Music on the River – Dorothèa

For the first time in three years, live music was back at the best venue in town, ‘the River Cam’. Many concert venues spend millions on CGI backdrops and special effects. But here at the, Traditional Punting Company, not only do we have the atmospheric college backs for free, we also have them on our doorstep.

Let us set the scene for you. It’s a balmy midsummer evening. Not only are you gently gliding along one of the most historic and beautiful rivers in the country. You are also being serenaded by local young talent. All whilst enjoying a guided punt in Cambridge.

We have been lucky enough to welcome onboard three incredible local artists, two of them completely new to Music on the River and one a Music on the River seasoned professional. Our first guest this year was the extremely talented singer and songwriter Dorothèa.

Dorothèa

Our first artist, Dorothèa would describe herself as a passionate vocalist and songwriter, who is influenced by Pop, Alternative Rock and R&B. Dorothèa is very experienced on the Cambridge circuit, you will regularly find her performing at Chill #2 Cafe and Bar. In June she performed at the Strawberry Fair on Midsummer Common.

At Music on the River she was accompanied by Miguel Zambujeira another talented songwriter and guitarist, who regularly accompanies her in performing.

Our evening started off with lots of pop anthems. Such as Love on the Brain by Rihanna, and Don’t Start Now by Dua Lipa. The boats were filled with people celebrating, the atmosphere was electric. In a time of such uncertainty, some feel-good songs were certainly well received.

Carrying on the theme of the good old belters, Dorothèa brought out some of the more ‘classic’ songs. Amy Winehouse’s You Know I’m No Good, Nina Simone’s Feeling Good, and Ben E King’s Stand by Me, to name just a few. These songs really showed off the sheer range that Dorothèa is capable of. Throughout the whole set, Dorothèa encouraged us to all join in and sing along- this even included some self-hire punts!

You can clearly see the passion that Dorothèa has for singing, her confidence and ability shined through. Her voice never once faltered, no matter how many low-hanging leaves were in her way.

Overall it was a wonderful start to our Music on the River. At the Traditional Punting Company, we would like to extend a big thank you to everyone involved. We would like to especially thank Dorothèa and Miguel.

Music on the River Artists

Up next we have the wonderful Liam Martin. Alumni of Anglia Ruskin University and Cambridge local, Liam’s voice can only be described as cinematic. Like Dorothèa, he will be performing a mixture of live covers and acoustic originals. He will be gracing the River Cam on Friday 29th of July, book your tickets here to ensure you don’t miss out.

Our final artist is the one and only Ukulele Simon. In 2019 we were lucky enough to welcome him on board and we cannot wait to have him back again this year. His daring and unique style brings joy to everyone who listens to him. He is a truly engaging artist. Check out our blog on his last gig in 2019 here.

Punting Special Events

Each year Traditional Punting Company hosts multiple punting special events. Most notably, May Balls, Music on the River, Christmas Carols on the River, and so much more. These punting events are designed specially to show off the college backs in a new and different light. Whether it’s punting whilst being serenaded by live music or being wowed by the incredible fireworks of the May Balls, we’ve got you covered.

It is important to us as a company too give back, therefore each year we host a variety of charity events to raise money for local charities from EACH to the East Anglian Air Ambulance. We normally hold two, one in autumn and the second in winter – Carols on The River. Our selected charities for this year are yet to be chosen, but we hope to update you soon on these up and coming punting affairs.

So if you have joined us on a guided punt tour before or are looking at visiting Cambridge to experience this favoured activity for the first time, then why not try out our special event punting for a unique and memorable trip on the River Cam.