Dr Hook, Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury - review
It was more than 30 years ago that Dr Hook held their farewell tour.
But lead singer Dennis Locorriere brought the Dr Hook hits of the 70s and 80s to Shrewsbury's Theatre Severn this week – and proved that, like the tour name, the songs are definitely Timeless.
He also proved that with a top quality band and a voice and a spirit that hasn't aged, Dr Hook are still a top tour group.
A sold-out audience enjoyed two hours of music, with no need for a support group.
Locorriere and his new band were complete crowd pleasers. They played hit after hit after hit – some you knew would be on the set list and others you didn't even realise were Dr Hook numbers. Yet even the ones that had slipped from the memory soon came flooding back after the first few chords.
Locorriere's distinctive gravelly voice and the equally distinctive guitar parts were on every song.
His brilliant, six-piece band reproduced the sound that had first been created in the famous Nashville and Muscle Shoals studios with some of the best session musicians in the world.
I'd forgotten just how versatile Dr Hook had been 30 or 40 years ago.
There were the soft rock hits – many with a touch of country – accompanied by Locorriere's harmonica playing.
Then there were the disco classics including Sexy Eyes and of course, When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman.
But the ones that really brought back the memories – for me anyway – were the story-telling ballads.
I was transported right back to my teens with the poignant More Like The Movies and my favourite one of all, Sylvia's Mother.
By Sue Austin
