This is a transcript of a write-up in Encore magazine on "Call Up the Groups" at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon on 10th May 2002

It was and evening of unmitigated nostalgia. The audience poured in by the hundreds to pay homage to their heroes of yesterday and hail them as their idols of to-day - and it was as if they had never been away. Look closely and, I suppose, you will find hairs that have turned grey, extra pounds that have sneaked on to obvious places and even the odd walking stick or zimmer frame hidden out of sight, but the response was still the same as it was all those years ago. Singing along to the songs they knew so well, hands clapping in tempo above the head and, when the incessant beat finally reached their feet, into the aisles to rock n'roll and jive. MARMALADE were first on - a Scottish export second only to whisky. The band oozed personality and their lead singer, Sandy Newman, was in great voice. They rocked their way through their hits including "Rainbow", "Tambourine Man" and the obligatory "Ob-la-di Ob-la-da". Then THE FORTUNES, formed in the mid-sixties and reviving great hits to include "You've Got Your Troubles" and "Here It Comes Again". The band played with great style and consummate skill with superb vocals from the brilliant Rod Allen. A founder member of the original group, his contribution was one of the highlights of a memorable evening.

What more can one say about THE BARRON KNIGHTS? Supremely talented, riotously funnyand highly original, they took the room by storm, cleverly re-writing the great song hits to reflect their ageing compatriots - i.e. "The Hippy-hip replacement shake" and I Can't Remember You! If their rendition of The Jimmy Brown Song was outstanding, their parody of Bohemian Rhapsody was a show-stopper! They are totally unique in concept and material and are as brilliant to-day as they were when they formed, an unbelievable forty-one years ago - a show business phenomenon!

Finally, we had the wonderful TREMELOES with massive hits to perform "Do You Love Me", "Silence is Golden", "Even the Bad Times", and "Twist and Shout". Dave Munden still drums and sings so well and who can top the fabulous skills of lead guitarist Rick Westwood - both band originals and two of the best in the business!

And so to the finale that was simply sensational and worth the admission money alone. The lead guitarists from each group joined forces for the brilliant "Guitar Boogie Shuffle" and, not to be outdone, the four drummers joined in vocal harmony with "Dream" a wonderful moment! The voices of Rod Allen and DAve Munden combined in the haunting "Let it be Me" before all seventeen members of the company joined forces for a superb medley of rock classics culminating in "Let's Have a Party" - something we had done for the past three and a half hours. The show simply oozes quality, class and marvellous entertainment which, of course, had the audience on it's feet begging for more.

JIM KENNEDY

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Bert Weedon - a legend - and his links with Call Up the Groups

Bert Weedon joins Call up the Groups.

As you all sit and listen to the “Call up the Groups” tour. You will hear lots of my fellow musicians performing their various hits. Many of them I have known for years. The Barron Knights and I have worked on many shows together, when they would “Call up the groups”, and I have shared the bill with Marmalade with their number one hit “Ob la di, Ob la da”. The Tremeloes with their huge hit “ Silence is Golden” shared many a show with me in the past, and who can forget The Fortunes when they told us “You’ve got your troubles I’ve got mine”. All of the groups have had many other hits, and tonight you will hear them all.