10 TIMES
BARENAKED LADIES
Comedic Canadian funsters still on great form. Plus ex-member Steve Page as a solo artist.
HUE AND CRY
Talented, soulful, and still going. Particularly good acoustically.
SQUEEZE/GLENN TILBROOK
Ten gigs overall. See below.
UFO
Long-lasting rockers. Technically retired after 50 years but strangely still gigging. RIP Paul Raymond and Pete Way – both gone to the great gig in the sky.
7 TIMES
DEF LEPPARD
Full throttle rock experience. Worth every penny. 9 times if you include Joe Elliott’s Down n Outz and Phil Collen’s ManRaze.
MOSE ALLISON
Hilarious observational jazz/blues pianist. Brilliant. Sadly died in 2016.
THIN LIZZY
Obviously the 1976 twin guitar line-up was the classic. You had to be there.
6 TIMES
BON JOVI
Guaranteed good time and masters of big venues.
DEL AMITRI/JUSTIN CURRIE
Bittersweet Scottish crooner, sometimes with his mates.
FRANCIS DUNNERY/IT BITES
It Bites man still noodling after 30 years.
GIRL
Glam rock – long since gone.
NINE BELOW ZERO
Good time London blues band. Always a laugh. Dennis Greaves used my mate Dave’s crutch as a bottleneck at the 100 Club.
RIVAL SONS
Still Californian. Still shouty. Rising from the Borderline to Brixton…
STRAY
Rediscovered in 2010 and still gigging after 50 years. First saw them support Rush at the Hammersmith Apollo for £2.00 in 1977.
THE 45s
Clapham/Brentford pub band I followed insanely in the 80s.
THUNDER
Classic UK rock powered by the Flying V touting Luke Morley.
5 TIMES
BAND OF FRIENDS
Rory Gallagher tribute band run by the ever-cheerful bassist Gerry McAvoy. RIP Ted McKenna.
BRYAN ADAMS
Still pumping out the hits.
CHAS N DAVE
Twice supporting Clapton, another supporting the Quo, and two office parties, courtesy of working on Courage Best.
DR. FEELGOOD
From Wilko to the current line-up, classic pub rock.
EDDIE AND THE HOT RODS
Numerous iterations, but you can’t not have fun at their gigs. Front man Barry Masters was held together by chewing gum and ale. I once had a conversation with him at the stand-ups in a bizarre venue in Torrington. Sadly died October 2 2019.
GLENN TILBROOK
The Squeeze man is humorous and highly talented. It’s like he’s playing in your kitchen. Add in Squeeze performances and I’ve seen him 9 times.
GIRLSCHOOL
Still going. Female rock – a down and dirty experience.
HALL & OATES
A bit soft soap, but with good soulful moments.
ROACHFORD
Alone with a keyboard, with his own band, or fronting Mike + The Mechanics.
SQUEEZE
All the way back to 1978 – a 40-year run.
TAJ MAHAL
Lived-in blues supremo complete with gravelly voice.
WISHBONE ASH
Historic early pioneers of the twin guitar approach, and inspiration for my purchase of a Flying V in the first place. Incarnations of the band are now split between Andy Powell’s version, which he maintains is “the authentic one”, with a lawsuit childishly insisting that Martin Turner’s version be billed as Martin Turner’s Wishbone Ash. They are both excellent and we are eminently capable of working out who is who whilst still enjoying the music
4 TIMES
AEROSMITH
King rockers from Boston.
BLACK CROWES
Highly variable. They could rock out one gig and noodle incessantly the next.
BUDDY GUY
Charismatic blues veteran. Still belting them out, usually dressed in polka dots.
JOOLS HOLLAND
A bit of a corporate gig these days, but he’s a hell of a talent, especially when jamming with others.
KING KING
Big bloke in a kilt playing brilliant blues rock.
NO DICE
Little-known and now defunct rock band we followed in the late seventies.
THE SKIDS
First seen nearly 40 years ago. Still going.
THE TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT
Hairy, shouty rock, with seemingly ever-changing personnel.
T’PAU
Voice still cranking out. Classic AOR.
TRAIN
American rockers now sadly gone disco.
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