THERE are some mysteries in the world of entertainment your average music reviewer can never fathom. Friday evening at Newport Riverfront certainly presented me with a very unusual one, as I attended a gig that virtually had no audience.

Doug Sanders of The Lambrettas summed it up perfectly when he said jokingly to those who did attend: “I’m fed up of playing scenic gigs, this is the second one I’ve played in 40 years.”

Admittedly The Lambrettas and the two bands that preceded them, South Wales’ own Keep It Dark and Junior Hacksaw presented a tight programme of polished material which kept those in attendance more than happy throughout the evening.

Keep It Dark who have a sound akin to the raw rock of Canned Heat delivered a fabulous blues rock set peaking with renditions of Buddy Holly’s Not Fade Away and The Stones’ Honky Tonk Woman.
Junior Hacksaw were more rock ’n’ roll but all the better for it with incredible renditions of ’50s instrumental Sleepwalk and classic rocker Linda Lu.

When The Lambrettas raucous upbeat set came around everyone present was truly spoilt with fabulous renditions of tracks from their album Beat Boys In The Jet Age and homage’s to bands such as The Small Faces and The Stones with renditions of All or Nothing and The Last Time.

Praise must indeed go to promoter Johnny Perkins and the participating bands for creating such a memorable evening for those of us who were there, and a crying shame that so many missed a golden opportunity to hear some great music!