Golden oldies night best gig ever!


02 May 2006

Vic Richie of Mister Buss.

Simply the best! The Golden Years gigs were hailed as the greatest yet by hundreds of rock 'n' roll fans who packed the UEA over the past two Saturday nights.

“So many people kept telling me there were the best concerts so far,” said organiser Terry Wickham, who put together the shows, inspired by stories in the Evening News and broadcasts on Radio Norfolk.

“Since the concerts I must have received a dozen calls from people telling me how much they enjoyed the nights,” he added.

“What an incredible night. The music and the atmosphere is absolutely brilliant,” said Chris Goreham of Radio Norfolk, who hosted the show last Saturday with Kirsteen Thorne.

Over the past 10 years the annual music festivals have reunited dozens of Norfolk rock bands from the 50s, 60s and 70s and brought the good times back for a generation of music lovers.

No musician has been paid for taking part in the gigs, which have now raised more than £80,000 for a string of local charities and good causes.

Most of the money raised this year will be going to the Evening News and Big C's Opening the Door appeal to raise money for the new family cancer information and support centre at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Dancing the night away.

This year there were two moving musical tributes to two legendary Norwich singers who had recently died - Malcolm Hooper of Malcolm and the Jet Blacks and Tony Dee of Memphis Index.

“We had doubted whether or not we could go on for 10 years but this year the crowds seemed bigger than ever - and the music just gets better,” added Terry. And it was Terry - a former member of the Zodiacs - who ended the night on Saturday with a guest appearance on stage with Mister Buss, who closed the show as the crowd still screamed for more.

More than 1,000 people bought tickets for the two shows, some travelling from as far afield as London, Colchester and Peterborough.

“And I have noticed that the audience is getting younger. So many people love classic rock 'n' roll played by some really great musicians.

Among them this year was Roger Dean, a guitarist from London, who has played with some of the biggest names in the business, who was on stage with Rollercoaster.

“This is a great night and I would love to be invited back next year. I have really enjoyed myself. People are so happy,” he said.

And that's what the Golden Years is all about - people enjoying themselves and helping others at the same time.

“I would like to say a big thank you to all the bands who took part - I know what much time and effort they put into it - and everybody who bought tickets,” added Terry.

The concerts were inspired by a story I wrote 10 years ago when Derek Moore, a member of The Toffs, asked whatever happened to other bands of the band.

It was the key that unlocked a treasure chest - the Golden Years.

Thanks to Nick Rayns and his team at the UEA for all their support in making the shows so successful.