The Hollies - Concert Review

Northampton Derngate, 17^th February 2001 - by Mark Oakey

1963 saw the first top 10 hit for The Hollies with "Stay". I was 3 years old, not quite old enough to be a fan. I bought my first Hollies single aged 10 - "Mad Professor Blyth" (actually the B side of "I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top"). I had heard it played on Ed Stewart's "Junior Choice" and it had made me laugh. Listening to it again the other day I still find it quirky.

I met Allan Clarke in my local in 1978; he lived in the next village to mine, still does in fact. The Hollies music still hadn't made a great impression on this 18 year old which is perhaps why I found it easy to talk to him as I wasn't awestruck. After all he couldn't be famous as everybody else talked to him like an old mate. That's probably why he liked it as his local.

First saw the band live at the Albert Hall in 1989. I just couldn't believe all those songs that I knew so well, and had been singing along to since my teens, were sung by The Hollies.

So yes an impression had been made, I just didn't know it. I was hooked!

I do not have a musical background, but I know what I like and what, to me, sounds good, and the guitar work of Tony Hicks was phenomenal.

I have tried to make every concert in my home town, Northampton, and I was there last Saturday, 17th Feb. This wasn't the first time that I had seen the "new boy", Carl Wayne, having attended the concert at Milton Keynes last November. As the first 2 or 3 numbers played I was listening for Allan Clarke, but then came "Soldiers Song" - sung with such power and passion - the voice of Carl Wayne. I hadn't imagined it the first time: HIS voice singing that song DID touch me emotionally somewhere deep inside. From that moment on there was no more looking back but on with the hits and more, much much more....

Many groups suffer from the prominence given to the lead singer. Some feel that they are bigger than the band, go solo and then disappear; other groups break up through jealousy and envy because the singer gets all the limelight. Why did The Hollies carry on when Allan retired?

The Hollies are much bigger than any single member and also because of every single member in the band.

Allan acknowledged this and Carl appreciates it too.

The Hollies are not another retro-60s band, many of whom are making a welcome return. The boys have never been away! With every show we hear new arrangements of old favourites, songs we haven't heard live like "The Baby", rediscovered by Carl; Alan Coates taking centre-stage for a beautiful rendition of "Butterfly"; the voice of the legendary Buddy Holly, accompanied by The Hollies, singing "Peggy Sue Got Married" (thanks to the technical wizardry of Ray and Ian), made all the more moving and poignant by the spotlight shining on an empty microphone.

During the interval I asked a friend sitting next to me, who has been a drummer in local bands, what he thought of Bobby Elliot. "Wow!" he replied. Perhaps not the most literary critique but it says everything about the man, doesn't it?

And "Wow!!" from me to Tony too, the "Dorian Gray" of the music world, still phenomenal!!!

Why should The Hollies carry on? Sitting in the audience at the Derngate Theatre, as on all previous occasions, filled to capacity, the question fades into the night. I asked my wife what she thought of the show - "Brilliant, they really looked as if they were enjoying themselves." That is the secret of The Hollies success and popularity.

Carl spoke of the desire to still be on the road in 20 years time, and why not? Will we still be there to support them?

YOU BET WE WILL!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Oakey

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