Colin Blunstone/Rod Argent Band
The Brook, Southampton.

LOOKS like Colin & Rod are finally getting the respect they deserve with one of the biggest turnouts yet at The Brook for this class act. A great gig with a mix of Zombies specials like "Time of The Season" and "She's Not There,"
Colin's solo hits like "Say You Don't Mind" and "I Don't Believe in Miracles," Argent hits and brand new material.
Quite a few songs from their forthcoming album, with Colin's immaculate
vocals enriching the spine-tingling "I Want To Fly" and several others with a more bluesy feel getting a great reception. The rockier Argent tracks "Hold Your Head Up" and "God Gave Rock & Roll To You" produced a mass sing-along followed by that special "Brook roar." Keith Airey on lead guitar, Jim Rodford on bass and son Steve on drums, plus Rod’s great keyboard work gave Colin’s unique voice the backing it deserved. Absolute quality. (© Peter Ashton 2004)

Gordon Haskell
The Brook, Southampton
14/3/04.

No prima donna antics or starry tantrums with Gordon, just give him a guitar and a Fisherman’s Friend and he’s away. With the help of two superb musicians, guitarist Robbie MacIntosh and sax player Paul Yeung, this “man of the people” entertained an enthusiastic audience, most of whom he appeared to know by their first names, for 90 engrossing minutes.
A balanced selection of covers and Gordon’ originals began with a couple of his own, “Al Capone” from his last album and “Go Tell Sarah” from the great “Butterfly in China” album, one of my own personal favourites. “When The Cookie Jar Is Empty,” followed, one of several Michael Franks songs from Gordon’s forthcoming album devoted to the work of this masterly composer. Smoky, smooth, and embellished with some great instrumental work by Robbie and Paul.
“Freeway To Her Dreams” was next, a song which has a lot of personal
significance to Gordon, then Tony Joe White’s “Rainy Night In Georgia” which took me back to the many places where I have been entertained by Gordon. Later highlights included the classic “Nature Boy,” Gordon’s wickedly amusing “Chilli Chilli” and a tremendous version of “Test Drive” with some superb slide work by Robbie. “How Wonderful You Are” got the expected cheers, but personally I felt that the following “Someone I Knew” is a better song which deserves to be a No 1 hit.
Gordon and crew were dragged back for an encore, choosing JJ Cale’s
“Cajun Moon.” The old cliche of “leaving the crowd begging for more” has to be dragged out here as Gordon, Robbie and Paul left the stage and didn’t return despite the continuing stomping and chanting.  (© Peter Ashton 2004 - Photograph copyright of Claire Edwards)

Jackie Leven
The Railway Inn, Winchester.

Jackie Leven continues to amaze, not just with the quality of his songwriting, singing and guitar-playing, but the endless stream of anecdotes and observations that are just as engrossing as his songs. Pubs and sex were high on the agenda, with an extended tale of onanistic voyeurism producing some ribald laughter. This gig saw Jackie in lighter mood than usual, not quite so intense, and actually throwing in a couple of cover versions a folksy song called “The Time Has Come” by Anne Briggs and the Tony Joe White song “Just Can’t Keep From Crying.”
Opening his set with the gentle “A Little Voice in Space” Jackie then
upped the tempo with the evocative “Classic Northern Diversions” - “I took a train out of Leeds in the smear and stain, I saw the city pass by in the shuffling rain.” A song of despair and alienation with Jackie using his guitar in percussive style to hammer out the message. Leven’s laments were leavened by his engaging insights into the origins of his songs, particularly “Little Brown Box,” which referred to a childhood incident involving a particularly spiteful little girl. “Fly” was a late treat, a song I had completely forgotten telling how “men in love can fly, before he closed majestically with “Exit Wound” aided by the sweetly contrasting voice of partner Debbie Greenwood. It occurred to me as I left this riveting gig that where Jackie Leven is concerned I don’t appear to have any critical faculties, there isn’t a song of his that I don’t like and I couldn’t say that about any other songwriter or performer. Just why Jackie is not more revered in this country, I do not know - looks like he is always going to be the live music scene’s best kept secret. (© Peter Ashton 2004)

Steve Hackett
The Guildhall, Southampton.

A LOT of this concert was over my head - literally, with the infamous
Guildhall acoustics   allowing the music to float high above in a swirling, echoey way.  Having said that, this was as good as it gets sound-wise, with Steve Hackett’s guitar virtuosity backed up by his excellent 4-piece band.
   I am not a Genesis fan and possess just one Steve Hackett album, so a lot of Steve’s rather complex music was strange to me.  “Mechanical Bride,”  - an acid-jazz cacophony with accompanying strobe lights gave me a bit of a headache - thankfully it was not typical of Steve’s work.   More accessible was a medley of instrumentals including “Frozen Statues” and “Serpentine Song” and an acoustic section later on starting with “Classical Gas” was even better.  
  Masterful guitar work  by Steve and his empathetic band received a
reverential response from a half-full Guildhall right up to the closing “Los Endos.” (© Peter Ashton 2004)

Looking and sounding better than ever, the lovely Lulu shone on the opening night of her “Greatest Hits” tour in Basingstoke. A sell-out crowd gave the much-loved superstar a warm welcome as she bounced on stage wearing a white trouser suit with silver cuffs and a big sparkly gold heart on the back of her jacket. Opening with Kool & The Gang’s “Celebration” Lulu and her 5-piece band and two female backing singers soon got in the groove, although the band were a little stiff early on. Following up with “Footsteps” and her own composition “Supernatural” from her forthcoming album “Back on Track” Lulu was as professional as ever.
She reminded us what a nice little mover she is too with a bit of dancing during the instrumental passage of Bowie’s “The Man Who Sold The World,” wiggling that award-winning bum. Another reminder, this time of her own songwriting, came with “I Don’t Want To Fight” which was a hit for Tina Turner before she reprised “To Sir With Love.” Lulu’s ability to sing raw and raucous one minute, smooth and sexy the next was highlighted throughout the concert, particularly on “Don’t Dream It’s Over” and “Take Me Where The Poor Boys Dance.”
When you’ve had as many hits as Lulu, they don’t all fit on the set list
and there was no room for “I’m A Tiger,” “The Boat That I Row” and “Boom Bang-A-Bang,” although no-one would complain about the latter omission. Amazingly it’s over a decade since her No 1 hit with Take That, “Relight My Fire,” which she sang before the rip-roaring closer “Shout” which launched her career way back in 1964. Energetic, charismatic, visually and vocally striking, Lulu qualifies as a national treasure after 40 years in the music business. She’s got quite a few more years left in her yet on this evidence. Her show is selling out all over the country, but if you can get a ticket, do!
(© Peter Ashton 2004 - Photograph copyright Claire Edwards)

Tony Hadley vs Peter Cox & Go West
Portsmouth Guildhall.

“REBORN In The USA” and now reaping the rewards with packed houses all over the country, Tony Hadley and Peter Cox produced an electric atmosphere with a band including members of Go West incorporating two drummers. I had a chat with a nervous Tony Hadley backstage immediately before the gig; apparently that’s par for the course with towering 6’4” Tony, but after a precautionary pee he was ready to bound on stage.
Once there, and now totally confident he linked up with fellow resurrected star to sing the Don Henley classic “Boys of Summer” and The Beatles’ “Drive My Car” before the duo split up to do solo spots. Tony produced a gospel-style “Walking In Memphis” then Peter gave Willie Nelson’s “Always On My Mind” stacks of emotion. Thereafter an excellent concert followed the same pattern, Tony & Peter combining to sing pop classics like “The Boys Are Back In Town,” then parading the hits of Go West and Spandau Ballet individually. Both singers sounded better than ever, Tony’s powerful baritone impressing on “True” and “Through The Barricades,” and Peter’s blue-eyed soul style shining on
“King of Wishful Thinking” and “We Close Our Eyes.” Superb sound and lighting too, and a special word for petite black backing vocalist Andrea Grant - she was sensational.

(© Peter Ashton 2004 - Photographs copyright Claire Edwards)

The Searchers
Mr. Kyps, Poole
Saturday February 28

Gentlemen of "bus pass" age (their words not mine) sure proved they know how to get a club rockin’ away. The band were so pleased at playing a ‘real’ club again as normally they get theatres and sports halls in Germany, as it brought back memories of touring in the sixties. To celebrate they not only did their hits, but also rarities and album tracks not played live for decades. These included "Farmer John" and "Someday We’re Gonna Love Again." But what hits to play? This is the first band I’ve seen that have started with hits, finished with hits and squeezed more in between. They just had too many to choose from, and from which country? Hits abroad have been somewhat of a surprise to
them, but it’s "Love Potion No. 9" that has a special place for them reaching No. 1 in the USA.
You could tell a club is where their roots lie, as having seen them before at a theatre the energy wasn’t there like tonight- Frank Allen in particular was unstoppable and a great front man. Cracking jokes only led him to apologise saying they are meant to be a rock band in a rock club! Any opportune moment he got, he ensured the audience were singing along with any apt movements!
What more can be said? A great night out; a band that put newcomers to shame (Gareth was mentioned) and doing a special extra encore, which normally they don’t do, made this a band to see again - they hope to continue into their fifth decade, so make sure they do and give your support! Sir Cliff does, he presented Frank Allen with six bottles of champagne for his 60th! (GUEST REVIEW BY ELLEN HOLBROOK)

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Katie Melua
Pavilion Theatre Bournemouth
Wed March 10

Steve Hackett Guildhall, Southampton
Sat March 20

Gordon Haskell
The Brook Southampton
Sun March 14

John Walker
Solid 60s Show Various dates throughout March

Elenor McEvoy
The Duck
Laverstock
Sun March 14

Rokia Traore
The Lighthouse Poole
Thurs March 11

Freed
The Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset Fri March 19