Steve Winwood...The Citadel

From the next gig on, Lickey Parish Hall, a lovely experience – thank you Paul and Jane - our transport was a large white van with windows, aircraft-type seats (unfortunately I think these had been recycled from a Vickers Vimy or Sopwith Camel, consequently for the next thousand miles the complaint known as “Van Arse” was rife among the ranks) and a front-seat-only heater for the driver, the stalwart Mark Harper, our Sound Technician, and the navigator, Gerry “Wrongway” Conway. It did also have a rather fetching amber flashing light mounted on the roof which we forgot to use.

My wife Jill arrived after we had started the first set, to find herself locked out in the cold together with a bloke that she said looked rather like Steve Winwood. It was Steve Winwood, an old mate of Peggy’s, who brought with him Mike Kellie, drummer of Spooky Tooth and more recently the Only Ones. Mike is a proper gent (I put some guitar on his new solo album a couple of months back and jolly good the record sounds too) and longtime resident of Birmingham.

Moving swiftly on (personally, I moved on a bit too swiftly and left before the post-gig curry, dammit) to St Helens; the Citadel is a lovely arts centre, small but perfectly formed (balcony and everything, but mind your head). Of course, we were hitting our stride now, despite (nay, assisted by) the bottle of tequila (and salt & lemon) that appeared backstage (bless you Bernie, and Merry Christmas). I think by the time we encored we were definitely feeling the spirit…

More soon.

P.J.