The Waterboys at Hammersmith Apollo

I hadn't intended to see the Waterboys. I had put them down as rather folky, although like everyone who has heard a bit of music over the last quarter century, I do like "The Whole of the Moon", their one big hit when reissued in the Nineties. But one of my colleagues had a spare ticket and I am always up for a gig, so I headed down to Hammersmith and got the drinks him for him and his wife and youngest son, just waiting for their arrival. I am the perfect guest!

Of course, one should try to avoid preconceptions. Far from the Celtic folky stuff I was expecting, this was really a rock concert and a very good one. Obviously the average age of the audience was rather higher than I normally encounter, and some were ridiculously devoted fans, but this was a very lively performance. The guy on keyboards, although a pensioner, was giving it some wellie, reminding me rather of a character from the muppets, his long grey hair flying around as he vigorously shook to the music. Mike Scott (lead singer) is starting to show his age too, but it didn't detract in the slightest from the show. An unexpected hit!