Lindisfarne Story (And Simon and Garfunkel again)

I've had a great 3 weeks of going to gigs locally, starting off with Steeleye Span which I reported a few weeks ago.

Last week I went to The Simon&Garfunkel Story in Mansfield. I had actually been 4 months ago to the show in Newark with some guitar group friends and went again with Jill last week. This is just a brilliant show; it's not simply a tribute because that would understate it. The singing and musicianship is faultless. I believe they are going to the West End with the show next year. I give it 11 out of 10 and would go again (again!)

And last night I went to The Lindisfarne Story in Chesterfield. This is a simple 2-man show telling the Lindisfarne Story. I was born and brought up in Newcastle and on the Northumberland coast and therefore this was a pretty nostalgic trip back. Great memories of the Gogo club and others (and some that are best forgotten!). The vast majority of the audience were lapsed Geordies on a similar trip backwards and of course very familiar with L's music. We really enjoyed the show although if you weren't a Geordie and hadn't followed the band for a long time you may not have enjoyed it so much.

The show was staged very simply, with Ray Laidlaw (drummer with L more or less for 40 years) and Billy Mitchell, who actually only joined L after the death of Alan Hull in 1995, although he had known many members of the band from the start; this was probably the only 'confusing' part of the story as the implication was that Billy had been a long-term member of L. Not that it mattered. Billy's voice and guitar playing were excellent; his rendition of Alan H's Winter Song being particularly good (must dig this one out again!). And it was very good to hear L's best songs played simply with an Acoustic guitar and a bit of percussion.

The storytelling was good fun and witty and the show time flew.

The tour goes on and, particularly if you lived through the Lindisfarne era its worth catching if you get the chance.

John