By David Parker
I caught up with the 2015 Solid Silver Sixties Tour in The Pavilion, Bournemouth last month…
I was greeted at the stage door by the highly-professional tour manager Bob Balchin, who was obviously pleased to see me – I don’t know why!
He gave me the layout of the dressing rooms so I went for a walk round to see who had arrived. It was not long to curtain-up time but The Pavilion is so cavernous backstage, it is easy to take a wrong turn.
PP Arnold
I went front-of-house to see the opening of the show and returned backstage during the interval, where I caught up with PP Arnold.
It had been some years since we last had a chat and Pat brought me up to date with her life. She is keen to talk about a possible tour next year and we mentioned a few names of who might be on it.
Pat liked the idea of a ‘Ladies Night out’ to make a change from the boys and she envisaged a show with only the ladies of the Sixties plus a backing band.
Some names were suggested and more work may be done on it to find a keen promoter to put the show on the tour circuit.
PP talked enthusiastically about her sell-out shows in South Africa earlier this year. She has also been working with Roger Waters and she is booked to perform at the Jazz Cafe, London, on October 24 this year.
Pat has other exciting plans but she asked me not to reveal them of even hint of them – just yet!
Mike Pender
Chatting to a busy Mike Pender in his dressing room, he told me of a near miss he had in his car with his wife when travelling to one of the venues on the tour.
‘Twas on a dark country road going from Skegness to Lincoln when a large badger ran out into the headlights and caused extensive damage. Mike called the AA and the car had to be lifted and taken away.
He and May continued to the theatre, shaken but not stirred, but finding alternative transport in the wilds of Yorkshire was not easy.
Of course, he made the show! Why do you ask? The old motto is, as you know,’the show (and Mike Pender) must go on!’