REVIEW: Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Concorde, Eastleigh

IT was 50 years ago that I first reviewed and interviewed Gerry Marsden & The Pacemakers who were headlining at a once iconic Southampton night spot The Silhouette.

After the sixties pop bubble burst the club in St Michael’s Square became part of the cabaret chicken in a basket circuit for bands trying to keep their short lived star studded careers on track.

The Silhouette has disappeared into the shadows of time and there are no original Pacemakers.

But Gerry Marsden, who is about to celebrate his 74 th birthday, is a true sixties survivor who is still rattling out the hits which made him a household name.

He made a welcome return to The Concorde and at the end of the month he will be returning to the area when he sets sail from Southampton on the first Rock The Boat cruise.

Hosted by Tony Blackburn, Gerry will be joined on the three night luxury Celebrity Eclipse Cruise to Belgium and France by sixties shipmates The Searchers, Gary Puckett and The Union Gap and Andover based The Troggs.

And it was plain sailing for Gerry at the Stoneham Lane club. The many baby boomers in the audience were word perfect as they sang along to hits which were the soundtrack to their teenage lives.

Gerry quipped that if he missed any verses they could fill in the gaps.

The current Pacemakers warmed up the Concorde show with a medley of yesteryear hits including Chris Farlowe’s Out Of Time which was number one on the day England won the World Cup.

It might be 50 years old but it still scores a big hit with the disciples of the sixties.

There was powerful performance from Salisbury born singer Rachel Sinnetta who has become a regular on the Gerry & The Pacemakers’ package tours.

She hit the ground running with Petula Clark’s Downton and Dusty Springfield’s Son Of A Preacher Man. Rachel rounded off the first set with a Cilla Black classic Anyone Who Had a Heart.

Gerry headlined the second half rolling out his jukebox hits including How Do You Do It? Ferry Across the Mersey, It’s Gonna Be Alright and I’m The One.

His tunes are always sung with great feeling, perfectly illustrated by the poignant Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying.

Then it was time again for everyone to join hands and sway to Gerry’s signature tune and that famous football anthem You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Duncan Eaton