The Pitmen Poets’ performance at my local venue the Fire Station was a celebration of the North East’s rich cultural and mining heritage. The group, comprising of renowned local folk musicians Jez Lowe, Billy Mitchell, Bob Fox, and Benny Graham, delivered a powerful show from the moment they took the stage.
The Pitmen Poets effortlessly weaved tales of mining life through their songs and anecdotes. Their set included a mix of traditional folk songs, contemporary compositions, and spoken word pieces, each carefully chosen to reflect the struggles, resilience, and humor of the mining communities.
Jez Lowe’s songwriting shone brightly, with tracks like “Black Diamonds” reminding the audience of our coal mining roots. Billy Mitchell’s vocals and stage presence (remember this guy used to front Lindisfarne at one stage in his career) reminded me of when I last saw him perform at the Gala Theatre as part of the Lindisfarne Story, while Bob Fox’s excellent guitar work and Benny Graham’s rich, resonant voice completed the Pitmen Poets sounds and stories of times long past yet well remembered and implanted in our local heritage.
One of the evening’s highlights was their rendition of “The Collier’s Rant,” a traditional Geordie folk song that had the entire audience joining in. Even more familiar, and fun, was their performance of “when the boat comes in” which they explained was not about coalmining but nonetheless fitted within the same genre. Another great singalong.
The band explained that none of them had actually worked down the pit, but their close relatives (in most cases their fathers) had been pitmen. They went on to explain how they were of a generation whose parents said “You are not going down the pit like your Da, that life is not for you” (or something like that).
There were also visual elements to the show, including archival footage and photographs projected behind the band, bringing the history and stories of the miners to life. The Pitmen Poets’ performance was a memorable and moving tribute to our region’s mining history.
I bought a signed book by Jez Lowe, his fourth novel. A quote from the rear cover text: “A 19th Century village in County Durham is blighted by an all-too familiar tragedy, an explosion down the mine, but this time with a curious twist that sends waves of surprise and confusion across the region. It is left to a newly arrived young policeman to solve the mystery, in the face of hostility from the mine-owners, suspicion from the miners and their families and an over-arching web of prejudice that reaches out from a distant foreign land.
Only a scattering of odd characters and Tyneside eccentrics reach out to help him, along with a mysterious woman who captivates all those who come in contact with her.” Perfect! The rest of the band were also available to meet after the show.
Many thanks to Jackie for the photos and to Chris for manipulating the site. And many thanks again to the Pitmen Poets for a great evening of Geordie heritage.
Attending a 
In fact, it was not that long ago since I last saw Bruce at Murrayfield, Edinburgh. As a long-time fan, I have many memories of seeing the man over the years including his first UK appearance at the Hammersmith Odeon in 1976, and numerous other concerts since; at Newcastle City Hall, St James’s Park, Dublin’s The Point, London O2 Arena, Leeds Arena, and a previous appearance at the Stadium of Light.
Bruce has always been magnificent. This night, despite the challenging weather, was no exception. Springsteen took the stage with his characteristic energy, launching into a setlist that spanned his decades-long career. From the opening chords of “Waitin’ on a Sunny Day,” the entire stadium was with him. Classic tracks including “Born to Run,” “Dancing in the Dark,” and “Thunder Road” had the crowd singing along, creating the usual great atmosphere that I have come to expect at a Springsteen concert. Bruce’s voice was as powerful as ever, and his interactions with the audience as authentic and genuine. Particularly moving for me was “Thunder Road” which closed the main set and has become a crowd favourite, Bruce on harmonica and great vocals.
I recall playing the song to my friends after I bought the Born to Run LP (it was always real vinyl in those days). I thought his voice was unlike anyone’s I had heard before. Perhaps a cross between Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan? Every song on that album is a classic and many of them remain in his set today. The very last song has come to be “I’ll See You in My Dreams” which is a perfect end to the evening and to his now traditional three-hour set.
This time I decided to treat myself to hospitality in the Black Cats Bar which was top-notch. The staff were helpful and accommodating, ensuring that my carer and I were comfortable throughout the evening. The bar provided an excellent vantage point, combining the thrill of being part of the crowd with the convenience of a more relaxed (and dry) setting. This made it easier to enjoy the concert without the usual issues that come with being in a large, bustling venue. My second carer, seated elsewhere in the stadium, also had a dry and enjoyable experience.
The weather was bad, with rain pouring down throughout the concert. While we stayed dry in the Black Cats Bar, and my second carer was dry in the stands, the fans on the pitch were not as fortunate. Despite those soaking conditions, their spirits were high, and their enthusiasm never waned. Only an artist like Springsteen has the incredible ability to connect with his audience and keep the energy high, no matter the circumstances.
Sadly, Bruce lost his voice after this concert and had to cancel his next couple of concert appearances in Europe. Elaine took some great photos throughout the night. Many thanks to Chris for manipulating the site as usual. And here is something I must reveal. I used Chat GPT to create the first draft of my review, partly as an experiment and partly to try and speed up the process, as I am way behind with my blog entries. However, I am not sure if it did speed up the process as I had to rewrite much of the text to remove the robot and replace it with Peter. Not sure if I fully succeeded.
Setlist: Waitin’ on a Sunny Day; Lonesome Day; Prove It All Night; No Surrender; Ghosts; Letter to You; The Promised Land; Hungry Heart; Light of Day; Atlantic City; Darlington County; Nightshift; The River; Racing in the Street; Last Man Standing; Backstreets; Because the Night; She’s the One; Wrecking Ball; The Rising; Badlands; Thunder Road. Encore: Born to Run; Glory Days; Dancing in the Dark; Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out; Twist and Shout; I’ll See You in My Dreams
A great double act of rockers. First on the bill was the 
Jim Jones’ new band announces itself as: “Open your ears, arms, and hearts to welcome The Jim Jones All Stars into your lives! Fronted by legendary testifier Jim Jones – formerly of The Hypnotics, Black Moses, The Jim Jones Revue and Jim Jones & The Righteous Mind – his latest project sees him swan dive into not only his primordial influences and his own classic-packed back catalogue, but also into a spicy gumbo of hot, new sounds. Joined by former Jim Jones Revue members Gavin Jay (bass) and Elliot Mortimer (piano and keyboards), The Jim Jones All Stars are augmented by guitarist Carlton Mounsher, singer Ali Jones, drummer Chris Ellul and the three-way sax attack of Stuart Dace, Chuchi Malapersona and Tom Hodges. Born out of necessity, born out of wedlock, and simply born to boogie, The Jim Jones All Stars are an unholy trinity of birth.” (from Jim Jones website).
And boogie they do. Jim Jones is a full-on crazy guy who proudly fronts his review, leading them through a manic set of rock, blues, soul, and craziness. Jim is a great vocalist, full of confidence, with no fear at all. The guy commands stage, audience, and band. A fantastic warmup for the Crowes. “Necessity, being the mother of invention, surprised us all when she delivered a healthy, heavyweight, blue-eyed amalgam of incendiary ramalama soul.” Says Jim from his website.
After a short break, the curtain covering the 
The publicity for the Black Crowes latest album and tour says: “The Black Crowes are leaving the bullshit in the past. 15 years after their last album of original music, the Robinson Brothers present Happiness Bastards– their 10th studio album. Some may say the project has been several tumultuous years in the making, but we argue it’s arriving at just the right time.
Call it brotherly love or music destiny that brought them back together in 2019, the highly anticipated record consecrating the reunion of this legendary band just may be the thing that saves rock & roll. In a time where the art form is buried beneath the corporate sheen of its successors, The Black Crowes are biting back with the angst of words left unsaid penned on paper and electrified by guitar strings, revealing stripped, bare-boned rock & roll. No gloss, no glitter, just rhythm and blues at it’s very best – gritty, loud, and in your face.”
I first saw the Black Crowes at the Donington Monsters of Rock festival in 1991 where they were first on as part of a strong lineup headlined by AC/DC and featuring Metallica, Motley Crue and Queensryche. I wrote at the time: “We made sure that we arrived in time to see The Black Crowes, as I’d heard a lot about them. I remember being impressed by them, particularly by their cover of Otis Redding’s “Hard to Handle”. My friend John lives in the US and is a massive Black Crowes fan, and he keeps me up to date on them. I really must get to see them again someday soon.” Well, it was many years before I saw the Crowes again at Manchester Academy in March 2013. My friend John remains a dedicated fan and has seen them many times in the USA.
Bands like the Crowes keep the rock ‘n’ roll flag flying high. They exploded onto the stage and immediately the packed house was singing along and rocking with them. Memories of seeing Mick Jagger in the 70s come flooding back into my mind. Singer Chris Robinson has the same sort of swagger and energy. To my shame I don’t recognise many of the songs but nonetheless really enjoy the performance. Chris and his brother Rich Robinson, Chris’ seemingly quieter, more subdued on perfect electric blues/rock guitar lead the band through a set of songs which combine rock, blues, punk, and soul.
For around an hour and a half, which seems to speed through in a few moments, Chris swaggers backwards and forwards, left and right around the stage singing his heart out. Comparisons of early Faces, Small Faces and the aforementioned Rolling Stones come to mind. They even play a great version of the Stones’ “Rocks Off”. Why do I always have to draw comparisons? Not sure. It gives me a rock compass by which to measure and categorise artists. Whatever the comparisons, the Black Crowes are a force to be reckoned with.
Chris reminds us that the last time they played the City Hall was back in 1991; the same year when I saw them at Donington. Not many of the crowd seemed to register being present. I am not sure I was even aware that they were on at the City Hall at the time. Not sure why I didn’t attend. They perform “Hard to Handle” again. Magic. Their soul roots showing through and adding new life to the Otis Redding classic. A figure of Chuck Berry reminds us of their rock ‘n’ roll roots and reminds me of when I saw the great man in the same venue many years ago in the 70s.
“When it comes to live music, few bands do it better than The Black Crowes. The American rockers have had their fair share of ups and downs over the years, but they are sounding stronger than ever with their latest album, Happiness Bastards. Hitting the road with Jim Jones All Stars in support, The Black Crowes stopped off in Newcastle to sprinkle a little bit of rock and roll magic in the city’s historic City Hall. I bought a copy of the album, signed by both Chris and Rich (pictured). Class.
The band played a good mix of old and new, including a song first made famous by Otis Redding and immortalised in rock history by The Black Crowes, ‘Hard to Handle’, as well as their cover of The Rolling Stones classic ‘Rocks Off’. The night was a celebration of timeless rock played with style and swagger, thanks to Chris’ larger-than-life stage presence. Each member of the band was an integral part of an unstoppable music machine that took over Newcastle for a night.” (from Music News Monthly website).
A great night spent with two magnificent rock ‘n’ roll, soul revue bands. It doesn’t get much better. Many thanks to Elaine for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site as usual.
The Thompson Twins were named after the bumbling detectives in the Adventures of Tintin books, which were also a TV show. The Crab with The Golden Claws was my favourite. I would run in from playing in the street to watch it. I can still hear the intro: “Hergé’s Adventures of Tintin: The Crab with The Golden Claws”. See my images of a Thompson Twin model which Jan kindly bought me and my Tintin book which I bought on eBay.
But these Thompson Twins were very different. These started as a new wave outfit, formed in a squat full on left wing anarchic values. In my mind I have them bracketed with the Raincoats and the Mekons, who were similar new wave acts of the time. They were a large band comprising seven members, fronted by 
I remember the set as being very rhythmic, verging on dance, with lots of drums and percussion, and that there was much running about the stage by everyone. This was at the time of their second album Set which featured the single “In the Name of Love”. “In the Name of Love” was a dance hit, particularly in the US, and encouraged the band to follow a dancie/pop direction. Shortly after Set the band split and was reduced to the trio of Bailey, Currie and Leeway. Big success was to follow.
In early 1983 the new slimmed down Thompson Twins released their third album Quick Step and Side Kick. The album was much more of a slick pop/dance record and reached No 2 in the UK charts. It also gave them four UK singles chart entries with “Love on Your Side” (No. 9), “We Are Detective” (No. 7; I often wonder if this was a further reference to Tintin and his sidekicks the detectives The Thompson Twins), “Watching” (No. 33) and “Hold Me Now” (No. 4).
The Thompson Twins had made the transition from a new wave act living in a squat to massive international success. Their Side Kicks tour sold out everywhere. I saw them when the tour called at Newcastle City Hall. A fun show, all the hits, and very different from the band that I had seen only one year previously.
Roll-on 40 years and the Thompson Twins are back (well one of them anyway). Lead singer and front man Tom Bailey announced his new tour thus: “Thompson Twins Tom Bailey has today announced a major headline UK tour celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic eighties’ album ‘Into the Gap‘. The Thompson Twins are widely regarded as one of the most iconic bands of the 1980s and provided the soundtrack to many people’s lives during that incredible era of music.
On the seven date UK tour in May 2024, Tom will perform Into the Gap the 1984 lauded number 1 album in full. The album which has sold over five million copies worldwide spawned the distinctive new wave singles ‘Hold Me Now’, ‘Doctor Doctor’, ‘You Take Me Up’, ‘Sister of Mercy’ and ‘The Gap’.”
“Along with the album Tom will also perform Thompson Twin favourites including ‘If You Were Here’, ‘Lies’, ‘Lay Your Hands on Me’, ‘In the Name of Love’ and many more. Of the new tour Tom said: “Unbelievably, it’s the 40th anniversary of ‘Into the Gap’ next year, so I’m especially looking forward to touring the UK and playing all those songs along with some other favourites. Hope to see you there!” Tom’s Into the Gap 40th anniversary tour follows major festivals appearances around the world and is his first major UK headline tour since 2018.”
And so it was that Jan, and I were in The Glasshouse to witness Tom Bailey and all-female band perform those classic hits. Support came from 
Tom performed the concert in two sets, each one containing a group of great hits. He was visibly proud and obviously enjoying returning to the limelight. Hit after hit followed. Tom started the proceedings straight into those classic songs with “In the Name of Love”, “Lay Your Hands on Me” and some which were less familiar to me. He concluded the first set with a song which was by “One of my favourite bands”, Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” bringing back memories of seeing Talking Heads “back in the day” at Newcastle Polytechnic (with, I think, Dire Straits as support, no less) and later at Newcastle City Hall, when they became more mainstream.
The second set contained more hits: “Sister of Mercy”, “You Take Me Up”, “Doctor! Doctor!”, closing with “Hold Me Now”. Fantastic. It really took me back. The encore included the aforementioned “We Are Detective” and “Love on Your Side”. I really enjoyed it, even though the electronic 80s is not my favourite era/genre. Tom, you did credit to those old hits. Many thanks to Jan for the photos and Chris for manipulating the site as usual.
Set One: In the Name of Love; Science Fiction; Lies; Lay Your Hands on Me; Runaway; If You Were Here; Shooting Star; Psycho Killer.
“Clapton is God” was an oft quoted saying in the 1970s. Painted on doors across London and around the country, it proclaimed 
I went down on the train to London by myself, a fresh 16 year old who was desperate to see this guitar hero who had only recently returned to the stage earlier in the 1970s, following a terrible bout of addiction. I bought a ticket at Hammersmith Odeon, paying a tout £10 for a £1 ticket outside the venue. I was seated halfway back in the stalls waiting for my hero to take the stage and knock me out with his guitar prowess.
Surprise number one. A guy wandered out up front and said “Well here it is, the last night of the world tour; will you please welcome onto the stage Mr Eric Clapton and his band”. Eric sauntered on to the stage complete with band and current singer (and, I believe, girlfriend of the time) Yvonne Elliman. He walked up to the mike, acoustic guitar in hand, and started to strum a song quietly. He opened “Smile, though your heart is aching, smile, even though it’s breaking, when there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by” (Charlie Chaplin). It was soothing, melodic, haunting and not what I was expecting. The night continued with classic Clapton including “Layla”, “Sunshine of Your Love” and many other great tunes that rattled round my head. I ran up to Hammersmith Tube station to get across to King’s Cross and catch the last train home which I believe was, in those days, 12:10 a.m. The show was fantastic and those songs continued to rattle around my head all night on the train back home.
I have seen Clapton many times over the years witnessing often fantastic sets of blistering classics and sometimes more surprises. Always a world-class performance. At Newcastle City Hall many times. London Crystal Palace Bowl. The Cream reunion concert at the Albert Hall. Manchester Arena, Newcastle Arena and Sheffield Arena. The Royal Albert Hall 70th birthday concert and the Jeff Beck Tribute concert at the same venue. Other highlights included him playing alongside Bob Dylan at Blackbushe Aerodrome, with The Who, Bob Dylan and others in Hyde Park, with Steve Winwood in Wembley Arena and with Jeff Beck at the O2 London. Another couple of surprises at that concert: “Moon River” with Beck delivering his usual fantastic, unique guitar sounds and Clapton singing the lyrics followed by the only time I saw Jeff Beck play “Hi Ho Silver Lining” (“Eric made me play it” Jeff told us all). I sang my heart out that night along with a packed O2 Arena, tears running down my face. Others I may well have forgotten. Yes, Eric has given me so many great memories over the years. To me he remains “God”. Yes, in these later years he has become quieter – more blues, less rock, more acoustic – yet still he commands any stage in the world.
Eric is now 79 years old. Yet he still looks and sounds great. And no one can play a bluesy guitar like him. He is surrounded by his usual excellent band including Doyle Bramhall II, who plays absolutely perfect second lead guitar, Chris Stainton on keyboards (who famously was a member of Joe Cocker’s Grease Band and played on “With a Little Help From My Friends”; I first saw Chris with Joe Cocker in 1972 headlining the Lincoln pop festival) and female singers including Katie Kissoon (of Mac and Katie Kissoon and “Sugar Candy Kisses” fame).
The support act was 
I was 12 then, a young mod and my heroes were Barry Ryan, Steve Marriott and Steve Ellis. But that is a reminiscence I have written about many times before. Anyway we did catch Andy playing “Wide-Eyed and Legless”. Magic.
Then after a short break Clapton appeared. The set is in the usual format. A clutch of songs with full band and Clapton on electric guitar. A shorter acoustic set with Clapton and one or two other fellow musicians, and then back to full band and electric guitar to close the proceedings. The choice of songs was a somewhat eclectic mix. Some were rather unexpected: Cream’s “White Room” which was pure nostalgic magic and delivered well; and “Presence of the Lord” the Blind Faith classic which I last saw Clapton perform with Steve Winwood at Wembley Arena. Some were expected classics: “Crossroads” which is always a welcome addition to any Clapton concert and the closer “Cocaine”. The remainder was a mix of blues standards and other lesser-known tunes.
Standout was the touching “Tears in Heaven” which closed the acoustic set. Some obvious songs were strangely missing; no “Layla” or “Wonderful Tonight”. Some members of the audience were clearly disappointed judging by comments I heard whilst coming out of the venue. For me, I will take what I can get. Eric Clapton, not very far away from me, in a local venue, playing great blues guitar. The closer was “Sunshine of Your Love”. It doesn’t get much better.
Setlist: Electric set: Blue Dust; Key to the Highway; I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man; Presence of the Lord; White Room; Prayer of a Child.
This concert by 
The conversation somehow moved on to Brian Downey, original drummer in Thin Lizzy and went something like this: Eric “Have you seen Brian’s new band?”; Me “No, but they are playing at Middlesbrough Town Hall soon and I was considering going along”; Eric “You should go”; Me “Have you seen them”; Eric “No, but he has put together a great band and they play all Lizzy songs”; Me “then I must go and see them”; Eric “Please do and if you get the chance to meet Brian, tell I am asking after him. We remain great friends. Me, Phil, and Brian remained friends even after I left Lizzy.”
Well, I just had to go along after that recommendation from Eric himself. I bought tickets the next day. It was also a chance to review my long-time acquaintance with Middlesbrough Town Hall which is a lovely venue. It comprises two halls, a large hall upstairs with a lovely organ at the back of the stage (see image from my ticket).
I recall seeing Gary Brooker play that organ when I saw Procol Harum at the venue in the mid 70s. I have seen many bands there over the years including AC/DC, Kiki Dee, the Hollies, Van Morrison, and Ian Gillan. The second hall, named the Crypt as it is downstairs below the main hall, also hosted many bands. I recall witnessing great shows by Stretch, Crass, Steel Pulse, the Groundhogs, Wishbone Ash, the Exploited and several others down in the Crypt. Happy days. So, it was great to be visiting the Crypt again to see Brian’s version of Thin Lizzy.
Now, I don’t usually go to see tribute bands, but this group had the authenticity of original Thin Lizzy member Brian Downey sitting in the drum stool. Elaine, Jackie, and I arrived early and had a good look around the venue which remains, as it always was, a lovely, period church – like hall, in the centre of Middlesbrough. The stage was set with a massive drum kit standing proud centre – stage, ready for Brian to lead his new band through a set of Thin Lizzy classics.
The publicity from Brian’s website states: “Brian is delighted to announce the new line-up of Alive and Dangerous and is looking forward to taking the band on the road in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and the rest of Europe. The new line-up features Brian Downey on drums, Matt Wilson on bass and lead vocals and introducing Michal Kulbaka on lead guitar and Joe Merriman also on lead guitar.” So, this was back to the classic twin guitar line – up of Thin Lizzy. Fantastic.
The band all hail from Dublin and look quite young and fresh. They are all excellent musicians and did justice to the Lizzy repertoire. The singer/bass guitarist has curly hair and a look of Phil about him. Classic after classic followed: “Jailbreak”, “Emerald” (a favourite of mine), “Rosalie”, “Dancing in the Moonlight”, “Don’t Believe a Word”, the wonderful “Parisienne Walkways” which was Phil solo with Gary Moore on lovely guitar (performed amazingly well by 1 of the lead guitarists).
Next up soon was “Cowboy Song” (another favourite which always went down well when Phil performed it at Newcastle City Hall and which I was lucky enough to witness several times including an amazing performance at the Reading Festival in the 70s), “The Boys Are Back in Town” (and it seemed like they really were for 90 minutes) and closing with back to the beginning and “Whiskey in the Jar”. An encore followed of less familiar material and then it was all over.
Sure, it wasn’t Thin Lizzy, but it was pretty close. Eric, you were right to tell me to go along and see this band. Sadly, I didn’t get a chance to meet Brian and pass your regards to him. Brian, you are to be commended for assembling a great band who live up to their name Live and Dangerous which is, of course, the name of the classic Thin Lizzy live album which is often quoted as being the best live album ever. Happy days were here again.
Many thanks to Elaine for the photographs and to Chris for manipulating the site (and for saving the file for me along the way as I wrote it; last time I failed to do so and my Dragon speech software misheard something I said which resulted in my losing everything I had typed; very frustrating).
Setlist: Are You Ready; Jailbreak; Emerald; Wild One; Rosalie; Dancing in the Moonlight (It’s Caught Me in Its Spotlight); Massacre; Still in Love With You; Johnny the Fox Meets Jimmy the Weed; Warriors; Don’t Believe a Word; Parisienne Walkways; Cold Sweat; Cowboy Song; The Boys Are Back in Town; Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend; Whiskey in the Jar.
Pick up the Pieces! 
I remember them as a tight rock/jazz outfit, who had some great classic singles such as the aforementioned “Pick up the Pieces”. The Average White Band split up in 1982 but regrouped after some years and have finally decided call it a day with: A Funk Finale – Farewell Tour 2024.
The publicity announced this farewell tour: “Average White Band, one of the soul and funk bands of all-time will bring their farewell tour to venues in 2024. The group will perform their biggest hits and fan favourites, such as US No.1 Pick Up the Pieces, Cut The Cake.…….Formed in London in 1972, the band – somewhat incongruously given their Scottish roots – took the influences of their R&B heroes such as Marvin Gaye, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, and Jazz greats Cannonball Adderley and The Crusaders, then developed their own authentic sound rapidly adopted by black audiences in the US, UK and worldwide.
The group’s consistently accomplished songwriting helped them to achieve several Gold & Platinum-selling albums and multiple Grammy nominations with Atlantic Records. Having remained a perennial fixture at top venues & festivals across the world for over 50 years, the Average White Band’s farewell tour is the not-to-be-missed last chance for multiple generations of fans to experience the musical energy and trademark sound of one of the world’s truly great soul bands.”
Two guitarists and vocalists Onnie McIntrye and Alan Gorrie remain from the original band, alongside a set of musicians who they have assembled over the years, including a black soul singer who now fronts the band. But Alan Gorrie was very much the bandleader, with his old friend and side kick Onnie McIntyre standing quietly to his left on guitar duties.
The Tyne Theatre was packed ready to say a last goodbye to this band. I can’t say I recognised many of the songs, but I greatly enjoyed the performance, and I was glad I took the opportunity to catch them one last time. Of course, I knew the aforementioned “pick up the pieces” and “cut the cake” but I had forgotten the great singalong “let’s go round again” which had the entire theatre audience up and dancing.
Many thanks to Jan for the photographs and to Chris for helping me manipulate the site stop
Set 2: When Will You Be Mine; Walk on By; Cut the Cake; A Love of Your Own; Whatcha’ Gonna Do for Me; Atlantic Avenue; Put It Where You Want It.
Dionne Warwick
Anyway, enough reminiscing and back to the beautiful, soulful voice of Dionne Warwick who sang so many Bacharach and David classics. The show was entitled Don’t Make Me Over, after the famous song. The Glasshouse website proclaimed her arrival:
Iconic singer Dionne Warwick brings her captivating life story and legendary catalogue to the stage for an intimate evening of conversation and song. Join the chart-topping vocalist behind classics like “Walk on By,” “I Say a Little Prayer,” and “That’s What Friends Are For” as she takes audiences through her groundbreaking 60+ year career. Warwick will share personal anecdotes and career milestones interwoven with live renditions of her hits, supported by archival footage and testimonials from figures like Elton John and President Clinton.”
The show was in two parts with a short interval. Dionne took to the stage with “don’t make me over” emblazoned on the screen above her. She started by singing that classic song. Sure, her voice may not quite as strong as it used to be, but it was tremendous to hear her sing the song again, accompanied by a small band who appeared left off stage. A large, very comfy -looking, sofa was to the right of the stage and Dionne took her place there alongside long-time collaborator Dave Wooley who was shortly to interview her.
A short excerpt from the recent documentary also entitled Don’t Make Me Over, directed by Dave Wooley was shown at the start of the performance. Publicity for the documentary explains that it “Reveals the intimate stories behind a pioneering artist who took charge of her own career and smashed through cultural, racial and gender barriers to become the soundtrack for generations.”
The conversation between Dionne and Dave began with video of her humble beginnings, gospel singing in a New Jersey church. The discussion then moved through her life and career, her first meeting with Bacharach, in the UK where he was touring as pianist and musical director for none other than Marlena Dietrich. Now that is some tour that I wish I had seen! And so, the evening progressed moving through the years, with tributes from many famous people including Smokey Robinson, former President Bill Clinton, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Barry Gibb and many more. Dionne concluded the first set with a lovely rendition of the beautiful “I Say a Little Prayer”.
After a short break the proceedings resumed in a similar manner with Dave and Dionne chatting about her more recent achievements. Dionne talked about her family and her children. She then revealed that her drummer for the evening was none other than her son, who also sang with her. This part of the show included more songs, accompanied by her son: “Walk on By”, “Anyone Who Had a Heart” and “Heartbreaker. The evening concluded with a lovely rendition of “That’s What Friends Are For.” It doesn’t get much better than this. A lovely evening spent with a true legend and icon of our generation.
I have been meaning to see 
I was surprised just how true to the original Jam ideology and mod culture From The Jam were. They were in fact a revelation to me. Much, much better than I expected. The Boiler Shop was completely sold out, packed full of mods from every era, some wearing sharp suits and others wearing Parka coats. And to my pleasant surprise, the support act was Purple Hearts who I remember well from the late 1970s and early 1980s; I saw them several times during that crazy period.
In The Jam, Bruce and drummer Rick Buckler were the driving force, power and rhythm section behind singer, guitarist, and songwriter Paul Weller. Bruce’s versatility is evident, taking lead vocals on “David Watts” (The Kinks) and writing “News Of The World”, which to this day appears as the theme to the BBC’s Mock the Week show and has introduced his work to a new generation of fans.”
It is nice to know that “Bruce is again friends with Paul Weller which he emphasises is more important than music…… Paul asked Bruce to perform on his Wake Up The Nation album and join him on stage at the Royal Albert Hall on 25th May 2010, to a rapturous standing ovation from the audience. “No one could quite believe what they were seeing, it was history in the making and grown men had tears in their eyes” said one fan.”” (Again from the From the Jam website).
Support band Purple Hearts are: “an English mod revival band, formed in 1977 in Romford, eastern Greater London. They were often considered one of the best English mod revival groups, the NME calling them “one of the few mod bands to actually cut it on rock ‘n’ roll terms. In September 1979, the band scored a minor hit with their debut single, “Millions Like Us” which reached number 57 in the UK Singles Chart. The band then toured the UK with Secret Affair and Back To Zero on ‘the March Of The Mods’ tour in 1979.” I remember the March Of The Mods tour very well and have written about it on this blog. It called at Newcastle Mayfair and there was complete mayhem, involving fights between skinheads (“We hate the mods”) and mods (“We are, we are the mods”) and tables being thrown from the balcony of the ballroom onto the dancefloor below. The bouncers came in, complete with Alsatian dogs and brought some control to the situation. Crazy days.
Jackie and I arrived in time to catch Purple Hearts who were excellent, playing a mix of songs old and new; each track blending punk with 60s mod. A great start to the evening. We went to look for some From the Jam merchandise. The guy at the merchandise stand told us “I am selling Purple Hearts merchandise, the guy selling From the Jam merchandise has not arrived yet but all the merchandise is under the table”. Well, I don’t know what had happened but he never appeared so we were unable to buy any From the Jam gear. Never mind. Perhaps I will be tempted to buy something from their online store.
After a short break the main act took to the stage exploding into “All Mod Cons” followed by a string of Jam hits. Each song sounded true to the original, Russell Hastings performing the front man part extremely well, and the full band accompanying Bruce and Russell were great. Hit after hit followed: “David Watts”, “Billy Hunt”, “A Bomb in Wardour Street”, “Down in the Tube Station At Midnight”, “Pretty Green” (now I realise where Liam Gallagher got the name for his clothing range: I recently bought a shirt from the site and foolishly did not wear it for the occasion), “Town Called Malice”, “That’s Entertainment” and closing song “The Eton Rifles”. The entire crowd sang along; this band is the real thing and, judging by my experience at The Boiler Shop they have a very strong and loyal following.
The encores were “Beat Surrender” (I had forgotten just how good that song is), “Going Underground” and finally, back to the start with “In the City”. Fantastic. I would have liked to have seen them play “The Butterfly Collector” (my favourite Jam song) and close with “The Batman theme” just as they did in the early days. But then you can’t have everything.
Setlist (something like this): All Mod Cons; To Be Someone (Didn’t We Have a Nice Time); Mr. Clean; David Watts; In the Crowd; Billy Hunt; It’s Too Bad; Fly; The Place I Love; English Rose; ‘A’ Bomb in Wardour Street; Down in the Tube Station at Midnight; Pretty Green; Town Called Malice; That’s Entertainment; Lula; Heat Wave; The Eton Rifles. Encore: Beat Surrender; Going Underground; In the City.
And so, the 
Jethro Tull and I have a long history together and a long-standing friendship. I recall my school days when I was in my early teens. The sixth formers would carry LPs under their arms to school. They played them in a little room upstairs in the dining hall at lunchtime. Sometimes, if I was lucky, they allowed me upstairs to their elite “Record Club” to listen to their new, magical, psychedelic sounds. The records they carried were badges of honour and included Frank Zappa’s Hot Rats, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown album, Cream’s Wheels of Fire, Tyrannosaurus Rex’s My People Were Fair and Had Sky in Their Hair, But Now They’re Content to Wear Stars on Their Brows, and Jethro Tull’s This Was. This Was included a mix of blues, rock and strange flute playing. A year or two later, I remember sitting in my mate’s house and playing Jethro Tull’s second album Stand Up, with its great sleeve which opened out to a set of pop-ups of the band. How cool we felt. Then, in 1971, we all went to see Jethro Tull at Sunderland Empire. Happy days and magical memories. The die was cast. We were all Jethro Tull fans for life.
Roll-on 50+ years. The Seven Decades Tour. Wonderful. What is not to like. Why not go along and reminisce with old friends, listen to some old sounds, because let us face it, we all like “Living in the Past”. And plenty of old friends were there. It was great to meet up and say hello to fellow Tull aficionados.
With Ian Anderson as ever central to the performance, this tour will encapsulate the seven decades in which Jethro Tull have written and performed music. Through their 23 studio albums, they have continued to push the boundaries of their music. With Ian’s unique and iconic flute playing paired with his distinct vocal, they are one of the most important and distinctive bands the UK have ever produced and Ian’s desire to continually innovate has ensured they remain as relevant around the world today as they did in the seventies.
And so, to the performance. Sure, Ian’s voice is not what it was, and the old coat is gone, but the flute playing remains great and the songs are as soulful, passionate, poignant, and intriguing as they ever were. We start at the very beginning (a very good place to start) with “My Sunday Feeling”; Track 1 Side 1 of This Was. This is followed by a selection of songs from throughout the band’s seven decade spanning career. Pure magic. The years disappear and the old songs flow over us all. These include other classics from the first couple of albums. My favourites are “We Used to Know” and the magical flute solo which is “Bouree”.
We were informed at the very start of the performance by Ian himself that we were not allowed any photography until the encore. Hence lots of pictures of trains on the track as the encore was, of course, as always “Locomotive Breath”. It was a shame that we could not take pictures throughout as the images shown on the backdrop were pretty fantastic.
After a short interval Ian and the band return and play a strange mix of old and new. Intriguing, enjoyable yet missing some vintage tracks which are usually performed. No “Living in the Past”. No “The Witches Promise”. Nonetheless an enjoyable selection of songs from some lesser-well known albums. The band continues to surprise the audience.
Set 2 closes with a tale of that seedy tramp “Aqualung”. The encore is, as usual these days, “Locomotive Breath”. And then it is over. I quickly chat with old friends again and then go our separate ways. Our collective verdict is a great show, but a strange collection of songs and missing some classics. I am off home in my taxi. Ian Anderson did the Tull legacy proud and gave us all another night to remember. Happy days. Many thanks to Elaine for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site as usual.
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