Concert Gems.

[stagetech]

Just wondering if anyone else had those special moments that will forever live in the memory.
I had taken my two boys to the Reunion concert at Sheffield on wednesday. The youngest 9 years old my eldest 16.

First Gem was my eldest son, who is less than demonstrative, losing all inhibitions and singing out loud to every song.

The next came as the Shadows put the finishing touch to Wonderfull Land, Hank finished on that piercing high note. One man a row in front turned to his companion and said, "Did you hear that!"

The last was my youngest falling asleep just before the end, every time a song finished and the audience applauded, so did my son, still fast asleep. The Cliff fans, a group of ladies next to us fell in love with him, and watched for his reaction at the end of the next song. They were not dissapointed. We woke him for Batchelor boy, his favourite.

What memories do you treasure?

[bgohara]

I always remember one of Hank's solo tours at Croydon (probably 2000 or 2002) where he played 'gonzales' and then, just as he was about to play a couple of numbers on the acoustic, asked the audience, 'does anyone know what that was called?'. Someone shouted out 'The Rumble' - at which point Hank said to Warren, 'what does the rumble go like?' - Warren then played a bar or so on his keyboard - and then Hank played a little snippet of it on guitar - brilliant!

[Moderne]

I think the highlight for me of the Cliff/Shads concert at the NIA was Hank's performance of Sleepwalk - one of the most beautiful things I've ever heard. Slightly marred by a man three seats to my left who talked all the way through it...

I've been lucky enough to see The Shadows and Hank Marvin many times since 1979 when I first saw them at the Hammersmith Odeon. I always found Hank and Bruce's harmony version of Always On My Mind rather moving!

Clive

[Arpeggio]

Refs Ian's point about the lovely, innocent and natural way in which children react at concerts. In this regard the highlight for me has to be when my youngest daughter (who was 8 at the time) unwittingly became part of a double act with Hank! It was during his 2000 tour at Reading's Hexagon Theatre. We were sitting on the front row....but well away to the left of centre (as you looked at the stage). In a break between numbers Hank (as ever) was goofing around and finished up with some kind of joke where he either blew a raspberry or pretended to belch (I can't quite recall which). My daughter (nicely brought up with good manners you see) said (very loudly - and a second or two before the audience laughed at Hank's antics) "How rude! That's very bad manners!!" People around me began to laugh (at her remarks) and Ben Marvin (who was over near that side of the stage and heard her clearly) was doubled up with mirth. At this point Hank was unaware of my young daughter's comment and he burped again - with the same result. Ben was now giggling and pointing towards her. At this point, Hank took the mic off his stand and nonchalantly strolled towards the front of the stage where we were sitting (being tipped off by Warren - who was also laughing uncontrollably - en route). Hank asked my daughter (meanwhile I'd got over being embarrassed and was trying not to laugh myself) what she'd said and she proceeded to lecture him very seriously about the fact that belching in public was very bad manners and that he should say 'Pardon me' and apologise to everyone (what was funny about - as the audience and Hank's bad were all in hysterics by now - was that she was deadly serious). Hank was wonderful - naturally he turned 'Pardon' into a little routine about not being able to hear - but then he did say something like 'Well - Pardon me for burping' and I promise not to do it again.' He spent about another minute engaging my daughter (who was now very happy because he'd effectively said sorry!LOL) in a jokey routine and she engendered an 'Aaaaaahh' from the audience when she told Hank (cue more laughter from Ben and Warren) that he was very lovely man and a pretty good guitar player! Hank then asked me if I'd set her up (which I hadn't - her initial comment had been quite spontaneous) before winking at me and returning to the centre of the stage and reminding the audience of the old adage about not appearing with children etc and then continuing with the music! As I say...the whole thing was over in a couple of minutes - but the audience loved it. completely unplanned...but pure magic!! "Out of the mouths of babes...."

Bests...Rob

[MeBHank]

Time for me to wax lyrical again (or, in other words: to show how flipping soppy I am at times!).

My "concert gem" is from the Guitar Player tour, when I was 15. I had seen every tour of Hank's from 1995 and had waited at the stage door each time to meet him but had never caught him. He seemed so out of reach, and all I wanted at that point was just to greet him and have a brief chat. In the spring of 2002 seven of us had travelled to Salisbury for the show and we knew we were to be sitting only four rows back. I had always been of the artistic type, so I'd made a large card, drawn a red Strat on the front and everyone in our party had signed their name. Needless to say, the show was superb and I was spellbound as always. During the standing ovation after Apache (which of course told us the show was really over), I sidled past the three or four people that separated me from the central aisle and, with my heart hammering, walked up to the stage in front of nearly 2000 people. Hank was to my left, waving a last goodbye to the people on that side of the auditorium and he hadn't noticed me. The band were lined up in the middle of the stage (reminscent of an identity parade!) and had seen me, so they alerted Hank to my nervous little face peering over the edge of the stage. He looked over, saw me holding up the card and bent down and took it. He stood up and admired my artwork and then bent back down and shook my hand, prompting a huge cheer from the audience. Hank then walked about the stage showing the card to the front rows of the audience and to the band. Mum caught a picture of him holding it up whilst he was looking directly at her, and of him walking off, carrying his Strat in one hand and my card in the other. We'd exchanged no words, it was over within half a minute, Hank had simply shaken my hand and given me a smile but that moment was priceless for me.

Dear old Mrs Bell had it right: the best way to spend your time is amongst your memories!

J

[stratmantd]

I can really relate with this thread.

In October 1981 The Shadows played two nights at the Usher Hall here in Edinburgh. The "main" night was the 5th of October as that was when there was a group of us going and we had tickets for the front row, right in front of Hank. However, Malc and I also went the night before when we were up on the balcony to the left of Bruce. It was great of course but we felt that the sound wasn't quite right, probably due to where we were seated.

The next night, Malc and I met in the Shakespeare bar just outside the Usher Hall for a quick pint before the concert. Standing next to us were Alan Jones and Cliff Hall who were obviously of the same mind as us. We got chatting to them, trying not to get flustered at meeting them although Malc did insist on Calling Cliff Hall Francis (Monkman) (sorry Malc). They asked us about the previous night and seemed genuinely interested in what we told them, even about the sound not being quite right. As they left they told us that they hoped we enjoyed that night's show.

Well, did we enjoy it? Utterly brilliant! At the end, after FBI and Apache as they walked off stage, Hank looked over, straight at me. A thrill went down my spine as he threw something my way and said "have a plectrum". I was so astonished that I was a little slow in picking it up and a guy just across the aisle from me grabbed it. I couldn't really ask him for it as Hank had thrown it to me. Well actually I could have but I suppost that that would have been a bit churlish; I hadn't been quick enough and he'd won the prize. The Bastard!

As we left the hall we all got split up but I knew that the guys were going to get into the pub before the rush. For some strange reason I decided to go round to the stage door to see if there was any chance of meeting the band. There were about 30 of us thinking the same and after about 10 minutes the band decided to let us in. This was great.

I first shook hands with Bruce and got his autograph. I didn't have a programme as we'd bought them the night before so he signed my ticket. Then the same thing with Brian. I was so tongue-tied; it is so difficult to ask your heroes questions off the cuff. Then I walked towards Hank. I shook his hand and thanked him for the plectrum but that I had been too slow to catch it. He actually went through his pockets to see if he had another on him. What a guy! I got his autograph and told him that I was looking forward to hearing his new solo album which he had described as being Marvin, Welch and Farrar-like. After thanking him I moved off to give the man some peace when I spotted Alan Jones. He saw me and asked "how was the sound tonight?" I was thrilled that he had remembered our chat in the pub.

5 minutes later I walked into the pub to be greeted with "where did you get to?" "Oh! I was just chatting with The Shadows, they send their regards!"

What a night! I still have those autographed tickets. Alan and Cliff on one and Hank, Bruce and Brian on the other.