FOR fans of classic, driving rock music, there was no better place to be than The Maltings on Saturday night when some of the greatest tunes of the 70s and early 80s were belted out with flare and no little amount of skill.
Limehouse Lizzy were in town with their tribute to Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy, and a good crowd – well over 160 – made for a good atmosphere.
It's hard to believe almost quarter of a century has passed since the charismatic star's rock and roll li
festyle caught up with him, causing his premature death while still at the height of his powers, and many of those in the audience were of a vintage to remember Thin Lizzy's Celtic-influenced hits the first time round.
The show started in quite curious fashion. The lights went down and we were invited to listen to two recordings – 'Attack' (the old 'Top of the Pops' theme) and 'Dedication' – before Limehouse Lizzy actually took to the stage.
They burst on through the pyrotechnics and were straight into 'Jailbreak' followed by 'Waiting for an Alibi'.
Bassist and lead singer Wayne Ellis proved an entertaining frontman as he joked with the audience, helping people relax, join in and feel part of the show.
Ellis and lead guitarist Greg Alcock founded the band back in 1993, with drummer Andy Fox signing up two years later. Guitarist Tim Read is the newest recruit, joining exactly three years ago.
Make no mistake, these are a talented group of musicians and they produced an energetic, tight, faultless set.
Highlight of the first half was a rousing rendition of 'Do Anything You Wanna Do' followed by 'Killer on the Loose' and then 'Chinatown'.
After the interval, the band returned with the mellow 'Still in Love with You' reminding everyone that there was another side to the hard-living Lynott, before launching into 'Emerald', 'Don't Believe a Word' and 'Rosalie'.
'Out in the Fields', Lynott's post-Lizzy collaboration with old school friend Gary Moore, was enthusiastically greeted and the main set was rounded off with 'The Boys Are Back in Town'.
No-one was in the mood to call it a night just yet, and they came back on to round the evening off with 'Black Rose' and, of course, a rousing version of 'Whiskey in the Jar'.
It had been five years since Limehouse Lizzy's previous appearance in Berwick. Let's hope we don't have to wait as long until we see them grace The Maltings stage again.
STUART LAUNDY
