I first saw Yes in 1969, supporting the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band before Rick Wakeman was a member of the band. The keyboard player at the time was Tony Kaye. I saw Yes for the third time in 1971 supporting USA rock giants Iron Butterfly at Newcastle City Hall. Rick Wakeman had just joined the band as their new keyboard player. This was to become what was known as the classic Yes line up which released the equally classic Yes Album. Since then I have seen Rick Wakeman many times over the years in many different guises: as a member of Yes, as a solo artist leading his band on orchestral concert extravaganzas and as a grumpy old man on tours of the same name. Each time he has come through as an excellent musician and a great character and showman.
On entering The Glasshouse Jackie and I headed for the merchandise stand where I met up with two friends I had not seen for some time. A nice surprise. The evening was full of surprises; more of which later. I purchased a couple of programmes, a signed poster and a T-shirt. We then moved speedily to the bar and I treated myself to a bottle of Newcastle Brown ale, something I have not had for many years (no Guinness available). Jackie and I then took to our seats.
Having taken up our seats at the rear of the hall, I uncharacteristically decided to have a look through my programme. To my delight I noticed that the lead singer for the evening was Mollie Marriott, daughter of one of my all-time heroes, the late, great and sadly missed Steve Marriott of Small Faces and Humble Pie fame. Another pleasant surprise. Soon Rick Wakeman and his band took to the stage. As well as Rick and Mollie, the ensemble comprised a full electric band, vocalists and on second keyboard, Adam Wakeman, Rick’s son. Rick was indeed a true “caped crusader” wearing a very long, glittery cape, just as we did in the 1970s.
The concert was in two parts: a set of Yes classics, and after a short interval, a full performance of Rick Wakeman’s orchestral extravaganza LP Journey to the Centre of the Earth. So, we were treated to a short run through of some of the greatest prog rock of the early 1970s including a couple of my favourite songs: “Roundabout” and “And You and I”. It seemed a strange idea to have a lady like Mollie fronting the band and in effect taking the role of Jon Anderson, but it worked well. Jon always had quite a high pitched vocal, so maybe it was an inevitable choice. Mollie has a strong, powerful vocal and danced a little, charismatic and mesmerising. The plaudits of Mollie are many.
From the Mollie Marriott website: “Proving she can rock like her father, Mollie started her career in rock music at the age of 15 when working with Britpop legends, Oasis. Since then she has worked with and supported some powerhouses in rock: Robert Plant, The Who, Jeff Beck, Mark Knopfler, The Faces and the Modfather himself Paul Weller, who she worked with on her debut album, Truth Is A Wolf released in 2017.”
“She has this incredibly soulful voice .” Peter Frampton.
“Infectiously vivacious, soulful and connected. Mollie is the real deal.” Whispering Bob Harris.
“Mollie Marriott is shaping up as the Rock Star Progeny to beat.” Classic Rock Magazine
And so came the interval and time for a Jack Daniels, just to set me up for the rest of the evening. Rick returned wearing a different, equally flamboyant, cape and proceeded to lead his band through the entire journey to the centre of the earth album which, to my eyes and ears some 50 years later, was much, much more enjoyable than the first time round when I thought it a little over the top prog. Mollie was again excellent as was Rick, surrounded by an array of synthesisers and keyboards. This was clearly his music, his band/orchestra and it was absolutely fantastic. At the end of this extended piece, the crowd (the hall was full, by the way) gave Rick Wakeman a well deserved standing ovation.
I thought that would be the end of the concert. But the house lights remained down and the crowd continued to cheer for more. And Rick did indeed return to give us more. A wonderful rendition of “Starship Trooper” closed the evening. An evening full of memories, surprises and more importantly, excellent 1970s music. Perfect.
Many thanks to Jan for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site.
Setlist: Set 1: Roundabout; The YES Suite (Part A – The Meeting); The YES Suite (Part B – Wonderous Stories); The YES Suite (Part C – South Side of the Sky); And You and I;
Set 2: Journey to the Centre of the Earth; The Journey Overture; Journey’s Dawn; Crystals; The Gothic Cathedral; A Quest for Water; The Hansbach; Fervent Prayer; Recollection; Lost and Found; Echoes; 4 Miles; The Reunion; A New Vista; A World Within a World; The Raft; The Battle; Cumulus Clouds; The Storm; The Cemetery; Quaternary Man; Mastodons; The Forest; Ages of Man; The Tunnel; In the Hall of the Mountain King; Mount Etna.
Encore: Starship Trooper.
If you had asked me in the late 1980s whether I would go and see 
Rick Astley has seen a transformation and rebirth in recent years. The 80s pop star remains but the man has evolved into a much more credible artist, singing in a very soulful manner. A very successful Glastonbury performance also helped catapult him back into the limelight. Rick the teenage heartthrob popstar has become Rick the soul singer. The entire performance was very slick and professional. The stage setup and screens made great use of modern technology and Rick was accompanied by an excellent band containing an array of musicians and singers.
Add to that an excellent supporting show comprising The Lottery Winners (I arrived a little late and missed their performance) a new band each of whom is a real lottery winner, and none other than fellow 80s star, Belinda Carlisle. The arena bars emptied for Belinda Carlisle and the massive hall was full to see the lady perform a great show. I had forgotten just how many hits Belinda has enjoyed. She closed with, of course, her only number 1 single “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” and everyone was singing along. I really enjoyed seeing her. An excellent start to my evening.
After a short interval Rick Astley took to the stage. This was a supremely confident artist, clearly enjoying his recent return to fame. His set was a mix of recent songs, some very soulful, and 80s hits. They all blended together well. “I’m 58” Rick told us all, quite proud of the fact, I think. He certainly looks well for his age and, complete with quiff and snazzy, snappy, colourful suit, he led his band through his songs, with the audience fully behind him. I was surprised just how much I enjoyed the concert and how many of his 80s hits I remembered including songs like “Together Forever”.Another great moment was when, during one song, Rick asked everyone to put on the torch light on their phones. The entire arena was filled with light. It looked amazing.
During the encore Rick explained how he started off his music career as a drummer. He told us that he was quite a quiet boy at school until he got a drum kit. He joined a school band and they played at the Valentine night’s disco. That night he received 4 Valentine cards. That was it! Rick’s future was mapped out and he wished to be a popstar. Hence his transformation from drummer to vocalist. He demonstrated his drumming skills by taking up the drums stool, twirling the drumsticks between his fingers like a “proper” drummer and then launching into the AC/DC classic “Highway to Hell” providing vocals alongside his drumming. Amazing and a big surprise.
He closed with, of course, “Never Gonna Give You Up” with a massive singalong and crazy ovation from the crowd. Great fun and a fitting end to a concert that even 10 years ago I could not have imagined myself attending. It is strange how times, music and trends change and how my musical taste has broadened so much recently. Much to my enjoyment.
During the interval I purchased a couple of programmes and a T-shirt. Many thanks to Jackie for the photographs and to Chris for assisting me in creating this blog entry.
A lovely evening spent in a great venue in my home town. I have passed on many chances to see 
For some reason, I have had Rory Gallagher in my mind lately. I was and remain, a big fan of Rory. I first saw him in 1970 when he was playing with his first band Taste. I remember Rory performing classic songs such as “Blister on the Moon” and “Catfish” complete with his battered Fender Stratocaster and a Vox AC30 amplifier. Out of pure madness I recently bought myself a Stratocaster and a Vox AC30 purely to use as ornaments with no chance of me ever being able to play them. Still, they remind me of Rory and many other great bands and guitarists. In those days the performer could fill the hall with the sound of that small amplifier; no big Marshall stacks then!
So, apologies for digressing. Why do I return to Rory? I saw glimpses of Rory in Joanne Shaw Taylor’s performance the other night in The Fire Station. Why do I need to compare people I see with my past heroes? Not sure, and it is probably an unfair thing to do. Joanne Shaw Taylor has her own, very powerful, unique repertoire to draw upon. Comparisons are unnecessary. She is a very soulful, bluesy singer who plays extraordinary electric blues guitar. How could I have missed opportunities to see this lady so many times before. Foolishness; pure foolishness, that’s all.
The Fire Station announced the gig: “Join Joanne Shaw Taylor and her stellar band performing songs from her critically acclaimed studio album, Nobody’s Fool, as well as songs from the upcoming new album. Her guitar prowess, vocal abilities, and songwriting talents reach new heights as she presents a bold slate of material at the peak of her career. Joanne will also dig deep into her rich back catalogue where she will hand-pick songs from her previous recordings along with classic blues songs.”
A mix of country, soul and blues. She even played a song from the 1960s which was very different to how I remembered it. So different that by the time I got home I had forgotten what the song was. I searched on the Internet and discovered that it was “If You Gotta Make A Fool of Somebody” which was, of course, a hit for Freddie and the Dreamers in the UK. Joanne’s version was very different; soulful and bluesy with exquisite electric guitar by Joanne herself and also her guitarist. Perhaps Joanne’s version is closer to the original song which I must look up.
Joanne is supported by a band of excellent musicians but is very much a charismatic band leader. Her performance was amazing, much better than I expected and she surely must progress to greater things. Joe Bonamassa comes to mind. Another comparison; apologies Joanne. Joe played blues clubs and small venues and gradually built up a following to the extent he now fills arenas around the world. It was a privilege to catch this great blues singer and guitarist in a small venue. Fantastic. Someone I must definitely see again.
This was a great local event, hosted by 
Friday night was wonderful and eventful in many ways. My carer Jackie and I arrived late afternoon in order to catch Eric Bell, who was playing two sets: one in the early afternoon and one later in the day. We decided to go along for the later set hoping to catch him play some old Thin Lizzy favourites. As we arrived we were welcomed by the guys on the door who pointed us towards the VIP lounge where we were introduced to the man himself, Eric Bell!
We had a pleasant chat with this legend, during which I reminded Eric about meeting him with Phil Lynott in the bar of Sunderland Locarno around 1971 or 1972. Eric asked me if liked old Thin Lizzy, which of course I replied I did, and I also said I liked the later Thin Lizzy which he agreed with. “Do you like the Beatles? And Jimi Hendrix?” Asked Eric. “Yes of course” I replied. “I also love the Rolling Stones” I added. Eric nodded his head. Do you like “Whiskey in the Jar” and “The Rocker” he asked. “Of course,” I replied.
We then entered the main stage room which was situated upstairs. Downstairs there were two further stages: an acoustic stage and a blues stage. This really was a fantastic, well-coordinated event. The organisers had kept a table for us at the back of the room where Jackie and I had a great view of the proceedings. They then very kindly, as a result of our early bird VIP tickets, presented us with a plate of pizza, and another containing garlic bread and nibbles. Lovely. This really was a great event in every way.
After a short while, the Eric Bell Trio took to the stage. The first part of their short set was a series of excellent renditions of traditional blues classics. I was beginning to think that maybe Eric now focuses on the blues and might not play thin Lizzy songs. But then the opening bars to “Whiskey in the Jar” rang around the room and we were off back into many happy memories of the early Lizzy that I saw several times in the first part of the 1970s. After a great rendition of “Whiskey in the Jar”, Eric finished the set with the aforementioned “The Rocker”. Pure magic from a gent and a legend.
After another short break, the 
We all left the club in quite an orderly fashion, Jackie and I taking the lift downwards and out onto the cold windy seaside street in Cullercoats. Everyone was waiting outside to be re-admitted to the venue. My friendly taxi driver was waiting around the corner so Jackie and I decided to take a ride home that evening. A very eventful and enjoyable evening at the 
Roll-on to Sunday night and we had a shorter but also eventful visit back to the Cullercoats Crescent Club. The programme told us that Martin Turner was playing two sets: one in the afternoon and one quite early in the evening. Once again, I was really interested in seeing Martin as the headline act so Elaine my carer for the evening and I turned up just in time to see him play. On arrival we were told “Martin Turner has already been on. Because of the weather he decided to play a longer set in the afternoon”.
I was a little disappointed, however the organiser was very kind and apologetic, explaining the circumstances which were, on reflection, very understandable. The weather last Sunday evening was terrible with gale force winds and we were situated right on the coast. I would imagine that Martin Turner had to travel quite a distance to home or his next gig so I can understand why he needed to leave early. Never mind I have tickets to see him perform at Newcastle Cluny later in the year. Elaine and I decided to join in with the full festival experience and after a pint of Guinness and a great set by the 
Two interesting acts at a local venue. It has been many years since I have seen both of these. I last saw 
The last time I saw 
We had a great vantage point on the wheelchair platform. First up were The Primitives who played a great selection of jangly pop tunes including, of course, “Crash” which sounded as fresh and singalong today as it did all those years ago. During Hugh Cornwell’s set Tracy was down in front of the merchandise stand and we caught her and she kindly signed my ticket (see image).
Soon Hugh took to the stage with his three-piece band. Himself on vocals and guitar, a bass player who pounded away on his bass guitar in a similar way to that of Stranglers bass player Jean-Jacques Burnel and mid-stage a drummer also pounding away at his kit. The set was once again a mixture of solo material and a few Stranglers gems thrown in here and there.
In total he played around 9 Stranglers tracks, some of which I recognised including “Always the Sun”, “Strange Little Girl” and the closing track which took me right back to the early days “Hanging Around”. A two hour set which didn’t drag at all. The crowd loved it and Hugh seemed to enjoy himself. At the end a guy dressed as a chicken arrived on stage to play maracas. Bizarre.
Setlist: I Wannahideinsideaya; Too Much Trash; Skin Deep (Stranglers); Wrong Side of the Tracks; Delightful Nightmare; Strange Little Girl (Stranglers); Totem and Taboo; Bad Vibrations; Who Wants the World? (Stranglers); Moments of Madness; When I Was a Young Man; Tramp (Stranglers); Pure Evel; Mr. Leather; Always the Sun (Stranglers); Duce Coochie Man; Goodbye Toulouse (Stranglers); Another Kind of Love; Out of My Mind (Stranglers); Live it and Breathe it; Leave Me Alone; Thrown Away (Stranglers); Lasagna; Hanging Around (Stranglers).
Along the way I saw Lindisfarne many times. The Lincoln Festival where they triumphed with the whole crowd singing along to songs from Nicely Out Of Tune and the Fog On The Tyne albums. The Grangemouth festival 1972 in Scotland where they again got the crowd singing along. Seeing them at Sunderland Top Rank around 1972 and headlining the City Hall two nights in a row, one with Genesis support and the other with Stackridge support on the Dingley Dell tour (a much underrated album). Then the split and witnessing Lindisfarne 2 and the other offshoot Jack The Lad at festivals. The reforming of the band with a magical comeback concert at the City Hall and then back at the top with “Run for Home” and attending a sold-out concert at Redcar Coatham bowl during which we all danced on the tables and the aforementioned single was high in the charts.
The Alan Hull solo concert at the City Hall. Then all the Christmas concerts which I attended during the 1980s at the Newcastle City Hall. Travelling to Carlisle Sands Centre to see their farewell concert. I even took a copy of that evening’s Newcastle evening Chronicle trusted Carlisle; they were fully pictured on the cover and I got them to sign the newspaper. They were surprised as they did not know that they featured in it! Attending a ceremony outside the City Hall when a blue plaque was placed there to celebrate the life of Alan Hull. Ray Jackson’s Lindisfarne played outside at the ceremony.
And then starting to see the newly reformed band a few times, firstly with Ray Jackson fronting the band and more recently with Rod Clements as front man. I don’t know how many times I must have seen Lindisfarne but it is on many, many occasions. And of course, the Newcastle City Hall was, and remains, my spiritual music home. So, you can see how this was such a memorable event for me.
The City Hall was completely sold out and when Jan, my carer for the evening, and I entered the building we were greeted by a brass band on stage playing Christmas carols. Soon a Geordie Santa arrived to tell us a series of rather rude, but also quite funny, Christmas jokes, in the same way that Mike Elliott would do so at the original Christmas concerts. Then the band took to the stage to a very loud Geordie welcome. The set for the evening was very similar to that I have witnessed a couple of times this year already: once in the Princess Pavilion Yarm and also in the Sunderland Fire Station. But this time things were very different. The atmosphere was very different. This was Lindisfarne, fronted by Rod Clements, returning home to their home crowd in their spiritual home, Newcastle City Hall.
The evening was in two parts with a short interval during which a double Jack Daniels went down well and set me up for the proceedings. Santa returned with more Christmas cracker jokes before the band resumed the concert to another massive cheer. The Newcastle crowd who had travelled from near and far to this special event were really up for a great night. We were treated to all the classic songs: “No Time to Lose”, “We Can Swing Together” and my personal favourite “Winter Song” performed perfectly by David Hull– Denholm, Alan Hull’s son in law.
Soon, we were on the home front and the closing songs were: “Fog on the Tyne”, “Meet Me on the Corner” and “Run for Home”. All massive singalongs with the entire City Hall on its feet. The closer was, as it was in 1971 and has been ever since: “Clear White Light”. There truly was magic in the air last night. We all walked out into the rather mild Christmas evening, Jan and I into our taxi and away home.
Many thanks to Jan for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site as usual.So, that brings me to the end of my 2023 concert adventures. A little rest before I start again in 2024. A Merry Christmas to all of you who read my blogging, and all the best and see you in 2024. Peter
Set 2: No Time to Lose; Passing Ghosts; Sundown Station; Dingley Dell; When The War Is Over; Winter Song; We Can Swing Together; Fog on the Tyne; Meet Me on the Corner; Run for Home; Clear White Light, Part 2.
Every year Ian Anderson (who is now to all effects 
After a short taxi ride to Durham station, Elaine, Jan and I joined a train to York. We then had a short walk over the cobbled streets of this lovely city to arrive at The Minster where an extremely long queue of attendees weaved its way around the historic cathedral. We soon found our way to the accessible entrance and, beating the massive queue, made our way into the building. Jan and I had seats close to the front, while Elaine should have been seated quite a few rows behind us. However, and quite fortuitously, her seat had been removed to allow space for the sound desk. The extremely helpful staff at the Minster quickly located her right next to ourselves. I purchased a Jethro Tull Christmas concerts T-shirt on our way into the venue.
I have seen Jethro Tull many times over the years since 1971 at Sunderland Empire, and they are always fantastic in performance, however these Christmas concerts are very special indeed. The lineup of the band has changed many times and is now essentially Ian Anderson with a group of ever-changing musicians, some of whom have accompanied him for several years, some joining more recently. The current line-up is: Ian Anderson – vocals, flute, acoustic and electric guitar, other instruments (the only original member); bass player David Goodier and keyboard player John O’Hara who have both been with Ian since 2007; drummer Scott Hammond who joined the band in 2017 and recent recruit guitarist Joe Parrish who joined in 2020.
Master of ceremonies for the evening was a clergyman named George who was parading around the building resplendent in top hat, frockcoat, cod – please complete with flashing lights, twirling a lovely silver headed cane. He was happy to pose for a picture. Throughout the performance he was dancing and tripping around the Minster across the stage and into the audience. The concert started with a blessing from the Minster cleric and a very fitting performance of “God bless ye merry gentlemen” performed by Jethro Tull, largely instrumental, with Ian taking the lead on flute.
The first guest was a very welcome surprise, none other than 
The final set concluded with more Christmas songs, Loyd rejoining for a 1977 punk classic (which to my shame I did not recognise) and “I believe in Father Christmas” in memory of the sadly missed Greg Lake who had been a guest at a previous Ian Anderson Christmas concert. A very fitting lovely tribute. Marc rejoined to sing the Soft Cell classic “Say Hello, Wave Goodbye” which brought back memories of seeing them in Kirklevington country club (the Kirk) and which was apparently a favourite haunt of his in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Marc was also a secret progressive rock fan when at school so he led Jethro Tull in a rocking rendition of their hit single “The Witch’s Promise”. Fantastic
The end was, as expected, “Aqualung”, followed by “Locomotive Breath” with Marc back to assist with the vocals on a great rendition of the latter Jethro Tull song. And then we made our way out of the Minster into the cold York evening, down to the Tap public house in the station. After a swift drink and a sandwich purchased from the Sainsbury’s Direct in the station, we were back on the train to Durham and then in our taxi home. I was in my bed for 1 AM tired but in the knowledge I had experienced something very special.
Many thanks to Jan for the photographs, Elaine for joining us for the evening and Chris for assisting with the post. A good time was had by all. Apologies for any errors which are entirely my own!
support to Robin Williamson, formerly of the wonderful Incredible String Band, some time ago. Since then, they have clearly built up their own following and this was clearly evident by the number of people who turned out to see them in the large hall of the Glasshouse. In fact, it was very full for their performance.
For some reason I always try and compare bands I witness to other artists. In the case of Lanterns on the Lake I found this quite difficult to do. This band perform exquisite music which crosses many genres: folk rock, progressive rock and indie rock. They are all of these, and more. Do they remind me of Any other bands? Fairport Convention perhaps? Curved Air? Neither of these really. Lanterns on the Lake have their own sound, and have built up a very strong fan base. They are, of course, a local band who hail from Newcastle.
In their own words: ‘Of course we enjoy every gig we play on tour but it always leads up to the most special night of them all – our hometown show. The Glasshouse has been a big part of our journey as a band. We’ll be looking forward to that Friday night in December, playing songs new and old and sharing it with the people who have been on this journey with us since the very beginning’
Lanterns on the Lake have just released a new album Versions of Us. About the album: “The nine songs on Versions of Us are existential meditations examining life’s possibilities, facing the hand we’ve been dealt and the question of whether we can change our individual and collective destinies. Each song’s journey is matched beautifully by the band’s performances. The grumbling, staticky synths of “Rich Girls” cede to an ascending, spine-tingling bridge of sinuous guitar and bass.
“Vatican” pivots on a bluesy, midnight-black riff from ever-inventive Paul Gregory and a muted bassline from Bob Allan on a song about love’s quiet reliability. “Real Life” hares down from the traps, aquaplaning on the surface tension of its fuzzing guitars and chiming central hook – a blast of indie rock on an album full of musical high-watermarks for the band.”
Front person Hazel Wilde is lead singer, guitarist and keyboard player. She provides wonderful meandering vocals soaring upward at times and searing across the loud chords and solos of her electric guitar. For this tour the band feature two drummers, one being none other than Radiohead’s Philip Selway. The remainder of the band are bass player Bob Allen who thrashes and bashes away at his instrument throwing it to the ground at the end of the concert, guitarist Paul Gregory and Angela Chan who plays electric violin reminiscent of Darryl Way from Curved Air (at least in my prog rock mind).
An excellent introduction to a new band that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing. Do check about if you get the chance. Thanks to Elaine for the photographs and Chris for manipulating the site.
It is quite a few years since I last saw the human dynamo that is 
The Glasshouse website proclaimed Suzi thus: “Influential. Unstoppable. Timeless rock legend. A Suzi Quatro concert is a high-octane rock extravaganza; commanding the stage with her signature leather jumpsuit and rockstar attitude. Backed by her band, she rips through beloved retro hits as well as new material with her raspy vocals and searing bass lines. Quatro’s lively performance and rapport with fans create an electrifying experience celebrating one of music’s pioneering female rebels.” Well, I can’t argue with that.
I arrived in little late after a hospital visit to see my mam who is not so well at the moment. This meant I missed some of the first set. Suzi had no support act and performed two sets with a short interval. Sadly, I missed her singing “Stumblin’ In” which is one of my favourite songs. Never mind I saw her close the first set with a lovely quiet song on which she accompanied herself on piano and a great cover of Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World”. During the interval a double Jack Daniels went down just nice and relaxed me ready for the second half of the show.
Suzi returned complete with leather catsuit and performed a rocky set of her own hits and some great covers. She explained that she has recently released an EP on which she has covered some of her favourite songs. Up on the screen behind her was a picture of Suzi in the early 1970s just as I remember. Fantastic. So we got “Can the Can”, “Devil Gate Drive”, “If You Can’t Give Me Love” and returning to covers, a great version of Credence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising” and the final encore was a beautiful rendition of Eagles “Desperado”. Suzi can still rock out with the best of them. Everyone was up on their feet and enjoying one of the best female rock stars I have ever seen.
Many thanks to Joanne for the photos and Chris for navigating the site for me.
Set Two: Motor City Riders; I Sold My Soul Today; Bad Moon Rising; She’s in Love With You; Overload; Too Big; Glycerine Queen; Can the Can; Devil Gate Drive.
The Fire Station website proudly proclaims: “A National Treasure and Glam Rock Royalty who have taken the world by storm for six decades, Sweet are at their best, performing all their iconic hits to audiences from every continent, all over the world. From the beginning to the end … Full Circle! Guitarist/vocalist Andy Scott, the sole surviving original member at the heart of the band and the golden thread linking Sweet’s proud past to the present, is still fiercely protective of that legacy today as ever. Understandably he knows better than anyone that the long tours can’t carry on indefinitely, with the band now looking to ‘wind down’ some of their live commitments.” The latter statement is surprising news to me. I’ve never imagined that Andy would wish to wind down at all. This means that every chance to see the band is precious.
Sweet had 15 top-40 hits in the 70s, including their classic 1973 UK No.1 “Blockbuster”. Andy current bandmates are Paul Manzi (lead vocals), Bruce Bisland (drums, vocals), Lee Small (bass guitar, vocals) and Tom Cory (guitar, keyboards). Sweet always blended pop with heavy rock and this line-up is no different. Andy has assembled a class band which is as heavy as ever. I mentioned a surprise earlier on in my entry. The surprise was that the set included, at around the halfway point, a medley of the very early hits “Co – Co”, “Funny Funny” and “Poppa Joe”. I don’t think I have seen them play these songs before. Andy stood back and let his bandmates play these songs.
The rest of the set was as always. Opening with the classic glam metal hit “Action”, moving into newer tracks interspersed with “Hellraiser”, my favourite “The Six Teens”, “Teenage Rampage”, “Wig Wam Bam”, “Little Willy”, “Love is Like Oxygen” and closing with “Fox on the Run”. The Fire Station was packed and everyone was singing and dancing along. Jan and Elaine accompanied me and they both thought Sweet were great.
The encores were “Blockbuster” (I used to always sing the line “you better watch out if you have long black hair” with my friends at Sunderland Mecca because I had exactly that, long black hair, at the time). Another excellent performance by a classic pop rock band. I was back in the 70s and it was wonderful to be there again. Thanks to Jan for the photos and to Joanne for helping me create this post.
Setlist: Action; New York Groove; Empire State Of Mind; Hell Raiser; Burn on the Flame; The Six Teens; Don’t Bring Me Water; Changes; Co-Co / Funny Funny / Poppa Joe; Everything; Circus; Set Me Free; Teenage Rampage; Wig-Wam Bam; Little Willy; Love Is Like Oxygen; Fox on the Run. Encores: Blockbuster; The Ballroom Blitz.
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