Tassie’s CROON boards double-decker bus and delights citygoers with tunes

Tasmania’s answer to the Las Vegas Rat Pack is back with a brand new show and the trio boarded Hobart’s double-decker bus to launch it. WATCH THE BUS PERFORMANCE >>

Well-known Tassie act CROON cruised around town atop one of the city’s double-decker buses on Friday and belted out a tune or two.

Entertainers Andrew Colrain, Colin Dean and John X – Tasmania’s answer to the Las Vegas Rat Pack – jumped on the bus to launch their new show ‘The Best is Yet to Come’, which is coming to the Theatre Royal from August 31 to September 3.

CROON’s seventh show in 10 years sees the three men team up once again with Matthew Ives’ 18-piece big band to bring a new list of classic songs to their Hobart audiences.

CROON’s Ali White, John X, Meagan Free, Colin Dean, Andrew Colrain and Laura Brown perform on-board Experience Tasmania Gray Line at Hobart. Picture Chris Kidd

Across five performances, the trio will also be joined by the Croonette dancers and the Baby Croon back-up singers.

John X, who has performed on stage as Pumbaa in The Lion King and the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz, joked that Baby Croon were like CROON but “younger, thinner and with hair”.

For the second time, the men will be performing a show in the renowned Studio Theatre.

“The space is very intimate and allows us to engage with the audience all night,” Mr X said.

“It very much has a close cabaret feel about the whole thing.”

CROON will be joined on stage by the Croonette dancers. Picture Chris Kidd

He also told the Mercury that there were two reasons behind the show’s name.

“In case people don’t enjoy it as much as they’ve enjoyed our previous shows, we tell them that’s why it’s called ‘The Best is Yet to Come’,” Mr Z said, laughing.

“And the other reason is it’s the title of a song that opens the show.”

The men have performed together as CROON for ten years and released an album five years ago.

“We just thought we’d get out and about and brave the cold,” Mr X said.

CROON launched their CD in 2017 aboard a double-decker bus. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

But this was not the first time CROON has jumped on a double-decker bus, with Hobart shoppers treated to a similar swinging, singing surprise back in 2017.

Tickets to the new show are $79 and can be found at theatreroyal.com.au.

Originally published as Tassie’s CROON boards double-decker bus and delights citygoers with tunes