This is the first Retrospective Festival and when I saw the line-up, I had to go!
The people who put on the Reminisce Festival (rave and dance) decided to add this on the evening before the main event, and I am glad they did.
Getting there wasn’t easy, neither was getting in
The traffic up the M6 and M62 was horrendous – it was Friday, and it is always worse on Fridays.
What a palaver trying to get into Sherdley Park. I was feeling increasingly stressed.
Arriving at the park, I entered through one gate and was driving slowly, asking where I needed to go. The stewards kept telling me I was in the wrong area and had to go out again. Twice I did the same circuit in and out the park, asking directions and everyone telling me something different.
I was about to give up, and told the last steward I was ready to go back home. One last attempt to enter through a hidden metal gate off the main road. A man came up to me, and I told him I had been driving round the park for one and a half hours, and if I could not get in then I was going home as my stress levels were hitting the roof. He called another man over and I told him the same thing. I was totally fed up, and it showed! My blood pressure tablets were working overtime! Before I started on the tablets a few months ago my blood pressure was 200 – it would have been double that now without the tablets!!
He told me he could squeeze me in a small space – I told him I don’t care where it is, I just want to get in. What a relief. I could have hugged him. He was kind and told me where to get my pass from.
Finally in the park, the tent was massive!
Yes, I would have returned home had he not let me in. One and a half hours driving round…
I made my way into the tented grounds. A young man took me backstage – I think he felt sorry for me as I was so agitated!
It was a massive blue open-sided tent – and I mean MASSIVE!
Roachford
Roachford was already on stage, and I was told to go and get some photos before he finished his set – he had two songs left! Andrew Roachford was ending his set with his hits ‘Family Man’ and ‘Cuddly Toy’, and the audience were all singing along. He is a great singer. He was moving around the stage and I thought: what a nice linen jacket he is wearing. I interviewed Roachford on his tour bus in Manchester when he had his hit with ‘Cuddly Toy’ in 1989 and we discussed his first album which I loved.
I was allowed three songs of each artist in the pit, and went to wait behind the tent in between. Slowly my stress levels came down.
Katrina and Tiffany
Katrina Leskanich (ex Katrina and The Waves) was next on stage. Remember her hit ‘Walking On Sunshine’ from 1985? It has been streamed over 900.000.000 on spotify! ‘Love Shine a Light’ won the Eurovision song contest in 1997. The audience sings along.
There seems to be a short delay, due to technical problems, before Tiffany Darwish walks on stage. This American lady is still very popular and there are quite a few men at the front of the barriers who are here just to see her. Straight away I think of the film where the man is singing along to her song ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’ – what was the name of that film? ‘Could’ve Been” – another number one hit. Two songs and she disappears – where has she gone? Good Lord, she is walking towards me in the pit! She climbs onto the barrier in front of the men – who I think she recognises as big fans. Everyone is taking selfies as she finishes her last song. Ted, that’s the name of the film!
Go West and Peter Cox
Go West are next. This past six months Richard Drummie has not been performing due to ill health – will he be here tonight? Peter Cox walks on stage, blue jeans and white shirt – his usual stage attire. He knows what the crowd wants and gives it to them! ‘ Call Me’, ‘We Close Our Eyes’, ‘Faithful’, ‘Dont Look Down’. What’s the film that had their hit ‘King Of Wishful Thinking’ in it? This year I have noticed he is smiling more on stage and it suits him.
I have photographed Go West many times.
When they were first starting out I was staying with my grandparents in the Isle Of Man and Go West were over there recording – I kept hoping I might see them – I didn’t. When I was working for the American teen magazines I did meet Peter at his record company in New York, USA. I was interviewing him for Tiger Bear Star. I remember his being a bit down as he had just broken up with a girlfriend. No I was not trying to jump in there – always a professional when it comes to work.
I think he told me his mum lived in Blackburn? He signed loads of promo and personal things for me to run in a competition. I’m drifting – back to the present! Peter tells us that Richard is not well, his eyes fill with tears, can we all say a prayer for him? Oh dear I wonder what is the matter and feel sad. Peter carries on and the audience knows all the words to the songs.
Martin Kemp
Martin Kemp (ex Spandau Ballet) walks on stage – he is doing his DJ set. Easy on the eye, he brings a smile to my face! White jeans and a sparkly, sequin brown leopard print shirt – he wears them well! I want to get my hair the same colour as his but can’t. A true professional. Martin changes the moment he enters the stage – he owns it. He plays the hits and keeps coming to the front of the stage. He shakes his hips, much to the delight of the ladies – including me! What a handsome specimen of a man. He has lost weight (don’t lose any more). I’ve seen Martin on stage a few times the last couple of years and you will always see a smile on my face when he is on. He entertains. The crowd can’t get enough – just book him for 75 minutes and we will all leave satisfied with what he has given us. It can’t be easy keeping it up when you are in your sixties – the pace and energy on stage. I watch from the crowd.
He wipes his sweat on some t-shirts and throws them into the crowd. The women fight for them – god knows what they would do if Martin stepped amongst them?! That’s got rid of my stress at last.
Belinda Carlisle closes the evening
The evening ends with Belinda Carlisle (GO GOs). ‘I Get Weak’ – yes she does make men go weak at the knees. So many hits. ‘Circle In The Sand’, ‘Mad About You’, ‘Leave a Light On’, ‘Heaven Is A Place on Earth’. She never stops moving, dancing around the stage. At the end of two songs the pit is cleared so I make my way home before all the crowds spill out.
Great night of entertainment – will I see you next year?
All pictures by Deborah Law
