Chappo

ROGER CHAPMAN & THE SHORTLIST

"IN MY OWN TIME" AUTUMN TOUR 1999




Helen Hardy, Steve Simpson, Ian Gibbons, John Lingwood, Gary Twigg, Laurie Wisefield, Nick Pentelow

SEPTEMBER

THE ROBIN RnB CLUB 2, BILSTON, ENGLAND: FRIDAY 24TH

THE ROBIN RnB CLUB 1, DUDLEY, ENGLAND: SATURDAY 25TH

THE HALF TIME ORANGE, LEICESTER, ENGLAND: THURSDAY 30TH

OCTOBER

BUHNE VOR DEM SCHLOSS, SCHLESWIG, GERMANY: SATURDAY 2ND

WEDGEWOOD ROOMS, PORTSMOUTH, ENGLAND: SUNDAY 3RD

FLEECE & FIRKIN, BRISTOL, ENGLAND: WEDNESDAY 6TH

100 CLUB, LONDON, ENGLAND: FRIDAY 8TH

THE DOME, WHITLEY BAY, TYNE & WEAR, ENGLAND: SATURDAY 9TH

MUNICH BLUES FESTIVAL, GERMANY: FRIDAY 15TH

THE WITCHWOOD, ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE, MANCHESTER, ENGLAND: WEDNESDAY 20TH

REPORTS

(words Andy Jago, songlists/details Peter Hall, photography Andy Jago)

BUHNE VOR DEM SCHLOSS, SCHLESWIG, GERMANY: 1 Hr approx.

Summary: Met Steve Simpson and John Lingwood in the bar before the concert at Portsmouth and Steve informed me that this was an open air concert played in a torrential rainstorm and a raging gale blowing into the stage. Set shortened to just one hour because of the adverse weather conditions. Band stayed overnight. Flew into London Sunday lunchtime before driving onto Portsmouth. (AJ)

WEDGEWOOD ROOMS, PORTSMOUTH: 2 Hrs 05 Mins

Higher Ground, Love Is A Hard Thing/Cat Called Kokomo, Chicken Fingers, Do I Leave A Stone Unturned, Hideaway, Son Of Red Moon/Toenail Draggin’/These Boots Are Made For Walking, Kiss

My Soul, X-Town, Habits Of A Lifetime, My Friend The Sun, Toucan Play/5-10-15-20/Just Four Men/Saturday Night Kick Back

Encore: Burlesque, In My Own Time

On stage: 8.50pm Finish; 10.55pm Attendance: Estimate 400, venue full

Summary: A fabulous evening’s entertainment. Higher Ground, great choice for a concert opener setting the tempo for what was to follow. Twenty years after first playing for The Shortlist , Nick Pentelow is back on saxophone – good to see him again. Twiggy’s mum is here tonight. Chappo is in great form, his professionalism is so ingrained, his body language emphasising every line and his rapport with the audience is so responsive and humorous, "That was the title track of our last album, a brilliant album, trouble is no f****r bought it!" It’s a really good set and for the first time on the tour the band play three Family songs leaving the crowd chanting and stamping for more. The Shortlist

certainly pulled the night down on everyone this night. Afterwards Chappo mingles with the stragglers. He too has enjoyed the evening and is full of conversation and laughter. Excellent. (AJ)

FLEECE & FIRKIN, BRISTOL: 1 Hr 45 Mins

Higher Ground, Into The Bright, Chicken Fingers, Love Is A Hard Thing/Cat Called Kokomo, Kiss My Soul, Hideaway, Do I Leave A Stone Unturned, 16 Tons/All Shook Up/Toenail Draggin’, X-Town, Habits Of A Lifetime, My Friend The Sun,

Encore: Burlesque, Toucan Play/5-10-15-20/ Saturday Night Kick Back, In My Own Time

On stage: 9.20pm Finish: 11.05pm Attendance: Estimate 160, venue 2/3 full

Summary: Nearly thirty years ago over 1000 would have poured into the Colston Hall to see a Family concert, and here tonight in a city the size of Bristol barely 150 have turned up. It’s a sad reflection on our music industry that a performer of Roger’s class is basically unknown to the masses simply because television and radio fail to promote his music. Undeterred by the lack of numbers Roger still gives his all - do you ever see a bad concert from these guys – and although it’s a shorter set than normal its appreciated and enjoyed by all those that were there. Tennessee E. Ford’s 16 Tons with All

Shook Up and an extended version of Toenail Draggin’ gets the biggest cheer of the night until the encore. Its then Burlesque which is met with loud applause and cheers, and In My Own Time sends everyone home happy. I meet John Hodson (Web-site) and Sheffield Billy who is a renowned follower of the band. Ian Gibbon informs me he is rehearsing with, amongst others, Geoff Whitehorn at a large North Devon hotel. No overnight stop tonight, by midnight we’re all saying our goodbyes before going our separate ways. As we leave Roger shakes my hand and thanks me for my support which I find is typical of the man. (AJ)

100 CLUB, LONDON: 2 Hrs 15 Mins

Higher Ground, Into The Bright, X-Town, Chicken Fingers, Do I Leave A Stone Unturned, Son Of Red Moon/Toenail Draggin’/Daddy Rolling Stone/Boots Are Made For Walking, Hideaway, Love Is A Hard Thing, Habits Of A Lifetime, Toucan Play/5-10-15-20/ Saturday Night Kick Back, Kiss My Soul, Bye Bye Love

Encore 1: In My Own Time

Encore 2: Jesus & The Devil, My Friend The Sun

On stage: 10.00pm Finish: 12.15pm Attendance: Estimate 350, venue full

Summary: ‘The Voice of British Rock, Soul & Rhythm & Blues’ is on home territory and as a consequence Roger’s wife, Leonne, is in attendance. In the heart of the capital the band put in another great professional performance that is well received. No Burlesque but two encores nonetheless. Slightly different set tonight with J&D, Daddy Rolling and Bye Bye Love added. X-Town and J&D are songs guaranteed to get the feet tapping with Steve Simpson, sporting a new haircut and guitar, on violin. Another really enjoyable evening, let’s hope the next time they’re in the capital its at the Television studios recording on Later With Jools Holland! (PH/AJ)

THE DOME, WHITLEY BAY, TYNE & WEAR: 2 Hrs 10 Mins

Higher Ground, Into The Bright, X-Town, Chicken Fingers, Do I Leave A Stone Unturned, Son Of Red Moon/Toenail Draggin’/Daddy Rolling Stone, Hideaway, My Friend The Sun, Love Is A Hard Thing, Habits Of A Lifetime, Toucan Play/5-10-15-20/ Boots Are Made For Walking/Saturday Night Kick Back.

Encore 1: Jesus & The Devil, Kiss My Soul

Encore 2: Burlesque, In My Own Time, Bye Bye Love

On stage: 9.00pm Finish: 11.10pm Attendance: Estimate 600, venue full

Summary: A week ago the band were in Germany, and since then they’ve travelled to the South coast, the West Country, London and tonight it’s the North East. The schedule would test the stamina of a man half Chappo’s age, but here he is at 57 singing his heart out, sweating from every pore and the crowd are loving every minute of it. The atmosphere is sheer dynamite and how the roof wasn’t blown off during the night, nobody knows. It is without doubt the biggest and noisiest crowd of the tour. Between songs some sections of the audience are really boisterous but Chappo’s adlib lines keep them eating out of his hands. Terrific stuff! Everybody is rockin’ and by the second encore the concert reaches its climax with Burlesque and In My Own Time before Chappo closes the evening with his very own cover version of Bye, Bye Love. To borrow the words of Son Of Red Moon, Roger Chapman and the Shortlist gave a ‘High Performance Out Of Life Tonight’. (PH/AJ)

Tour summary (AJ): Another hugely successful tour of England confirms once again that a Roger Chapman concert is still great entertainment and value for money. Anyone who caught up with him and his highly polished band, The Shortlist, this time around must have been impressed with what they saw and heard. Without doubt he has matured into a truly great vocalist. His performances may not be as demonic and manic now as in his younger days when Family boasted one of the finest live acts around, but they certainly contain showmanship, confidence, discipline and energy. His songs embody some great lyrics, phrases and humour whilst the music maintains its originality, especially the introductions.

At concerts I simply love his choice of medleys. This tour we’ve seen the Streetwalkers Toenail’ Draggin’, Just Four Men and Daddy Rolling Stone, plus Saturday Night Kick Back, the ever popular 5-10-15-20 and These Boots Are Made For Walking included in Red Moon and Toucan Play. The ‘Walkers songs are still met with great applause – at Bristol someone even called out for Crawfish. A re-release of the never to be found Best Of Streetwalkers CD would be most welcome!

For me it’s been another enjoyable experience seeing the band, being in their company and meeting up with other fans. I get just as excited and thrilled at a Chapman concert today as I did the first time I saw him as a seventeen year old back in September 1971 when I saw Family at Torquay Town Hall. Here is a quality product and yet it mystifies me that his profile in this country is so low. Is it because of a lack of financial backing and promotional support or is Roger content for it to be this way? I certainly can’t understand why you don’t see him on terrestrial television, hear him on the radio, jukeboxes in pubs and clubs, in TV commercial adverts or see a CD advertised in national music club brochures like Britannia. To me, Roger Chapman is a class act. I don’t regard him as the King of the Shouters, more the Voice of British Rock, Soul and Rhythm & Blues. I know what pleasure he has given me over three decades of listening to his music and seeing him live, and I live in hope that someday he will receive the rewards and recognition in this country that his talents justly deserve.

Thanks again to Andy & Peter for this great contribution (JH)