The Hollies - Concert Review

Manchester Palace Theatre, 11^th October 1997 - by Anne Morral & Barbara Pearce

From the rapturous welcome at the start to the standing ovation at the end, The Palace-Manchester, on Sunday night showed it's appreciation for the kings of all that is best in music - The Hollies.

Allan Clarke, resplendent in black brocade, was in splendid voice - Tony Hicks was proving, yet again, that he is the best axeman in the business, and Bobby Elliott was laying down the backbeat in truly manic style.

The "big three" were ably supported by Alan Coates, who is enjoying his first time on centre mike, performing a stunning rendition of 'Butterfly', (Graham Nash eat your heart out), Ray Stiles on bass and now bass harmonies, and Ian Parker who can be seen going 'walkabout' with an accordion during one or two numbers.

We were treated to all the hits and more, both re-worked and back to basics, fully orchestrated and romantically unplugged highlights are almost too many to mention.

Draggin My Heels; When I'm Dead And Gone with Tony on lead vocals; Just One Look (complete with audience participation); I Can't Let Go and We're Through (Impossible to sit still through either of these meaty, beaty numbers); The Springsteen song If I Were The Priest (Allan proving a hit with both vocals and the guitar); A Buddy Holly set and of course all of the classic songs we have come to expect at a Hollies concert.

The stage chat was on form too - name dropping the likes of Big D Irwin, George Formby and even Spike Jones and his City Slickers! There was also time for Allan Clarke to give us an impression of Mud dancing around the stage. He coined a new name for those of us who follow The Hollies around, ''HOLLIETTES'.

Overall presentation was good, the quality and depth of sound has been improved by adding Ray on vocals and giving Ian free range on keyboards, and The Hollies themselves seemed to be happy to be there.

Those of us who go to more than one show know what a difference this can make.

Comments were favourable during and after the show - "Brilliant" said one lady in the interval. A man was heard to exclaim that he was going on stage in the second half because his wife had deafened him with her screaming. But the best comment came after the show when, during a conversation between two men, one of them was heard to say "That guitarist, the one on the right, he's improved since last time" !!

Even from those who go every night it seemed like The Hollies were 'cooking with gas' and proving to fans old and new, just why they are still there after thirty four years and we'll leave the last word to Allan Clarke who said, through the thunderous applause, "This must be Manchester" !

Ann and Barbara, Birmingham (ish)

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