Comment by Shadnor SUBS:
Rain Didn't Dampen Rapiers Somerset Show
Me and My Shadows
Somerton Arts Festival, 13 July 2007
By Ralph Gowling
Audiences decide whether a show is good, bad or indifferent—and the rapturous reception given to the Me and My Shadows team throughout the gig at Somerton in the cider county of Somerset on Friday night said it all.
It was a rain sodden night and the organisers of the Somerton Arts Festival had pitched their marquee for the event on the edge of a sports field that became more and more, well, sodden. But that did not dampen the spirits of the capacity 250-strong crowd—the show sold out well in advance—or Jet Harris, Billie Davis (who brought her Welllingtons, see image below), The Rapiers and The Songbirds.
Inside the marquee, the rain that has plagued this year's summer was forgotten and the crowd lapped up the show. There was even some Searchers audience-type singing along and pointed fore fingers in the air when Billie and The Rapiers did When You Walk in the Room.
Two notable faces in the audience were Phil Kelly, virtuoso lead guitarist with Bruce Welch's Shadows, and Beat magazine editor David Parker. I nearly gave Phil his marching orders until I recognised him when he and his party headed towards the entrance to what passed for the dressing room just as Billie and the girls were about to change into their stage gear!
Gents Vote Thumbs Up
The Rapiers usually do half a dozen numbers in the MAMS shows but Somerton got the bonus of a rollicking full hour of rollicking Rapiers numbers—from their all-so-polished Shads stuff to their powerhouse vocals.
Trust me, when you line up at the urinals in the gents during the show, you usually get some of the most honest appraisals of a show alongside you. The verdict? The Rapiers went down a storm on a rainy night!
Billie_boots
Billie D. Gets Edgy
Billie, The Rapiers, now joined by keyboard man Paul Matthews, and The Songbirds were on next, and they have raised the bar of late. They are tighter as a unit and Billie's numbers now have real edge. I Want You To Be My Baby is a belter of a standout and won her wild applause. John Tuck's drumming on this really gets the audience going too.
Tell Him, Angel of the Morning and Higher and Higher went down a treat and Billie was clearly enjoying herself, stepping off the stage and going right up to the audience to sing and banter. When she asked if they would still love her tomorrow, back came a cascade of wolf whistles and shouts. Cue for her closing number and a lengthy ovation.
When You Walk in the Room vocals won many over, but it was the wonderful "Shadowy" lead guitar work of Colin Pryce-Jones that caught my attention and other bedroom guitarists. Everyone knows the Rickenbacker sound of The Searchers hit and some may heard the heavy, almost thunderous chords, on the rival Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas version when Mike Maxfield and Mick Green shared lead guitar duties. It is always interesting to hear different takes on a number and this one does it for me.
Billie noted that while The Searchers enjoyed a hit with the number, it was written by her friend, the great singer-songwriter Jackie DeShannon.
Jet on Form
The night was capped by Jet and I personally haven't seen him play better than nearly two years ago at Fareham. That night Jet and The Rapiers were simply electric and Somerton got a taste of it when they move up that small notch that makes the difference between a great performance and a knockout.
Wonderful Land won huge applause. Not much you can say when the audience reaction says it all. They loved every minute, including Jet's legendary humour. "You MUST come back next year!" was the simple comment of a fan who greeted Jet after the show.
Somerton, England, UK
