'By far the best prize tonight had to be Lindisfarne Acoustic'

Worcester is the birthplace of Edward Elgar.. Royal Worcester Porcelain and Worcestershire Sauce. It is also the resting place of King John, that bloke who wrote the Magna Carta in 1215. There was also a battle here in 1651 which involved Cromwell. So you in good company lads. Now that's enough of the history.

However, what is not widely known is that Huntingdon Hall it equally as famous for its raffles. So good are the prizes that the audience are kept waiting right up to the interval. You can hear the gasps of delight (and relief for some) as the prizes are announced!!

But by far the best prize tonight had to be Lindisfarne Acoustic. Oh and I better add here that the lads were not up for prizes, however I'm sure there would be some people in the audience that would have wished it..

The lads were on good form - the jokes were there, although it took some explaining for the audience to understand the difference between Chubby Checker and Fats Domino. I think there may have been some people in from the rural areas and that can explain a lot. They may have been a little tired having been out in the fields all day yer know..

Billy started off with "Old peculiar feeling" followed by "When Jones get back to town". This was sung with particular care, the name 'Jones' being stressed with a welsh accent!  The set list included some songs that had not previously been heard and I think that was a good decision because it distinguished Lindisfarne (as they were) from Lindisfarne Acoustic.
[The set list has already been mentioned on Stratford's review.]

I particularly enjoyed Rod's "Whiskey highway". He puts real emotion into singing that and those who were there could see him really enjoying it - the song I mean, not the whiskey!  Billy sang "Log on your fire" that I hadn't heard before but as always, he puts so much into the way he sings any song - his voice is incredible. I don't know that many people who can sing so skillfully - and reach so many people.

After the interval and the infamous raffle, the lads returned to a receptive audience who were by then ready for anything. Rod reminisced about the old days in Whitley Bay when the band had just started out. (I was only a 'bairn' so I wouldn't remember that - sorry lads..) That they were finishing almost the same way as they started was incredible and I'm sure Alan Hull would have been well chuffed. I really loved Billy's "Can't do right for doing wrong". He said that he is sure we could all think of times when it applied to us. Well Billy, I can't - 'cos I'm just dead good, all the time!!

The audience were made to join in the last song which was "Meet me on the corner" and I think everyone knew the words (fingers crossed) but we would have stayed all night, if we could They were encouraged to do an encore, as they always are, and on they came for the last few minutes.

For me Lindisfarne have always been like "One more bottle of wine", which at the right room temperature, can make you feel really good inside. They have always had this innate rapport with their audience. That is real professionalism lads and you are one of the few bands that have that ability.

Thank you for giving us so much enjoyment - you are loved so much.

Alison Waldron