Strawbs Xmas party

National Physical Laboratory, Teddington

2 December 2006

We were treated to an ecelctic mix of lineups and guest artists at the Strawbs' end-of-year party. The fancy-dress theme was the 1960s, and the acoustic lineup got the show going with half a dozen Strawbs classics.

Dave Lambert uses his E-bow on Midnight Sun.

Dave Cousins then did a couple of songs in a duet with Claire Deniz, who had featured on the 1969 album Dragonfly and tonight returned in triumph. These included a great rendition of Forever, a song which was a big favourite of mine in my college days.

Really good to see Claire playing with the Strawbs again after all these years.

Strawbs webmaster Dick Greener then sang a version of On My Way.

He was followed by Kevin West with Five Tons To Shift...

... after which Chas returned to do a solo version of Starshine.

Chas remained to accompany Strawbs tour manager Neil Byford for Yo Yo Man.

Witchwood Media boss Tony Attwood then played an original song of his own, I'd Love To Dance With You Again.

Miller Anderson, who played on Dave Cousins' 1972 solo album Two Weeks Last Summer, then played Ry Cooder's Tampem Up Solid.

Then it was Dave Lambert's turn to sing his version of Stairway to Heaven.

After the break, the Blue Angel Orchestra came and did half a dozen songs. Miller sang the lead on House of the Rising Sun here.

The lineup included Ian Cutler on electric violin...

... and Chris Hunt playing the drums.

Finally, Dave Lambert replaced Dave Cousins to form the Dave Lambert Rock'n'Roll Band, who played out the evening with some fantastic RnR versions.