The Hollies - Concert Review

Buxton Opera House, 7^th November 2004 - by Knut Skyberg

From Norway we were at least six people coming over for this show. Four guys travelling via Manchester met a couple coming via London, in the enchanting small town of Buxton.

I knew the Opera House as a good venue from Paul Carrack’s eminent recent DVD release film at the same place.

We arrived in town in extremely good time before the show, so we managed to see Manchester United against City on the big screen in the Cheshire Cheese, a sports pub nearby.

There a funny little incident took place here. Someone obviously also coming to Buxton for the show talked with the waitress about The Hollies, then suddenly she sang a verse of The Air That I Breathe. I promptly responded by pulling up my G harmonica from my pocket and blowing the first lines of He Ain’t Heavy. Everyone was having a good time!

After the pub, I collected the tickets at the box office. I could hear Peter singing Sandy during the sound check, and it sounded very promising. On the way over to the hotel, I met Ian Parker, and told him that The Hollies sounded better than for many years at the show the night before in Manchester. He smiled and shook my hand. The four Norwegian pub crawlers then shared a glass of red wine with the Norwegian couple, and we approached the Opera House in good spirit.

The Opera House had just as nice an interior architecture as I had expected.

The show could begin. I had seen pictures of Peter on Rob’s web site, so I had immediately recognized him at the show in Manchester Palace. But where was Alan Coates? It seemed a new rhythm guitarist and harmony vocalist had taken his place. Reading the tour programme we realized that this was Steve Lauri, who turned out to be very competent.

The first song was Stop In The Name Of Love, this song we heard in the original version by the Supremes in the lobby of Britannia hotel in Manchester in the morning. The Hollies have certainly made this song their own, like they also did with other Tamla Motown hits, for instance Reach Out, I’ll be there. Here I Go Again had a new and effective middle part, and during Sorry Suzanne, we were encouraged to dance. Just One Look gave Steve the chance to sing Graham Nash’s part. It fitted in well.

Introducing On a carousel, Peter said the same Mr Nash wrote this, which had Tony adding that he wrote it as well.

Then we got Ray, Peter and Tony up front for Sandy, where the lyric went "chasing all those Buxton virgins". On Gasoline Alley Bred, Ray did an important vocal part that I really enjoyed.

Look through any window was introduced as a Graham Gouldman song, and this also "slightly different version" had 4-part harmonies and an amazing Tony Hicks guitar solo. How two new guys like Peter and Steve manage to fit in so well after such a short time I just cannot tell!

Tony told us that the last time they were in Buxton, Carl had had a major operation, and that they thought he was ok. Carl brought a great deal to The Hollies. The last time Tony saw Carl, he told him: " I wont be around but The Hollies music must go on, "Get on with it". How grateful we are for The Hollies following Carls' advice. (I must also add here that Carl gave his last appearance with the Hollies in Norway, ignoring the fact that he must have been quite ill.) Then Ray Stiles sang Flowers In The Rain as a tribute to Carl with a large picture of him shown on a screen behind the band.

Hoping one day we will put an end to war, Soldier’s Song was stronger than ever, with Peter doing this song that Carl loved so much.

Peter then said that at the time We’re Through was released, none of you in the audience were around, we were of course flattered, and Ian came up front with his accordion. The shift between Tony’s and Steve’s guitar were particularly effective on this song.

Peter told us how much he appreciated the "band spirit" of The Hollies, created and maintained by Tony and Bobby, "this is really a band", and we couldn’t agree more.

Blowin’ In The Wind was rightly announced as a European hit, but not knowing this was not a single in the UK, Peter asked "why didn’t you buy this?" (In fact the British bought this in large quantities, on the highly successful Hollies Sing Dylan album. But we’ll excuse you, Peter.) I just had to call my wife back in Norway at this time, and she got this pounding final song of the first half with that distinctive Bobby Elliott drum playing, live via satellite across the Nordic sea.

The second part started with a neatly black dressed band, Peter sporting a hat, like Allan Clarke did in the old days, for Curly Billy.

We had the hand-clapping intro of I Can’t Let Go, Jennifer Eccles was as fresh as if we were back in Stockport in the 70’s, Yes I Will had that compact band sound of "the new Hollies" as was Bus Stop, where Ian does his accordion playing.

I Can’t Tell The Bottom From The Top once again had Ray in the middle with Steve taking the lead vocals and three guitars.

Too Young To Be Married gave Tony another opportunity to demonstrate his songwriting abilities.

Peter told us he had listened to those songs for so many years, and we believed him!

Here I Go Again was a wonderful accoustic solo by Peter, and for Carrie Anne we once again got the full band back. The hippy flavour of Stop Stop Stop once again took us back to way back then, followed by the greatest hits we love so much: The Air That I Breathe, and the US hit Long Cool Woman. (Let me add that Peter’s guitar playing was very impressive during several songs.

Then Ray gave us Tiger Feet, and the show ended with He Ain’t Heavy, Pete giving us high harmony vocals as good as we have ever been treated to.

Setlist

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