Unlike many musicians of a certain age, Alan Price remains capable of delivering a show that celebrates his glorious past without wallowing in a needless sea of nostalgia.
Surrounded by an exemplary group of musicians including Dorset’s own keyboard maestro Zoot Money, guitarist Bobby Tench, bassman Peter Grant and drummer Martin Wild, Price revisited hits from his 45 year career with a rare sense of freshness and vitality.
From House of the Rising Sun and I Put A Spell On You to Simon Smith and The Jarrow Song and beyond, he showed what a richly varied back catalogue he can offer.
But far from turning out perfunctory copies of the old singles, Price offered great new arrangements and a band that clearly relished the chance to indulge in a little improvisational zeal. The result was a two hour plus show that offered not just Price’s greatest hits but, much, much more including utterly superb playing and some marvellous on-stage banter. There were also a couple of eyebrow-raising observations, one of which was deftly woven into the lyrics of a song. Sadly for legal reasons I cannot repeat it here. But, hey, that’s what I call entertainment.
Jeremy Miles