When Lindisfarne last played Keswick in October 2000, they could have filled the venue twice over, having impressed so much on their previous visits. A residency of two days this time around ensured that as many Cumbrians as possible were treated to the superb new songs from �Promenade�, spiced with well-selected old favourites

On the second night there were only a dozen empty seats together near the front. These soon attracted Billy�s attention and he jested that the busload of nurses hadn�t turned up. Two songs into the set, the latecomers filed in, causing much hilarity. �Can�t rely on British Rail� joked Billy. If only- the last train ran in March 1972 when �Meet Me On The Corner� was riding high in the charts. There�s a project underway to re-open the branch line from Penrith; Lindisfarne come back to Keswick and so should the trains!!

�This Guitar Never Lies� is a superb album and concert opener sung by Billy. Rod�s Harrison-esque slide guitar, a swinging rhythm and the subtle transition from verse to chorus make this a freshly minted classic. Billy continued with �Anywhere the Wind Blows�, the first of three welcome raids on the �Amigos� album, and then handed vocal duties to Dave for the next two numbers. First the oldie �All Fall Down� with Rod switching to mandolin and then the lovely new ballad �This Too Will Pass� supported by Billy on harmonica. A good revival of the Theakston ale tribute �Old Peculiar Feeling� was followed by Billy�s timeless �Born At The Right Time�.

We were then treated to the be-hatted Rod singing his own song �Freedom Square�. Enhanced by �that�s right� backing vocals by the others, this could have come straight off his highly recommended solo album �Stamping Ground�. Billy continued with Rod�s ballad �One Day� from �Neighbourhood� before the band launched into a passionate rendition of �Passing Ghosts� from �Fog�. The not-quite-title-track �Under The Promenade� sung by Dave is Ian�s follow up to �Two Way Street� (on �BT3�) and shows the group has yet another talented songwriter. It must be catching! An interesting instrumental break adds a further dimension to this memorable song in waltz time.

The vibrant 60s feel and riff of �Coming Good� could be described as �Byrds meet the Monkees� but is also a new Lindisfarne classic in its own right- the guitar work and the vocal harmonies at the end are worth it alone. The first half was crowned by a rousing rendition of that song which was in the charts when that last train rolled into Keswick- �Meet Me On The Corner�.

The second half unusually opened with �Fog On The Tyne� catching the audience off guard as they failed to remember the words of the verse. As Billy said, we should have attended the rehearsal! A spirited �No Time To Lose� wore out most of the band, leaving just Rod and Billy in the spotlight. Billy�s new homage to Fats Domino �Walking Back To Blueberry Hill� has a relaxed feel with fine guitar and vocal work. I suggest it could be rejigged as �Walking Back to Bleaberry Fell� in homage to the mountain a couple of miles from the theatre!! Two more �Amigos� standards followed; after �Roll On That Day�, the rest of the band returned with Dave mirroring Alan Hull�s vocal on the beautiful �One World�.

Next on the list were a couple of contrasting Rod �Promenade� songs. Rod talked through the amusing �Significant Other� which reveals the new status to replace marriage and partnerships. Billy then sang �Unfinished Business�, which reminds me most of Rod�s �Neighbourhood� songs. We then journeyed back along the �Road To Kingdom Come� which Rod apparently wrote when he was 15!!

Billy�s �Rock�n�Roll Phone� lives up to its name and the audience appreciated this frantic number which adds further variety to �Promenade�. Proceedings closed with an emotional �Run For Home� but the Cumbrian audience were certainly not going to run home. Vociferously demanding an encore, the band returned with a spine-tingling �Lady Eleanor�. As soon as �Clear White Light� started, several rows stood up simultaneously to enjoy the rest of the gig on their feet, clapping, waving and bopping wildly. They were rewarded with a magnificent �Devil Of The North�.

We walked straight down to the merchandise stall and the boys were already stood in their production line signing countless albums. �Keep an eye on your insert� quipped Ray as the signatures mounted. Ian told me that his photographs for �Promenade� were taken in a 2-week spell in the Tynemouth and Whitley Bay areas. [re a msg from Ian ion the board is was: Tynemouth sea-front, 4 pm(ish), late August, 2001. The boys just happened to be there. Serendipity!]The cover certainly stands out in Andy�s Records, Barrow-in-Furness, where it is currently on sale as a �Chart CD�!!

Lindisfarne are always assured of a welcome in Keswick and I�m sure they�ll be back again. Great venue, magnificent scenery and, as Billy said, the Pencil Museum!! My one regret ?- not being able to make the first night as well! Can�t be too greedy- my seat on the Wednesday will probably have been taken by a new fan. I also have the Newcastle Convention to look forward to.

What a Lindisfarntastic week: �Promenade�, re-issue of Alan Hull�s �Squire� and a great gig!

    Derek Walmsley 8/3/2002