The Hollies - Concert Review

Clumber Park, Nottingham, 21^st August 2004 - by John Truman

On the Friday evening, we set off from our home in Cambridgeshire in the torrential rain up the AI to Helen’s father’s home in Mansfield Woodhouse, which is conveniently only a few miles from Clumber Park. We were held up in roadworks, had to contend with thunderstorms and really had a terrible journey. Surely the concert won’t be able to go ahead because of all this rain, we thought.

What a difference a day makes! The sun was out for most of Saturday and was still shining when we arrived with our friends and our picnics at Clumber Park about 6pm. There were already thousands of people there, some dressed up in sixties gear and really getting into the party atmosphere.

The concert started at 7pm with the first group of the evening, the Dakotas. Back in the 60’s, they were the backing group to Billy J Kramer but now appear in their own right, having seen them in numerous sixties events over the last few years. There is only one original member, Mike Maxfield, but he was ill on the day and couldn’t make it. (Little did we know at the time there would be someone else affected by illness). The Dakotas did about a 40 minute slot, starting off with Everlasting Love and included an excellent Small Faces medley.

Next up were the Tremeloes. Their line up still includes Dave Munden on the drums and also their singer, and Rick West on lead guitar, both of whom were there in the early sixties when Brian Poole was lead singer! They kept the large crowd entertained by singing all their old hits, including Here Comes My Baby, Helule Helule, My Little Lady, Do You Love Me, Twist and Shout, Call Me Number One and Me And My Life. They finished off with their biggest hit, Silence Is Golden and, having seen them a few times before, they usually come back for an encore when they sing Even The Bad Times Are Good. But they must have run out of time because their equipment was being removed from the stage!

Then it was the turn of the Troggs. Reg Presley is still the lead singer and he really put in a terrific performance. He asked how many people were seeing the Troggs for the first time, some raised their hands, and then he asked them where they had been for the last 38 years! He got the audience singing and clapping as he went through their hits, including Give It To Me, Anyway That You Want Me, With A Girl Like You and Love Is All Around. Wild Thing went down particularly well and they finished up with I Can’t Control Myself.

There was a wait of about 15 minutes then it was the top of the bill, The Hollies. And what a surprise, no Carl Wayne up front but a young man in a white jacket, Ian Harrison, although Tony didn’t introduce him to the crowd until after the fourth song, explaining that Carl was unwell and Ian had been asked to fill in, having worked with The Hollies before when Carl was unavailable last year. I must say that Ian performed very well on the night in front of a large and enthusiastic crowd. The jacket didn’t stay on for too long!

There wasn’t much banter and Tony kept looking at his watch as there was only a limited time to cram in all the hits (about 60 minutes, I think). The crowd were treated to the usual professional display as the hits came and went: I’m Alive, Here I Go Again, Jennifer Eccles, On A Carousel, Sorry Suzanne, Just One Look, Carrie Anne, Bus Stop, Stop Stop Stop. The lads didn’t stop for breath and I was left wondering how Ian could remember all the words. I especially liked Alan Coates singing I Can’t Tell The Bottom From The Top. I hadn’t heard that for a while and it had always been one of my favourites. The lads also gave an excellent rendition of Gasoline Alley Bred.

I don’t think the alternative version of Look Through Any Window was received too well by the crowd but they still gave it warm applause. There was a bit of a mix up when Ian asked the crowd if they wanted to hear some rock ‘n roll but Tony had already started the introduction to The Air That I Breathe which went down very well indeed with the crowd. Long Cool Woman was next, followed by Ray’s Tiger Feet. There were not any Move songs with Carl not being there (or because of the time restrictions) so it was time for He Ain’t Heavy followed by the first verse of the closing song It’s In Everyone Of Us.

Well done, Ian Harrison for standing in so capably at very short notice and of course to the rest of the band for another superb concert, which was finished off with a spectacular firework display.

Next stop, Munich, Saturday October 9th.

John and Helen Truman

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