SAS Band - Saturday 7th December - G-Live, Guildford

Brief review:  30th Anniversary show for Spike Edney and his All Star band. with a revolving selection of guests each year, you never know for sure who will be appearing. Our "smart money" on Roger Taylor was spot on and it was nice to see a couple of acts we had not seen before with Spike including Jim Cregan (singing!) and Kiki Dee as well as some more regular favourites.

Most amusing was Justin Hawkins renditions of 2 different "Power of Love" songs with a very high version of the Jennifer Rush track morphing into the rocky Huey Lewis & The News song.

Venue and View:  Front left, standing.

Setlist

Rebel Rebel (with Tony Vincent)
Creep (with Tony Vincent)
Don't Stop Me Now (with Tony Vincent)
School's Out (with Toyah + Justin Hawkins on guitar)
Sweet Child O' Mine (with Toyah + Justin Hawkins on guitar)
War Baby (with Tom Robinson)
2-4-6-8 Motorway / "Here Comes the Sun" snippet (with Tom Robinson)
Every Kinda People (with Kiki Dee)
I've Got the Music in Me (with Kiki Dee)
The Power of Love (Jennifer Rush Song) (with Justin Hawkins)
The Power of Love (Huey Lewis Song) (with Justin Hawkins)
Dixie Chicken (with Justin Hawkins)
I Believe in a Thing Called Love (with Justin Hawkins)
+
Mamma Mia (with the FabbaGirls - Zoe Nicholas and Susie Webb)
Dancing Queen (with the FabbaGirls - Zoe Nicholas and Susie Webb)
Over My Shoulder (with Roachford)
Cuddly Toy (with Roachford)
Higher Ground (with Madeline Bell)
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (with Madeline Bell)
Forever Young (with Jim Cregan)
Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me) (with Jim Cregan)
Under Pressure (with Roger Taylor and Justin Hawkins)
These Are the Days of Our Lives (with Roger Taylor)
Radio Ga Ga (with Roger Taylor)
Tutti Frutti (with Roger Taylor)
30 Riff Overture (with Jamie Moses and band)
Fairytale of New York (with Jamie Moses + Fabbagirls on vocals)
Do They Know It's Christmas? (ensemble)
Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town (ensemble)
All the Way (ensemble)

SAS Band - Saturday 4th December - G-Live, Guildford

Brief review:  The traditional Christmas show for Spike Edney and the revolving cast of the SAS (Spike's All Star) Band. The setlist shows the guests and the hits performed - as always the musicianship on display was top notch.

Venue and View:  Balcony Seats (front left of centre). Decent view and once the woman in front stopped playing with her phone on full brightness, a comfortable watch. 

Setlist

Born to Run
Davy's on the Road Again (with Chris Thompson)
Blinded by the Light (with Chris Thompson)
If You Can't Stand the Heat (with Cheryl Baker & Jay Aston)
The Land of Make Believe (With Cheryl Baker & Jay Aston)
Making Your Mind Up (with Cheryl Baker & Jay Aston)
First We Take Manhattan (with Tom Robinson)
War Baby (with Tom Robinson)
2-4-6-8 Motorway (with Tom Robinson)
Addicted to Love (with Madeline Bell)
Sir Duke (with Madeline Bell)
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (with Madeline Bell)
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves (with Madeline Bell, Cheryl Baker & Jay Aston)
(Sing If You're) Glad to Be Gay (Tom Robinson solo acoustic)
Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (with Chris Thompson)
The Boys of Summer (with Tony Hadley)
Hammer to Fall (with Tony Hadley)
Gold (with Tony Hadley)
29 Riff Overture
Pink Cadillac / Peter Gunn Theme
Fairytale of New York
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - Ensemble
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Ensemble
You're the Voice - Ensemble with Chris Thompson
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Ensemble

Roger Taylor - Tuesday 19th October - G-Live, Guildford

Brief review:  A tour arranged at relatively short notice to support his new album ("Outsider"), the Queen drummer was in fine voice and delivered a setlist covering most periods of his long career. The band included Spike Edney on keyboards and was effectively 3/5 of the current live version of "Queen" (minus Bryan May and Adam Lambert). Roger takes a bit of stick for some of his solo material, but it ranges from the brilliant (Strange Frontier) to the slightly niche (A Nation of Haircuts). But none are too offensive and it's always likely that there will be a classic within a song or two.

Venue and View:  Excellent view and sound as usual at G-Live. 7th row stalls, absolutely central! Sold out.

Setlist

Strange Frontier
Tenement Funster
We're All Just Trying to Get By
A Nation of Haircuts
These Are the Days of Our Lives 
Up
Gangsters Are Running This World
A Kind of Magic 
Absolutely Anything
Surrender
Man on Fire
Rock It (Prime Jive) (Tyler Warren on vocals)
Under Pressure 
Say It's Not True 
I'm in Love With My Car 
Outsider
More Kicks (Long Day's Journey into Night... Life)
Drum Battle
Foreign Sand
Tutti Frutti 
Radio Ga Ga 
+
Rock and Roll 
Heroes

All we hear is... Radio Ga Ga... Radio Goo Goo

SAS Band - Saturday 14th September - Shepherd's Bush Empire

One Liner: Spike's All Star band celebrate their 25th Anniversary. I'm a big fan of the concept, but have to say the guests and the songs they sing are becoming a little familiar.  After a very slow start, things got more energised when Toyah appeared and "surprise" guest Roger Taylor sang some unexpected tunes, but somehow this wasn't as fun as it should have been.

Setlist
The Jam
Don't Stop Me Now (Patti Russo)
Unchain My Heat (Patti Russo with Laurie Wisefield)
Battle Without Honour or Humanity (Hotei)
Freedom in the Dark (Hotei)
Since You Been Gone (Kip Winger with Neil Murray)
I'm in Love With My Car (Kip Winger)
Suffragette City (Toyah)
Sweet Child O' Mine (Toyah / Justin Hawkins)
I Believe in a Thing Called Love (Justin Hawkins)
I Want It All (Justin Hawkins)
For Your Love (Graham Gouldman)
Dreadlock Holiday  (Graham Gouldman)
(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (Madeline Bell)
Melting Pot (Madeline Bell)
Heroes (Roger Taylor)
Under Pressure (Roger Taylor / Justin Hawkins)
Rock and Roll (Roger Taylor)
29 Riff Overture
While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Ensemble)
+
With a Little Help From My Friends (Ensemble)

SAS Band - Saturday 1st December - G Live, Guildford

24 years of the SAS band and another popular show at Guildford. Regulars Toyah, Patti Russo, Chris Thompson and Tony Vincent are joined by Justin Hawkins from The Darkness to add a touch more sparkle and unpredictability to Spike's All Stars.

Setlist
Rosanna (Jamie Moses)
Davy's on the Road Again (Chris Thompson)
Blinded by the Light (Chris Thompson)
Unchain My Heat  (Patti Russo)
Don't Stop Me Now (Patti Russo)
Radar Love (Patti Russo) 
Let Me Entertain You (Tony Vincent)
Creep (Tony Vincent)
Girls On Film (Tony Vincent)
Suffragette City (Toyah Willcox)
It's a Mystery (Toyah Willcox)
Thing Called Love (Justin Hawkins)
Woman in Love (Justin Hawkins)
Sweet Child O' Mine (Toyah & Justin Hawkins)
Show Me Heaven (Justin Hawkins)
I Want It All (Justin Hawkins)
Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (Chris Thompson)
You're The Voice  (Chris Thompson)
29 Riff Overture
Fairytale of New York 
Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End) (Justin Hawkins)
Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (all-star finale)
I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day (all-star finale)

SAS Band - Saturday 6th December - Guildford G-Live

At last years SAS Band Christmas show, Spike had hinted at a 20th anniversary tour  featuring "as many guests that have worked with us over the years that we can get". Possibly due to the 2014 Queen tour, that had been scaled back to a warm-up in Southampton and this show back at Guildford.

So it was with that expectation that we'd probably see loads of names with a high percentage chance of the remaining Queen members turning up for some pre-holiday fun.

Things started off with band stalwart Chris Thompson being joined by original bassist Neil Murray and the regulars Johnny Marter. Jamie Moses and, of course, Spike Edney. Other regulars followed - Mick Wilson (10cc), Patti Russo, Madeline Bell and Paul Young. The Fabba Girls did their standard bit in the middle too and there was the always fun "29 Riffs".

The 2 highlights for me where the 2 artists I'd not seen with the SAS Band before - Tom Robinson and Mel C. Tom included (in his words) "A medley of my greatest hit" - the classic "2 4 6 8 Motorway" and an entertaining story and sing-a-long- "Glad To be Gay". Mel C showed that she is the Spice Girl who can sing and her version of "River Deep, Mountain High" especially was excellent.

Errr.. and that was it, guest-wise. Which, unfortunately left it feeling a bit of a downer. Don't get me wrong, the band always deliver a solid (and fun) performance - and you should go if you've never seen them, but this was an expensive ticket and billed as a special anniversary rather than a regular show. Maybe we've just been spoiled before.

Setlist
Davy's On The Road Again (with Chris Thompson)
Blinded by the Light (with Chris Thompson)
Happy (with Mick Wilson)
Bring Me a Bible and a Beer (with Patti Russo)
Radar Love (with Patti Russo)
Come Back and Stay (with Paul Young)
Cold Sweat (with Paul Young)
The Power of Love (with Madeline Bell)
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (with Madeline Bell)
Listen to the Radio (with Tom Robinson)
I Predict a Riot (with Tom Robinson)
2-4-6-8 Motorway (with Tom Robinson)
(Sing If You're) Glad to Be Gay (with Tom Robinson)
Mamma Mia (Fabba Girls)
Dancing Queen (Fabba Girls)
29 Riffs (SAS Band)
Don't Stop Me Now (with Me C)
I Wish (with Mel C)
I Turn to You (with Mel C)
River Deep, Mountain High (with Mel C)
Everyday Hurts 
Quinn the Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (with Chris Thompson)
+
[unknown]
Oh Happy Day (ensemble)
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (ensemble)
Do They Know It's Christmas? (ensemble)
You're the Voice (ensemble)