The Darts Shop

The Legends Of The Oche Tour 2009 is underway and it has proven popular with darts fans of all ages.

The show starts with the tune of Teddy Bears Picnic, camp comic Duncan Norvelle's walk on music.

 Duncan makes a bee line for one of the  guys sat in the front row, and proceeds to get him skipping up and down the the stage,. The audience love it and hoot with laughter as Duncan picks on some other poor guy who really wishes he ahd sat a bit further back. After 10 minutes of warm up comedy fromDuncans the crowd are ready to meet the Legends.

Eric and John walk on first, after a DVD put together for the pair is shown on the big screen. Eric walks on from the left, looking as cocky as ever we remembered him. Gentleman John strides on from the right. When they meet in the centre of the stage Duncan does a short interview with them both.

After the interview John then takes the microphone and tells the crowd that the Legends have brought a special guest along with them tonight. Just then 'We are the champions' - a Queen favourite - begins to play, the lights go down, and Bobby George wearing a  cloak and carrying a candelabra makes his way from the back of the room.

Bobby invites 3 people picked from the audience to play him on stage. Then Eric comes on and does the same, followed by John. This marks the end of the first half and it's time for a well needed beer break.

The second half starts with all three of the Legends on stage sitting on stools. Duncan returns to ask each Legend to describe a special memory of their career,  of course they have a huge list to choose from.

 John describes the first ever 9 dart game, he also has a great memory of meeting the greatest sports person of all time Mohammed Ali, not once but on two occasions.  Eric tells us how he introduced Phil Taylor aka 'The Power' to professional darts.  Bobby tells us a wonderful story of winning the News of the World championship and giving the car he won to Jocky Willson, only to find Jocky did not drive, but still kept the car.

Duncan then asked the Legends if they will show the crowd some real darts. After some practice darts are thrown there is a round robin of one leg of 1001, after the three legs it's a draw, one leg each, the Legends then throw three darts each, the highest score deciding who the Legend of the night is.

At this point the  stools reappear and Duncan conducts a question and answer session with the audience, wireless mikes are used and Duncan roams at will through the theatre audience.

The night closes with John auctioning the dart board used on the night, and signed by the Legends and Duncan, Ucare the charity for Prostate cancer has been chosen to benefit from the auction and will be presented with the results after the final engagement of the season.

If you fancy checking out this event the remaining dates for 2009 are:

February

25th Regent Centre. Christchurch.
26th Corn Exchange. Bedford.
27th Civic Hall. Bedworth.
28th The Venue. Sheffield.

March

1st Brycheiniog Theatre. Brecon.
3rd Corn Exchange. Kings Lynn
4th Embassey Theatre. Skegness.
6th The Cresset. Peterborough.
8th Marina Theatre Lowestoft.
11th Forum 28. Barrow in Furness.
12th Concert Hall. Dudley.
13th Civic Hall. Grays.
14th The Pavillion. Bath
18th De Montfort Hall. Leicester.
19th Spa Pavillion. Felixstowe.
20th Parr Hall. Warrington.
21st D.G. One Centre. Dunfries.
24th Dublin.
31st The Playhouse. Harlow.

April.

3rd Woodville Hall. Gravesend.
8th St Davids Hall. Cardiff.
19th Potters Resort. Hopton on Sea.
23rd Mechanics Inst. Burnley.
24th Pavillion Theatre. Glasgow.
25th Rothes Hall. Glenrothes.
26th Newcastle City Hall. Newcastle.
27th. Town Hall. Rutherglen.
28th Concert Hall. Perth.
30th Prince of Wales. Cannock.

May.

2nd. Palace Theatre. Redditch.
6th Customs House. South Shields.

 

July

20th Butlins Minehead.
21 ... Bognor Regis.
22 ... Skegness.
27 Minehead
28 Bognor Regis
29 Skegness

August.
3 .... Minehead
4 .... Bognor Regis
5 .... Skegness
10 .... Minehead
11 .... Bognor Regis
12 .... Skegness
17 ..... Minehead
18 ..... Bognor Regis
19 .... Skegness
24 .... Minehead
25 .... Bognor Regis
26 ..... Skegness.

THREE of the world's greatest names in darts are to share their stories and step up to the oche at Tamworth Assembly Rooms.

Eric Bristow, Bobby George and John Lowe with presenter Duncan 'Chase Me' Norvelle are hosting the show-cum-party, Legends of the Oche, on Friday, February 5.

The trio have more than 1,500 darting titles to their names, including 40 world titles and the first ever televised perfect nine game.

Eric Bristow, the Crafty Cockney is a true sporting legend, with a pedigree as long as the M42. His impressive darts resume features five World Champion AND World Master titles and two News of the World Champion wins. Eric won his first World Championship in 1980, defeating fellow legends player and Assembly Rooms visitor Bobby George. He then started a decade of major championship wins.

Speaking of the flamboyant, extravagant and larger than life Bobby George – his entrance into any arena, complete with cape and candelabra, to the sound of Queens 'We Are the Champions' is enough to stir any audience into life.

John Lowe, "Old Stoneface" is the player with more than 1,000 titles to his name and he did not throw a dart until he was 21. John has probably won more titles than any other player in the sport. His titles include three World Champion, News of the World Champion, British Open twice and British Match play twice.