Spike & Friends - Sunday 30th June - Cavern, Raynes Park

Brief review:  Spike and Chris with their acoustic show of songs and stories. To mix things up a bit, this time they had support from Del Bromham (Stray) and Dave "Bucket" Colwell as pictured above. We keep going back for more, so it must be good!

Venue and View:  Standing - half way back

Robert Hart's Bad Company - Wednesday 1st May - Half Moon, Putney

Brief review:  Robert Hart, Dave "Bucket" Colwell, Pat Davey and Harry James make up this collection of largely ex-members of Bad Company and associated acts. Hart and Colwell have legitimate claim of being in the actual Bad Company of course as latter day members. And here we get the greatest hits of Bad Co with a couple of Manfred Man's Earth Band and Free hits for good measure. Seriously good stuff.

Venue and View:  Left hand side of the stage, a couple of metres back.

Robert Hart's Bad Company Experience - Wednesday 22nd November - Half Moon, Putney

Brief review:  One of London's classic rock venues for a classic rock band (caveat - mk 3 of the band with 2 members from that era). Bad Company with Robert Hart and Dave "Bucket" Colwell, effectively covering for Paul Rodgers and Mick Ralphs - both are called out in positive ways. Sold out, loud and excellent. They are back next year, as shall we. Some would say that we Can't Get Enough.

Venue and View:  Left hand side, standing.

Kenney Jones - Friday 3rd December - 229 Club, Great Portland Street, London

Brief review:  More from Robert Hart and Dave "Bucket" Colwell. Ably support by Pat Davey (Cregan and Co, Paul Young etc) on bass and Steve Smith (keyboards) they join the headliner Kenney Jones (drums) for a run through some highlights of Kenney's long career. As you'd expect, that meant lots of Who & Small Faces stuff with a smattering of Bad Company and Free material and other rock classics. What was interesting for me is that brilliant as Robert Hart is on vocals, he must have a bit of a mental block with some of the lyrics - some of which were either wrong or in the wrong verse order on some songs. Still, it's not like they have been gigging much recently, so I think we can excuse that in the face of how good the other aspects are. Ken is obviously a man of few words - a brief "thanks for coming" was as much as we got from the man himself.

Venue and View:  Front left about 10 yards from the high stage. Excellent view, but very sparse audience

Robert Hart / Dave "Bucket" Colwell - Thursday 14th October - Cavern, Raynes Park

Brief review:  What's not to like? Brilliant vocals, excellent guitars and some of rock's best songs. Robert also told a few stories between songs which were entertaining too, although hearing the nonsense that Angel was at Number 1 in the American charts for weeks (it wasn't - certainly not in a chart anyone has heard of!) once again almost provoked some heckling. But that would have been disingenuous as it was otherwise an excellent evening.

Venue and View:  Side view on the right, allowing an interval chat with Noel the landlord. Nowhere near as busy as two performers of this quality deserve.

Setlist

Little Bit of Love 
Movin' On 
Feel Like Making Love 
Davy's on the Road Again 
Natural Born Bugie 
Somebody to Love
Shooting Star 
All or Nothing 
+
Can't Get Enough 
Ready for Love 
Little Martha
Mr Brown 
Angel 
Ooh La La 
Sweet Little Rock & Roller 

Spike - Thursday 15th July - Cavern, Raynes Park

Brief review:  Spike enjoyed his May dates here so much that he's back for more. Pretty similar set, but good fun as always. Shared a table area with Dave "Bucket" Colwell, his Bad Company manager and their wives/girlfriends. I was asked to take a photo of them, so I am now claiming I am the official Bad Company photographer :) - move over Ross Halfin! Dave got picked on from the stage for a couple of the stories, but unfortunately didn't guest on any music.

One Geordie guy had been enjoying the hospitality a little too much and was getting very annoyed with the sound of a game of pool in the back room. He was gently removed during the interval.

Venue and View:  Side view, seated with rock royalty. Socially distanced venue limited to 50 people.

Setlist
Similar, but not identical to previous show. Also included "The House of The Rising Sun"

Bucket's Rebel Heart - Thursday 4th July - Half Moon, Putney

One Liner: Excellent show from Dave "Bucket" Colwell featured tracks from his new album, decent oldies and a smattering of Bad Company, Free and Humble Pie classics. Joined by Jimmy Kunes on vocals (helped by Ilona on backing vocals for 3 songs) this was a really good evening. Anyone got the setlist please?

Setlist
?

Kenney Jones & The Jones Gang - Friday 26th August - Under The Bridge

Back to Stamford Bridge for a rare outing from the former Small Faces / Who drummer. With the fantastic Robert Hart on vocals, this was an enjoyable romp through some classic rock of the 60's and 70's. It was good - but far too short. Surely it would not have been much to ask to sneak in another 4 or 5 Small Faces and Who Tracks.

Dave "Bucket" Colwell joined in for the 2nd Bad Company song and the "Free" encore. Last saw him with Jim Cregan at Sutton United - perhaps he only plays football grounds these days!

Interestingly, besides the time I saw Andy "Thunderclap" Newman, I have not seen less interaction between the named act an the audience - Kenney did not utter a word in our direction. can only assume he is shy.

So, good, but was hoping for more.

Setlist
Can't Get Enough
The Time of Your Life
Maggie May
Substitute
Feel Like Making Love
All Or Nothing
Tin Soldier
Mr Brown
Angel
Itcthycoo Park
Stay With Me
Won't Get Fooled Again
+
All Right Now

Cregan & Co - Wednesday 30th December - Boom Boom Club, Sutton

An early "New Year" show from Jim Cregan and his band of merry men. A family outing for us this time, following the relative success of forcing the kids to watch Rod Stewart in Las Vegas. Here, at a packed Boom Boom club at Sutton Utd FC, vocalist Ben Mills let rip through a selection of Rod classics and highlights from "Family" (Jim's "other" band) plus Steve Harley's "Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)".

As ever. musicianship was of the highest standard. Drummer Harry James becomes my artist seen this year with the most acts (Thunder, Magnum, Snakecharmer and here) and a special guest appearance from ex-Bad Company guitarist Dave "Bucket" Colwell for "Sweet Little Rock 'n' Roller" ended off a great show.

Jim and Dave photo by Philip Crow