The Hollies - Concert Review

Cheltenham Town Hall, 26^th January 2001 - by Alexandra Brown

I very nearly didn't make it to this concert as it looked like I would be on an 'A' Level Geography field trip. By the time I found out the trip was the week following the concert, the local Classic Gold Station had a pair of tickets up for grabs. All you had to do to win them was answer a question set by Carl Wayne ? What is his wife's name? (Mrs Wayne was not good enough). I'd no idea but my Mum knew she played Miss Diane in Crossroads and had a feeling she was Sue someone. It was my Nan who remembered her last name. The answer was sent off and on the Wednesday before the concert we found out our entry had been pulled out of the 'hat'. I couldn't wait until Friday as I wanted to find out how The Hollies sounded without Allan Clarke.

The concert was fantastic with The Hollies in fine voice and humour. What a relief it didn't clash with the field trip.

The change in lead singer was of very little concern, as the vocals only seemed 'unfamiliar' on the first number, by the second I'd adjusted to the different voice and vocal style of Carl Wayne.

The Hollies were unafraid to admit where they 'nicked the new boy' from (The Move), and hearing The Hollies versions of 'Flowers In The Rain' and 'Blackberry Way' was great, two acts in one!

During the concert the band played a favourite song of mine which I so rarely hear ? 'The Baby'. One definite benefit of Carl Wayne being in the band is I think that the live version is better than the recorded one!

It was great to once again hear Alan Coates version of another of my favourites ? 'Butterfly' it was also good to hear 'Soldier Song' alongside the better known Hollies classics. During the encore Ray Stiles version of 'Tiger Feet' really had the audience up on its feet. There seemed such naturalness about the band and its sound, it seemed as if Carl Wayne had been with the band for longer than he has.

From the start The Hollies seemed able to laugh at themselves and their past ? The Hollies Sing George Formby ? (I'd love to hear Formby's version of 'Stop! Stop! Stop!'). The on stage banter even extended to the audience as Tony investigated the nature of the pillars in the Town Hall (by the way, if they're MDF then I'm surprised they've survived Hollies fans stamping for more). A more difficult question was an enquiry in to where Cheltenham was in relation to the Cotswolds (as a Gloucester girl I'd say the simple answer to that is the Cotswolds end where the sheep do).

The lighting director really should have taken a bow at the end as the stunning lighting added to the beauty of the songs they accompanied. Also so should the sound guy who they said was only on his second night but from the quality of the sound you wouldn't have thought it.

This was the third time that I've seen The Hollies and it was the best concert yet.

Alexandra Brown

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