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The Last of the Crooners: Tom Oldham captures iconic pub singers in portrait series

In a unique collaboration between photographer Tom Oldham and musician and producer Andy Gangadeen, the publicans and performers of East London institution The Palm Tree are captured in a glorious series of atmospheric portraits, and a coinciding LP.

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All images courtesy of the artist. Via Creative Boom submission.

All images courtesy of the artist. Via Creative Boom submission.

The Last of the Crooners is a visual and audio ode to the singers and musicians that play at the pub every weekend. In a special launch event on 21 April 2018, long-time landlords at The Palm Tree, Val and Alf Barrett are proud to welcome all-comers to an evening of live music where a selection of the photographs, which have been shortlisted for the Sony World Photography Award 2018, will be exhibited.

The strictly limited vinyl edition of The Last of the Crooners album is restricted to 500 copies and will be on sale at the pub during the event.

For any Londoners reading, The Palm Tree will need no introduction. Diamond boozer and Blitz survivor, it stands solitary on the Regent's Canal between Mile End and the Roman Road, quietly resisting the urge to move with the times. On weekend evenings you can enjoy the jazz standards of the Great American Songbook played by the musicians who feature on the album, with no ticket required. See more at tomoldham.com.

An older man with a moustache plays drums in a dimly lit pub, concentrating on his performance with ornate patterned wallpaper visible behind him
A woman with blonde wavy hair sings into a microphone wearing a black leather jacket and jewelled accessories against a burgundy curtain backdrop
Musician's hands playing piano keys at The Palm Tree pub, with sheet music visible on the stand behind
Close-up of drum kit showing cymbals and tom drum with worn surfaces and hardware in warm lighting
Vintage cash register decorated with Union Jack flags and a handwritten "CASH Only" sign, with a boot resting on top against a dark background
Three musicians performing together in The Palm Tree pub: a woman playing piano, a man playing bass guitar, and a man playing drums.
Dunhill cigarette packet beside a Guinness pint glass in warm lamplight at The Palm Tree pub
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