coming towards us!” – but beyond that fear is freedom. It takes people out of themselves, which I think is what we all want. The more confident the crowd, the better it gets: if we throw something down, they can pick it up, and we can let it build and build.

Sign us up! So what does it take to be a member of this band?
You have to be a versatile musician – we all take turns on lead vocals – but also have a sense of the theatrical and ability to read a room. It’s not like being on stage at a jazz gig, where you can keep your head down. What we do has to look and feel like madness, but we know exactly what’s going on. It’s a tough skill set to have!

What’s in your repertoire?
Anything and everything. We go in with a rough set list, then decide in the moment what we think is going to work. We’ve played ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ pretty much everywhere. People would request it ironically, as we’re an acoustic band, so in the end we thought, “Sod it! Let’s do it!” We once played it for Roger Taylor, who seemed to quite enjoy it…

You’ve played some pretty crazy parties…
Tell me about it! There’s a lot we can’t talk about, as we sign so many NDAs, but I can’t believe some of the gigs. We recently played for the opening of the Fontainebleau casino in Las Vegas. Sylvester Stallone and Cher were there, Justin Timberlake was doing the aftershow… I sometimes pinch myself. I like to know who’s going to be there, but it’s also sometimes good not to.

What’s it like rubbing shoulders with the great and good?
We constantly have to remind ourselves that everyone’s human. Money can insulate people and we’re here to help break that barrier and remind everyone that there’s more that brings us together than separates us.

Do you ever get starstruck?
At a gig for Google in Sicily, playing for the big bosses. We were singing ‘Kiss’ and had just got to the chorus when this ginormous voice came in behind us, booming “KIIIIIIIIIIIIIISS!”. It turned out to be Andrea Bocelli, who invited us to join him on stage the next night. When we play, people promise us all sorts of things – it’s our job to get everyone worked up – but he came through, and we performed with him in the ruins at Agrigento. Career-wise, it was just a huge moment and what a kind man he is..

What’s been the most surreal experience?
Performing with Steven Tyler was pretty off the scale. He was playing in London, at the Kentish Town Forum, and invited us on stage for ‘Walk This Way’. Or maybe singing ‘Just a Gigolo’ to King Charles – he’s got a cracking sense of humour.

… And a moment you’ll never forget?
Singing ‘It’s Only a Paper Moon’ with George Clooney at a gig in Lake Como. His aunt, Rosemary Clooney, was a singer, so he knew all the songs and sang with us for most of the night. He was literally there with his arms around us. He was so charming – I think we were all slightly smitten.

What are some of the most memorable places you’ve played?
We’ve been everywhere, from a private island in the Maldives to a wedding in Udaipur. Christmas at the Lone Star in Barbados was wonderful, as was flying into Maui to play at a rock star’s birthday party. You should see us get through an airport: I can’t imagine anyone’s faster. Our sax player, Ben, has his pilot’s licence, and he knows airports and planes, so we’re like a knife through butter.

Verbier also looked epic…
That was a crazy one – we skied down the slopes, playing ‘Don’t you Want Me’. It took me a while to persuade the guys, but it’s always good to do something different. Tommy ended up with two broken ribs, but his guitar was fine… In every band there’s so much repetition, so you’ve got to find ways to keep it fresh. The challenge is to avoid dead eyes. The moment we’re not having fun, it’s over.

Where would you like to play next?
Japan’s somewhere we’d love to play, and I’ve also got my eyes on the Seychelles. This is going to sound ridiculous, but we’d also love more London gigs. We’re The London Essentials, but we’re barely ever there!