Contents

The Hawth, Crawley, Thu 11 Feb 2016

Astor Community Theatre, Deal, Fri 12 Feb 2016

Worthing Piers Southern Pavilion, Worthing, Sat 13 Feb 2016

Astor Community Theatre, Deal, Fri 12 Feb 2016 and Worthing Piers Southern Pavilion, Worthing, Sat 13 Feb 2016

FRAZER THEATRE, KNARESBOROUGH, SATURDAY 26 MARCH 2016

Pictures from Alison Brown

Just to report that we had a very enjoyable concert from the Acoustic Strawbs on Sunday night at the Half Moon next to the twinkling Old Father Thames at Putney with its nice intimate little theatre area for about 100 people. And we saw all sitting in the front row with the webmaster himself!

The sound was perfect and everyone was into it with Dave Cousins seemingly revitalised since his kidney stones of last year. All three ripped into the singing and there were lots of great solos from DL - watching his fingers is fascinating, even awe-insipring, while Chas contributed lots of feisty harmonies, melodic bass, tinkling 12 string and fun foot pedals - esp on "The Hangman And The Papist".

Standouts were "Copenhagen", "Ghosts", "New World", "Oh How She Changed" and an acapella "Benedictus". Dave C's running commentary was hilarious and self deprecating, esp re the rumour that he was dead and he took us through his 'Magical History Tour.' Even my wife Trish genuinely enjoyed it - there ain't nothing like live music!!

Funnily enough I found out the following night that that the new Strawbs electric keyboards player David Bainbridge from Leeds is one of my old friend Chris Norton's best mates. Chris has lived in Leeds and London since the mid 1970s and is best know for his mirco-jazz which has helped many kids learn keyboards and other instruments. He is an awesome keyboards player (winner of the NZ classical piano competition and a producer of much jazz and gospel music) but he insists Bainbridge is as just as good as well as being an amazing guitarist. So Chris will try and come to Milton Keynes with us to see the electrics in late April at the Stables where he has played himself - what a small world it is!

Two seaside resorts, two nights running.

An "end of the pier show" is the sort of variety show put on by seaside resorts, getting bums on seats in rain or shine (but particularly rain). Worthing was a true end of the pier show in terms of location (you couldn't get more "end of the pier" than the Southern Pavilion), there was no sense of tired variety hackery going on here - Lazarus (aka D Cousins) was definitely "back from the dead" (despite rumours to the contrary) and firing on all burners, vocally and performance-wise. Cousins promised a "magical history tour" and delivered in spades - he can absolutely enchant an audience, particularly those he knows well from his local area.

DEAL

Drove down Friday afternoon, checked into the Clarendon (no heating, not brilliant room and no breakfast, not good value for that price when I heard what others were getting for les - ah well, booked late and will know better next time). Time for a fish'n'chip supper before the gig ...

The first night in Deal, where the Astor Theatre was filled to capacity for local boy Dave Cousins and his band, returning to live work after Dave's illness over the back end of 2015. The Astor is one of my favourite ever venues, a lovely old theatre perfectly restored and lovingly cherished by the current management. Set out in theatre style with numbered seats - as a comp I got a seat at the back next to the mixing desk - truly fantastic sound (many people sought out the sound guy and congratulated him at the end, deservedly so in my view) and the lighting was good enough to get good pictures despite being at the back. (Great beer in the bar, too. I love out of London prices ....)

Nice to see German friends Dirk and Angela in attendance for one of their 5 country tours (they have to cross 5 countries to get to the UK) - they got to see Deal AND Worthing, two great gigs. Also great to catch up with Sue and Mike Holton, though sad to hear about Gordon Giltrap's problems with cancer, though good to know he seems to be getting better. Met DC's plumber, currently engaged in refurbing the Cousins home bathroom - promising a rock'n'roll experience!

Opening with the acoustic "Turn Me Round", a great opener, and then "Jesus", a good start to the evening. "Copenhagen" is something that requires absolute timing and at Deal it was sightly shaky in terms of togethernes, though the lyric was clear and absolutely audible. "New World" was splendid, Cousins' voice descending to a threatening growl with the last line of the lyric. A few new touches to the arrangement I think. "Oh How She Changed" has amazing power and strength, and deserves to be a hit 48 years on. And finally the powerful "Hangman" ushers in the break between sets.

Second half starts and ends magically with accapella perfection: "Benedictus" to start, with light guitar from DL, and the accapella crescendo of "We'll Meet Again Sometime" ("a gentle farewell song"). In between, a faultless "Ghosts" and the dreamy "Midnight Sun". Lambert's epic "Cold Steel" a huge crowd pleaser from later years, with Cousins on banjo, followed buy another TOTP hit, "Shine On Silver Sun". The epic "Autumn" is faultless and "Lay Down" can't be bettered.

Carch up in the bar after the show, then on to the Deal Hoy pub - under new management, German speaking as it turns out, handy for Dirk and Angela ... I learn that in German, a mobile phone is a "handy" phone!

WORTHING

Saturday morning in Deal a bit dispiriting - really depressing foul weather, the wind and rain sweeping in from the sea. Deal High Street awash, the cafes crowded with people getting out of the rain. Breakfast in one of them, and then away off to Worthing. The coast road rather than the A27 for this journey, but, though picturesque in its own way, possibly the bleakest I have ever seen the south coast of England - reminiscent of "Down By The Sea", which was written somewhere down here when Cousins popped in for a bit of R&R back in the 70s.

The venue is difficult to find. There are two venues on Worthing Pier - at the front a big theatre, which that night was showing The Hollies; at the Southern Pavilion on the very end of the pier, the Acoustic Strawbs. The Pier management doesn't do the latter any favours - absolutely no signage at the front to suggest that there's another venue. One fan (who shall be nameless) turned up towards the end of the Strawbs gig - he;s somehow got into the other venue, armband and all, and was geting increasingly concerned about the non-appearance of the Strawbs, until at last the light dawned and he caught 3 songs at the end of the show. ("The Hollies" just about qualifies for the plural: veterans Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott are the only early members (joining 1962 and 1963 respectively).)

Once there, however, it is stunning. A large high main part of the room with a high balcony area above the mian part of the room. The band are set up at the front of the low-ceilinged semi-circular front end, with lights hidden up in the roof. Not bad acoustics, given the low ceiling/high ceiling, though a bit boomy at times. Lighting on the red side, not the photographer's friend, with Cousins particularly taking on a lurid lobster-red tinge in most of my pix. Audience sat around at tables, nice bar at the back - I'm mainly on coffee as I'm driving back home after the show.

Same set as previous evening, Lambert guitar mixed higher, which showcases some fantastic solo work. Enthusiastic reception though and hopefully they'll be back in 2017, and I'd certainly come back again. Thanks to the management for a copy of their house poster, now uploaded to the posters pages.

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