Paul Skerritt w. the Danny Miller Big Band: "A Night of Christmas" @ the Westovian Theatre, South Shields Dec. 2

(© Russell)

December 2 and we're in the home straight heading towards Christmas Day. You could tell it was that time of year as all the songs were about snow or Santa Claus, the band, in the later stages, wore Santa hats and Paul Skerritt wore polka dot underpants (outside of his trousers I hasten to add - this was all good clean fun!).

It was most definitely a family show with singalongs, corny jokes and much onstage hokum twixt Skerritt and bandleader Miller.

The singer was in great voice even though he confessed to me later that he'd had a sore throat - it didn't show.

(© Lance)

The band too were in cracking form with a few locals filling in for those who didn't make the trip from Merseyside: Bill Watson  (trumpet); Kieran Parnaby (trombone); Michael Whent (bass guitar) and the ubiquitous John Bradford (drums) were the super-subs.

(© Lance)

I didn't catch the names of all the visitors mainly because they weren't announced! One name I did catch was that of Phil Shotton who had some excellent solos on alto as well as on clarinet in a quasi-Dixie version of Blue Christmas.

If you look at the set list below I hope you will understand why I didn't pass chapter and verse on each number. Had I  done so, I'd still be writing come next year's event and, in doing so, it would have meant that I'd have had to bypass their prestigious April 26, 2024 gig at the Glasshouse, formerly known as Sage Gateshead, nee the Sage. 

A good start to the season of goodwill to all men and women (particularly women) all that was missing was the mistletoe. Lance

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (instrumental); Santa Claus is Comin' to Town; Let it Snow; Bring me Love This Christmas; The Christmas Song; I've Got my Love to Keep me Warm; Everybody's Waiting For the Man With the Bag; I'll be Home For Christmas; Christmas Alphabet; Jingle Bells (instrumental); When Santa Got Stuck in the Chimney; Santa Baby (instrumental with great solos from Shotton and Parnaby); Sleigh Bells; It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year; Blue Christmas; I Believe in Father Christmas; When Christmas Comes Around; Step Into Christmas; Show me the Magic; Driving Home For Christmas; Walking in a Winter Wonderland; Fairytale of New York.