I don’t know how I got into the Flamin’ Groovies in the first place, although it was probably because they’d been name checked in the NME and sounded right up my street. It wasn’t a band you’d get to hear on commercial radio in the mid-seventies so it would have been a total punt when I bought, what I later discovered was their second album, 'Flamingo', at a little record shop in Bexley High Street. All the more remarkable given the lack of funds at the time. The album was full of high energy Rock’n’Roll songs played with a loose energy that sounded like the band were playing against the clock. The Dave Edmunds produced 'Shake Some Action' album, released in 1976, highlighted the influence of The Beatles and The Byrds on the band and was a jangly, Rock Pop masterpiece that was part of the soundtrack of my university years. The Flamin’ Groovies are one of those bands that you’d thought had split but, like many groups from that era, had experienced key members leaving, coming back and then leaving again, while ancillary members also came and went. This meant that different formations of the band became active for a while before a hiatus ensued, followed by another ensemble assembling to tour (mainly overseas).

One of the constant fixtures in the different lineups has been founding member, singer and guitarist Cyril Jordan. He is now the only original member remaining. Anticipation levels were high before the gig at having the opportunity see such an iconic band (albeit tempered by the worry about what the effects of age might be). Excitement levels were more than slightly dampened down by not being on the guest list and having to listen to what sounded like a fabulous second support act knocking it out of the park down below while entry was being navigated. I caught half of their last number and they were gone. It’s an amazing feature of pretty much all gigs (alright, 95%) that the venues themselves provide zero information about support acts. Their name will forever be unknown but they were great. The next support act, The Peawees, also put in a powerful performance. I hadn’t heard of them but the Italian band have been around for thirty years, so they know what they’re about, which is playing punchy Rock’n’Roll numbers with a Punky attitude. Founder member, singer and guitarist Hervé Peroncini, was a suitable focal point for the band, who helped keep the energy levels sustained for the headliner's, who followed after a short interval.

Cyril Jordan is the heartbeat of the Flamin’ Groovies and, let’s face it, no matter how good the rest of the younger musicians were accompanying him, he was the reason why the 229 was full on this particular Saturday night. He didn’t disappoint. You wouldn’t have known it during the performance but he later explained, after he was helped back on the stage for the encore, that he is suffering from a condition that affects his balance (not the same one that affects thousands of people on their way home late on a Saturday night in the UK). Otherwise, he seemed very spritely and looked in his element handling most of the vocal and soloing duties. The only incongruous element was the luxurious and youthful look of his hair, which can be forgiven, and from a personal perspective, his resemblance to my dear, departed Uncle Joe! The band got stuck in right away, opening up with the rocking groove of ‘Don’t You Lie To Me’ a cover of the song by Blues man, Tampa Red, which appeared on the 'Shake Some Action album', sung by drummer Tony Sales. Any doubts whether Cyril Jordan was taking a back seat on the vocal front were dispelled when he took the lead on another superb track from that album, the melodic ‘You Tore Me Down’. As well as bassist Atom Ellis (the Mighty Atom, a closet Bruce Forsyth fan?), two other guitarists combined with Jordan to create a chiming wall of sound with all the guitarists often playing the same hooks to punch home the licks that made the original records so memorable. The rest of the band also provided the harmonies that were a feature of the late seventies period Groovies. Jordan introduced several songs with reminiscences from the past, recounting how he first came across The Beatles as an introduction to a close to the original cover of ‘Misery’, which also appeared on the aforementioned classic ’76 album. There was sadly nothing from the 'Flamingo' album but several songs from its follow up, the highly rated album from 1971, 'Teenage Head', featured, including ‘Have You Seen My Baby?’, ‘Yesterday’s Numbers’ and to close the set, the Bluesy groove of the title track. There were more numbers from 'Shake Some Action' and its follow up, (the slightly disappointing at the time) 'Now'. ‘Don’t Put Me On’ and ‘Between The Lines’ from the latter album maintained the high quality of the songs in the set, which was definitely all killer and no filler. Naturally, the highlight of the set was a song that Jordan described as following him around like a piece of gum stuck to his shoe, the absolute stonker that is the title track to 'Shake Some Action', a number full of guitar figures and one of those choruses that rattles around your head like a pinball; an absolute Power Pop gem of a song! It was a great set by the band and a commanding performance from its leader. A wonderful night.

Review, photos and video: Simon Green