PAUL JONES AND FRIENDS G LIVE

NOW MOVED FROM CRANGLEIGH ART CENTRE TO G LIVE IN GUILDFORD. THE ANNUAL TWO NIGHTS  PAUL JONES CHARITY GIGS, IS NOW CONDENSED DOWN TO ONE NIGHT . BUT OVER ALL IT DID NOT SUFFER FOR IT.

PLAYING TO A FULL HOUSE JAWBONE/HOUSEBAND DID A GREAT JOB IN WARMING UP THE CROWN.

PAUL JONES WAS NEXT DOING TWO NUMBERS INCLUDING A GLORIOUS VERSION OF SMOKESTACK LIGHTNING.

MICK ROGERS CAME ON TO PLAY 4 NUMBERS AND FINISHING WITH A CROWD LED SING A LONG WITH PAUL JONES ON DO WAH DIDDY.

THERE HAD BEEN RUMOURS AS THERE ALWAYS IS WITH ANY OF THESE SHOWS , WHO THE GUEST ARTISTS WOULD BE. ALWAYS SOME WHAT OF A BIT HIT OR MISS KIND OF THING UNLESS YOU HAD TICKETS FOR BOTH NIGHTS AT CRANGLEIGH.

IT WAS STILL A MAGICAL MOMENT, WHEN THE RUMOURS SWIRLING AROUND DOWN THE FRONT OF THE STAGE CAME TRUE, AS PAUL JONES INTRODUCED ERIC CLAPTON TO THE STAGE.

ERIC FINISHED OF THE FIRST SET WITH THREE OLD BLUES SONGS AND PAUL JONES ON HARMONICA ON THE LAST ONE.

EVEN BETTER  WE WERE TEASED WITH WHAT WAS TO COME. WHEN OUT ON STAGE WALKED TOM JONES AND VAN MORRISON. HAS A CHEQUE WAS HANDED OVER TO THIS YEAR CHARITY FOR PROSTATE CANCER.

JAWBONE/HOUSE BAND KICKED OF THE SECOND SET, BEFORE VAN THE MAN CRANKS THE EVENING UP. SINGING PLAYING THE GUITAR HE TAKES US THROUGH FIVE SONGS ENDING WITH A BRILLIANT VERSION OF HELP ME.

A QUICK CHANGE AND TOM JONES FROM THE MOMENT HE WALKS OUT TAKES COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE STAGE . THIS IS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT AS TOM DELIVERY'S OUTSTANDING VERSIONS OF RUN ON, DIDN'T IT RAIN AND A VERY MOVING HEARTFELT VERSION OF IF I GAVE MY SOUL. FOR THE LAST TWO SONG TOM WAS JOINED ON STAGE AGAIN BY VAN MORRISON AND PAUL JONES FOR GOING DOWN SLOW AND STRANGE THINGS.

ALL IN ALL THE BEST VALUE FOR MONEY IN TOWN THAT NIGHT



PETER STOCK   JANUARY 2018

A SMALLER REVIEW APPEARS IN RECORD COLLECTOR 477  MARCH 2018