Blog » Bill’s blog – December 4-6, 2009
Tuesday 5th January 2010
The final leg of the Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings 2009 UK tour is in sight for the group, with Bill getting ready on Friday in London, before travelling to St Albans for an 8pm show at the St Albans Arena. The sell out crowd lit up when the band took to the stage, with applause chasing up both sets. Three encores – Crying In The Rain by Albert and Beverley, I Put A Spell On You sung by Beverley, and a finale of New Orleans sung by Gary US Bonds rounded off a cracking concert.
After the show, many of the band’s friends were backstage, including Beverley’s two daughters, and Georgie’s friend Mike O’Neill (who was Nero of Nero & The Gladiators, who Bill had seen in concert in Wallington Public Hall in 1959) and Bill and Mike chatted about old times.
See more Rhythm Kings music and albums
From London to Leicester on Saturday for a concert in De Montfort Hall. Before heading off, Bill worked through some papers and – importantly – filled in next year’s 2010 World Cup football matches in his diary. Then, the band headed by bus to Leicester, watching Bill’s DVD of Willie & The Poor Boys during the trip.
Click to watch a video of Willie & The Poor Boys
At 8pm, the band took to the stage in front of an audience of just over 1,000 fans – and again, the fans loved the show, with applause following both energetic sets. Three encores left the crowd wanting more, and the band finally left to a standing ovation.
Sunday dawned dull and overcast – and it was also the final day of the UK tour for 2009. Bill was up early, working on photos taken from the night before, before heading to the Stables in Milton Keynes for the final double-gig in front of a sold out audience. The applause was tremendous as the band performed their musical magic through the two sets for the first show at 4pm, and the encores roused the audience to a standing ovation and cries for more.
A quick break for dinner, then the band – demonstrating a tremendous energy, returned to the stage at 8pm for a repeat of the afternoon’s gig to yet another sold out audience. Encores and applause topped the evening – and ultimately proved an echo of the fantastic reception fans had for the band throughout the entire tour.
Naturally, with the end of the tour, even Bill found that he was weary – heading back to London in the early hours of Monday morning for a much needed rest.
Photo by Laurie Anderson
After the show, many of the band’s friends were backstage, including Beverley’s two daughters, and Georgie’s friend Mike O’Neill (who was Nero of Nero & The Gladiators, who Bill had seen in concert in Wallington Public Hall in 1959) and Bill and Mike chatted about old times.
See more Rhythm Kings music and albums
From London to Leicester on Saturday for a concert in De Montfort Hall. Before heading off, Bill worked through some papers and – importantly – filled in next year’s 2010 World Cup football matches in his diary. Then, the band headed by bus to Leicester, watching Bill’s DVD of Willie & The Poor Boys during the trip.
Click to watch a video of Willie & The Poor Boys
At 8pm, the band took to the stage in front of an audience of just over 1,000 fans – and again, the fans loved the show, with applause following both energetic sets. Three encores left the crowd wanting more, and the band finally left to a standing ovation.
Sunday dawned dull and overcast – and it was also the final day of the UK tour for 2009. Bill was up early, working on photos taken from the night before, before heading to the Stables in Milton Keynes for the final double-gig in front of a sold out audience. The applause was tremendous as the band performed their musical magic through the two sets for the first show at 4pm, and the encores roused the audience to a standing ovation and cries for more.
A quick break for dinner, then the band – demonstrating a tremendous energy, returned to the stage at 8pm for a repeat of the afternoon’s gig to yet another sold out audience. Encores and applause topped the evening – and ultimately proved an echo of the fantastic reception fans had for the band throughout the entire tour.
Naturally, with the end of the tour, even Bill found that he was weary – heading back to London in the early hours of Monday morning for a much needed rest.
Photo by Laurie Anderson
