In a word YES

The final nail in a lead lined coffin was Muse being turned into a mess

I always enjoy the band and the singers but yes I agree. they did murder the Muse song. It wasn't the kind of music I would have expected ballroom dancers to dance to. Can't imagine Frank and Peggy Spencer and the "Penge Latin Formation Team" dancing to that one back in the days when the old king was on the throne. Oh how times change.

I love the irony in your comments almost as cynical as mine

The one that had the catbox miaowing with laughter was the bloke doing the vocal on the Elvis song it sounded like someone was standing on his throat

I like the Band. They are expected to play lots of very different styles of music and they do it well. Leave them alone.

Welcome to the thread Mr Arch
Some songs dont work when they are messed around with for example can you imagine Robbie Williams's Angels performed as a fox trot?

Would be better with Bert Swanley and the Debonnaires, from the Hawaiian Ballroom in Hi-de-Hi

Ah yes a quality showband

Couldnt they find better a group than the Arch combo?
or was he the cheapest

Thought the muse song was pretty good actually. Well done band

At least they didnt let them play the riverdance peice

The band is ok: it's the singers that make it sound truly dreadful at times. That woman Hayley in particular sounds like a bag of cats.

I am off to rescue them!

I must have fallen asleep (or gone to get another glass of vino ) What Muse song was sung tonight?

"Must introduce Dave Arch and his wonderful Orchestra"

Always makes me flash back to BOD & Alberto frog and his amazing orchestra!!


(you have to be of a certain age)

This is quite a small band and the BBC only want them for a few hours on a Saturday night. It ain't "a ticket to fame" as unlike "showbands" they are hidden at the back.
The type of music they are expected to play is quite diverse.
I think the music choices this year are in many cases quite apalling and unsuitable for ballroom dancing, whoever makes the choices, but I suspect it is often the producer (regardless what the pros say, they want to be here next year) in a pathetic attempt to "engage" (their word) a younger audience who are either watching X-factor or are already on the way to the pub. "Ratings chasing" is ruining this series in my opinion.
The pinch-penny BBC only give them an hour or two to rehearse before the show.

The singers get criticised on occasions as they can't replicate a recorded performance by the original artist which was made in a studio and often digitally enhanced.
I often think they struggle to reach high notes as the music is arranged in a key not of their choice.

Although she has had some duff performances herself, they missed Hayley this evening, who presumably had "something better to do on a Saturday night."

But to be fair to the band, when they play the regular recognised "standards" beloved by ballroom dancers, tunes with which they will be familiar, they sound great.


As an observation, I think the band was better in the first three series under the direction of Laurie Holloway, the previous MD.
But really I miss Ray Mcvay, the MD of the "Come Dancing" band for ten years.

But he's now "Glen Miller."

For the most part they do an excellent job and as they have such a wide variety of material to get through I wouldn't expect them to be great in everything. I thought the band and singers were brilliant in the authentic Charleston numbers tonight.

Doghouse, Hayley was there this evening and she is the only female singer now with this band, as the other girl seems to have vanished or was let go. She left many weeks ago.

Well, I thought she wasn't there as I only noticed a female voice on one tune and it didn't sound that good. So I thought it was someone else. I did glimpse a girl in the band, but it was so dark I didn't recognise her.
Must say she took a "back seat" compared to previous weeks, didn't she?

For years I thought it was Dave Archer and the Band. Tonight I thought they drowned out James Morrison. Mind you he seemed out of key most of the time. Worst I have ever heard him.

Compared to the DWTS band they are a distant second. It's the fault of The BBC and
Government. Cheap and dependent on taxes . Cannot beat free enterprise and advetisement supported TV. DWTS has an orchestra. Not a cheesy wedding band

Gordon Brown told me the other night that although he might lose the election, he's going to screw up Strictly in the mean time.

Be warned of his plans for X Factor and I'm a Celeb...

The choice of music has been pretty dreadful this series, with the tangos and paso dobles being especially bad. You can't tell a story of Latin passion to some vapid pop song.

I think the band do a pretty good job considering they are expected to play such a wide selection of music. Again the problem is the attempt to incorporate current hits into the programme. You can't expect a group of session musicians to reproduce studio engineered sounds. It's a novelty actually to hear live music on TV these days and a treat when they're given a piece of traditional dance music and they get it right.

Time is running out, was used for a pro foxtrot with Matthew and Aliona and Brendan and Katya.
It's my favourite Muse song and I thought the band did it really well.
If I remember correctly, when they were featured on ITT last year they said they were only given the songlist at the dress rehearsal on the Friday to practice. So I think they do well to cover so many different kinds of music, in the short rehearsal time that they have.

The band is ok, the singers should be bagged up and dropped off...

I was expecting 'Pencil full of Lead' for Ali and Brians routine to be a disaster, but actually it wasnt so bad! The band and singers are a bit hit and miss, but on the whole and with all the diverse songs they have to tackle they do a good job IMO

The band is bad, but the singers are ten times worse...they are like banshee's catawalling.

All hail Bod, and the music was all performed by Derek Griffiths