Video: That's Orbison with a 'Big O'
ROY Orbison once said, "People come to hear my music, my songs" and they still do; they came to the Auditorium in their hundreds to see and hear Barry Steele as "The Big O".
There was an air of enthusiastic excitement tinged with a degree of apprehension, would he be able to deliver that uniquely distinctive sound; the powerful tremulous voice with a three to four octave range?
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PRETTY BELIEVABLE: Barry Steele as Roy Orbison.
As Barry strode on stage, he looked the part with more than a passing resemblance to the man himself, wearing a bright white jacket and those trademark black glasses.
Standing motionless behind the microphone, guitar in hand, those tight-pursed lips opened with Claudette, the ode to Roy's wife.
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A sigh of relief, the "Caruso of rock" was back on stage and we settled back to enjoy a wonderful catalogue of greatest hits, many around me unable to resist the temptation to join in the singing.
Not however, for the poignant Walk On, with just a simple effective piano accompaniment, or the melancholic It's Too Soon, seemingly reflecting the many tragedies in Roy's life.
The "Friends" on the bill included Peter John Jackson as Johnny Cash and Steve Halliday as a young Elvis, their energetic performances striking a chord with the audience.
As the show moved towards the end of the first half, Barry now dressed all in black, delivered thundering versions of It's Over and Crying.
Only The Lonely and Dream Baby soon notched up the temperature a few degrees, while the bouncy Penny Arcade triggered smiles.
The later, rockier hits of the eighties, paved the way for the ultimate climatic farewell song, Pretty Woman.
That driving bass line and Barry's, or should that be Roy's, voice sent us on our way with the feeling this had been a genuine tribute to a great singer.
Trevor Ekins
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