William Hitchell (vocals,
guitar); Conor Smith (guitar); Dan Brown (piano); Jimmy Steele (tenor sax);
Barry Steele (baritone sax); Richard Anderson (double bass); Douglas Macfarlane
(drums)
A first time appearance in Whitley Bay for Vintage
Explosion. Sold out in advance, seemingly the Glaswegian outfit can do no
wrong. Backed by a super-tight, rock 'n' roll band, William Hitchell sings like
nobody's business.
From the get-go Hitchell and co knew they were on to a winner. Some in the auditorium had heard the band before, for others it was a first time experience. And what an experience!
Lung-busting vocals, cutting through the rock 'n' roll mayhem, Hitchell sure can sing. From one town to the next, the set list is broadly the same with the addition of one or two new numbers to keep it fresh.
Don't Knock Upon My Door, soaring vocals, bar room horns (Jimmy Steele, tenor sax, Barry Steele, baritone sax), drummer Douglas Macfarlane nailing it. Huge applause, it's a winner, alright. The Mess Around, they were dancing in the aisles, pianist Dan Brown, a Cumbrian now based in Glasgow, taking a solo.
The one many/most/all were waiting for is a 24-carat show-stopper. A Change is Gonna Come. Wow! Sam Cooke would have been impressed!
Fireworks (no kidding), then Hitchell and band exited the stage. Huge applause, encore demanded, encore granted. Hitchell returned to the stage. In a single spotlight, our man, guitar in hand, sang his now customary closing number - My Way. Like the tune or not, it works. And then the band returned to the fray. Johnnie B. Goode. Perfect. Russell
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