Wednesday 22 August 2007

Prehistory - dare you look?

Knew you would. Ok, so it's not vast but for me it's a case of getting it down in print for my own records.

The first. You never forget your first time. Lindisfarne playing to their home crowd BITD. Oh yes, a canny neet aalreet.

But your first "hairs-standing-up-on-the-back-of-your-neck"? Early Elton John who had the audience squealing with bliss as he rocked and stomped his way through his early standards, thumping that grand piano with his six-inch platform boots, rainbow collared cape billowing round him. Electrifying - a crowd of us were still wired-up three days later.

And then? An assortment - some of which I really can't remember that well. Ralph McTell; Yes; Camel supported by Genesis (or was it Yes supported by ELO?) (who cares?); the delightfully silly Stackridge; Richard and Linda Thompson; George Melly with his unforgettable "My canary's got circles under his eyes"; Kate (as in mother of Rufus Wainwright) and Anna McGarrigle; John Denver (in the round, if you please) [don't care, the guy was good and had the knack of making Wembley Arena feel like an intimate space]; Simon & Garfunkle; not-too-wrinkly Rolling Stones; Billy Joel; Brian Ferry; Paul Simon ..

Well, you did ask. Can you honestly say your conscience is clean? Thought not.

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