THEY were a staple back in the sixties. A package tour featuring four or five top bands and singers touring local venues. Well, things have come full circle and such tours are common on the nostalgia circuit. The Oh Boy Non-Stop Sixties tour will be doing the rounds throughout May and June, and even a couple of dates in July and August, and what a line up there is in store.
There is P J Proby - yes, he that split his trousers on stage and was promptly banned from appearing almost everywhere. Perennially popular despite his famous drinking problems, he was responsible for hits such as Maria' and Somewhere' from West Side Story' and Hold Me'. Even though he hails from Houston in Texas, for a while P J was a resident of Bolton.
The unmistakeable voice of Chris Farlowe is also part of the show. Still singing with that bluesy, gravely voice, Chris had Out Of Time especially written for him by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. He also hit the charts with Handbags and Gladrags. He's always been in demand as a solo performer, but he has also been a part of the groups The Thunderbirds, Colosseum and Atomic Rooster. Just a couple of years ago, Chris celebrated his 50th year in showbiz with a major tour.
advertisement
When The Searchers had all their hits, they were led by the legendary Mike Pender. From their debut hit Sweets for my Sweet and throughout their hit career, Mike held centre stage. He left the band in 1985, but his influence lingers.
Having parted ways in 1966, both Brian Poole, and his former band The Tremeloes enjoyed much success and it is interesting to note that as many people remember the band with Brian as without. It was with Brian that they first hit the top with Do You Love Me.
Supplying the backing to all the singers as well as having their own slot in the show is Vanity Fare, who burst onto the scene in 1968 with their debut single I Live For The Sun. Other hits included Hitchin' a Ride', Better By Far and Early in the Morning - which was a top ten record on both sides of the Atlantic. After the hits dried up, the band has continued working touring the world. Three of the band members have been together over thirty years and it was to drummer Mark Ellen that I spoke recently about the show.
"It's going to be a bit different for us," said Councillor Ellen who joined the band in the early 70's. "We will be backing everybody as well as opening both halves of the show. It's giving us a chance to stretch out a bit."
The package tour is something new to the band, as Mark explained. "Yes, we've never done a show like this before. We'd always fancied doing one and we let it be known that we would be available and the promoters picked up on it. We don't come up north all that often, but we did do Blighty's in Farnworth in the 70's."
The show itself will be pretty hectic. "That's right," agreed the drummer who also supplies bass backing vocals. "We open the show, and then Brian Poole will come on followed by Mike Pender. After a break, we'll be back followed by Chris Farlowe and P J Proby will close. Everyone will do about six or seven songs."
Vanity Fare has always prided itself on their collective musicianship and even their latest recruit has a pedigree. "Apart from myself, Bernie Hagley and Eddie Wheeler," Mark told me, "We brought in a youngster five years ago to try and keep the average age below sixty. It didn't work for long though." He laughed. "Actually, he's classically trained and called Steve Oakham. His father wrote Picture of You' for Joe Brown and was in The Swinging Blue Jeans."
The Oh Boy Non-Stop Sixties Show come to Bolton's Albert Halls on Sunday May 4. A splendid time is guaranteed for all as the hits of the sixties are performed by the original artists. Tickets are available from all the usual outlets or from the Box Office on 01204 334400.
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
Kat Dibbits
Print
Email this
Comment
