On
June 1st 1999 at The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall a benefit
concert took place featuring The Searchers, Herman’s Hermits,
Dave Dee and Peter Sarstedt, to name but a few of the great performers
who took part.
The concert was a tribute to Colin Manley, late of The Swinging
Blue Jeans - probably one of Liverpool’s finest guitarists
- who died earlier this year. Our overseas reporter Harry Prytherch
reports on what must have been an unforgettable, if emotional
night.
The show opened with MC Billy Butler introducing the original
Remo Four (of which band I was a member) and friends, consisting
of Don Andrew, Dave Williams, Mick Byrne, Don’s son Paul
Andrews, Colin’s son John Manley.
We played four songs and when we walked off-stage there was a
standing ovation - a very emotional moment.
Next up was Vince Earl (Brookside’s Ron Dixon) and his band
The Attractions, who wowed the audience with twenty minutes of
Rock n’ Roll classics. Then came Irish comedian Jimmy Cricket,
who had everyone laughing in the aisles!
The show continued with Herman’s Hermits, Marmalade, Dave
Dee and Chip Hawkes of The Tremeloes before The Swinging Blue
Jeans ended the first half together with Colin Manley’s
daughter Julie who joined the group on-stage for their closing
number.
The Merseybeats opened the second half of the show with some great
Rock n’ Roll and sang all their hit songs including ‘I
Think Of You’; and Peter Sarstedt followed with his 1969
hit ‘Where Do You Go To My Lovely?’ The Searchers
closed the evening off by giving us all their hits, and finally
all of the evening’s performers gathered on-stage for a
rousing version of ‘Rockin’ All Over The World’.
The night was a complete success.1,700 seats were filled; the
show lasted 4 hours and went out live on the internet. An official
video will be released shortly with all profits from the show,
video and merchandise going to Colin’s widow and family.
Reporter: Harry Prytherch, Beatles Ireland Overseas Correspondent.
Executive Honorary Members:- Sir
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Executive Patrons:- Sir George Martin,
Julian Lennon. Patron:- Astrid Kirchherr. Honorary Members:- Cynthia
Lennon, Pete Best, Yoko Ono, Gay Byrne, Geoff Rhind, Gerry Marsden, Allan
Williams, Richard Lester, Harry Prytherch, (The Original Quarrymen):-
Rod Davis, Colin Hanton, Eric Griffiths, Len Garry, Pete Shotton.
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