So Solid (Silver) Grew!

Spencer Leigh goes backstage at a nostalgia fest

The Solid Silver 60s Show is on tour in the UK until the end of April, culminating in a London Palladium date on the 29the. It stars two solo performers (Wayne Fontana, and John Walker from The Walker Brothers) and three groups (The Searchers, The Merseybeats and The Dakotas).

  was backstage conducting interviews on the opening night, 21 February, at Southport Theatre, but didn’t see any first-night nerves at all among these well-seasoned performers. Everybody was friendly and relaxed, and even Wayne Fontana, despite a forthcoming court appearance over a parking dispute, was laughing and joking.

The nostalgic but energetic show features two bona fide hit-makers in The Searchers (John McNally and Frank Allen) and another two in The Merseybeats (Tony Crane and Billy Kinsley). Spencer Leigh coaxed a few golden memories of the stars before they went onstage.

WITH THE BEATLES

John McNally (Searchers): “Early in 1961, I came home from work and bought the Liverpool Echo to see who would be on with us that night at St John’s Hall in Bootle. It said, ‘The Silver Beatles, Direct from Hamburg,’ and I wondered who the hell they were. I had my tea, picked up my guitar and amp, and got on the bus, with my amplifier underneath the stairs. The Beatles were in black …

by Spencer Leigh
<< Back to Issue 336

You must be a subscriber to view the full article, subscribe now for full access to all online content.

Already a Magazine Subscriber? Register now for online access.

Login Here

Free Newsletter


Subscribe to
our email newsletter by emailing:

anna.bowen@
metropolis.co.uk