Back in the UK

Our first UK show of 2016.

The Camberley Theatre, a new venue for us, and unusually, one I can be home and in my own bed in 30 minutes, quicker if it wasn’t for the restrictions on the M3.

A nice venue, we had our usual UK sound guy back. Andy Thomas, fresh from doing the sound for Eric Clapton, very proud of that he is, and rightly so.

Pete Tulloch on drums tonight. Pete, also from Liverpool, has one of the 1979 Knebworth Stainless Steel Ludwig, and knows how to play it. Pete is a genuine nice bloke, important that, when we spend a lot of time in each others pocket.

A few changes to the set tonight, we are including ‘The Battle of Evermore’, being joined onstage by the vocal talents of Silvia Perett, from the band Wild-Heart.

And nice to see Andy’s parents come to the show too.

Andy had been presented before the show with a pic of Les Howe, from the 1937-38 season, training with Tottenham Hotspurs. Who was Andy’s Great Uncle. The similarity is uncanny!

Weird one, before the show the bar was quiet and not looking good at all, Darren Reddick from Planet Rock Radio went onstage to introduce the band, the intro music started, and hundreds of people appeared from nowhere!

Maybe they were outside having a last smoke, but it was a really good turn out and a great show.

‘Battle of Evermore’ went down a storm, as it should,  a very popular song, and fits in with our ‘Tales of Storms’ theme for this tour.

Silvia got a good reception, and a few wolf-whistles.

And Darren again joined us onstage to play the bass for the encore of ‘Rock and Roll’

We all came out after the show and met the people who came, All very complimentary, and several who said they were 'dragged' by their husbands, but actually loved it, which, incidentally, is the most emails we have to our website.

From people who only came reluctantly to accompany a friend, and ended up loving the music, and the show, and are no big Zeppelin fans, and fans of ours too of course.

Many a time they actually were aware of the music, but just didn't know it was Led Zeppelin, or only knew one song (no prizes for guessing which) but where then impressed by the other songs they heard and are converted.

So here we are truly back in the UK and up and running, next up The Chiswick Invasion, a show for a charitable cause at Chiswick School, where I play 5-a-side football on free Thursday nights.

I say ‘play’ actually more like plodding along out of breath and fouling the opposing team, falling over, gasping for breath and occasionally scoring a rare goal, usually  a miss hit pass that creeps in when the 'keeper is otherwise distracted.

But I digress, ‘For One Night Only’ myself, Merv Goldsworthy, from the band FM, and other Chiswick music luminaries, have formed a ‘Supergroup’ called ‘The Griffins’ and will perform at the fund raiser for 30 minutes on Friday March 4.

And I can be home in 10 minutes to boot! Although, it’ll probably be the pub afterwards, in fact, it will definitely be the pub afterwards!

Ok…then....next up Liverpool Cavern.. coming home ….