Friday 10th. November, Lyric Theatre, Dinnington
Located about 14 miles south of Sheffield and 20 minutes drive from home, Dinnington is a former mining village which is now enjoying something of a reinvention and is becoming quite an industrious place. The Lyric is situated right in the middle of the village and the last time I was there was with Dave and The Cruisers way back in 1964. Also that year The Lyric experienced quite a tumultuous night when no less than Little Richard appeared there. The venue has also been one of included in Ken Dodd’s national theatre tour and has continued to host some other memorable nights. However, for Dave, one memorable night would be the night his Dad performed at the Lyric back in 1941 with the Mayfair Orchestra and was in fact the night before Dave was born. Over the years the place has been refurbished and is now a comfortable, spacious venue. The audience are now primed and ready to rock with us as they hop and bop around the dance floor. Unfortunately, I’ve got a stray bass-drum that just won’t stay in one place and as I give it what for the more it moves.
Putting various things in front just doesn’t seem to help and as Dave works up te crowd so I get worked up behind the kit. At the end I’m stood up rockin’ in true Gene Vincent & The Bluecaps style with Brian and Jason also helping me to keep that pesky bass-drum still. As we hit the final note, I’ve had enough and send the whole kit flying just like Keith Moon! My action seems to create further interest, although I don’t think I’ll keep this feature in the act, as I’m not in the market for buying a new drum kit for every show!. However the old kit is still in tact and I apologise to it afterwards before putting it away safe and sound and head for home.
 
Saturday 11th. November, Devonshire Arms, Baslow
It’s the second time this year we’ve played at this venue and is another ideal gig, located in the heart of the Peak District. Being another local giggette, I make my own way along the wife as we’ve also got a room for the night. Around 5 o’clock the rest of the gang turn up and set about getting all the equipment set up, etc. Support tonight is a local band . Thanks to a course of Bob Martins tablets and Love-hearts I’m all fired up and ready to rock like no man has ever rocked before! However, onstage I have to keep my exuberance down to a minimum and keep the set moving along. Once again it’s a great night with everybody enjoying the proceedings, proving once again, you can’t beat good old rock’n’roll.  Johnny Marchetta thinks he’s got a hot date back in Chesterfield so with our blessing he makes a quick getaway whilst Brian, Jason and myself wallow in the joy of packing all the gear away. Finally done, I retire to the bar for the after-show soirée before the Bob Martins start to wear off and it’s time to hit the hay.
 
Friday 17th. November, Stockport
Although tonight’s gig is only about an hour and a quarter from home, it takes us much longer to find the place. With written instructions that only cause confusion we end up near the centre of Stockport then go to the other extreme and end up in the middle of nowhere. Thankfully we see a lady who puts us in the right direction and we eventually find the Golf Club where tonight’s gig is at. It’s actually a private party for a guy’s 60th. Setting up as quickly as we can on the floor down the side of the room we get everything about ready before all the guests arrive. The guy whose birthday it is informs us that we’re invited to have all our drinks on a tab which certainly makes us feel better after such an arduous journey. We also have a table reserved for us, although on the reservation it states ‘musicians and drummers’!!!. However I soon forgive their faux pas as we join the queue for the culinary delights on offer. Ads we tuck into the pie and peas I notice that one of the guests is that guy who plays the dopey son in TV’s Royle Family. However most of the crowd are obviously the golf-set and live in a different world to mine. After a lengthy and obviousy well-rehearsed speech from Birthday-boy, we get rockin and generally have a good time in the process. As the birthday boy is also a guitarist in a local band Dave invites him up to take over the rhythm guitar sot as we get down on some good old Chuck Berry tunes. Thoroughly enjoying himself our man is very appreciative afterwards and we thank him for his hospitality before we get the van loaded up and head off back home which, thankfully, a much easier journey than the one coming, now we’ve got our bearings.
 
Friday 24th. November, Vauxhall Holiday Park, Yarmouth
Back out on the road we’re heading east for about three and half hours to the outskirts of Yarmouth. The last time we were hear was around two years ago and we soon familiarize ourselves with the lay-out. Also on the show with us tonight are The Nashville Teens and our good buddies Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich. As the Dozies have a gig in Germany the following day we provide the back-line so that they can get a quick getaway after their set. Locating our accommodation, it’s a spacious caravan with three bedrooms, a lounge and kitchen area, in fact so good you live in one of these things! After setting up our gear Brian gets busy preparing our evening meal of curry, rice, etc. Helped down with a glass of red wine, he’s come up with another culinary triumph as we all woof it down.
Afterwards I check the Nashville Teens who, as I remember are a bit on the heavy rock side but deliver a solid set that finds favour with the large crowd around the front of the stage. The large room looks pretty full as the audience get into a solid 60’s groove with D,B,M & T. as they romp through their selection of singalong hits. As this is a Christmas 60’s Weekend, albeit a bit premature, we get a visit from Santa who must be getting in a bit of pre-Christmas overtime?! After the Dozies are all packed away we bid them a fond farewell as we get ready to go on at, eventually around 11.40m. I must admit that at this time of night, my rockin’ mode is a bit on the sluggish side but after about four numbers into the set I’m firing on all cylinders and getting’ down on the wild beat just like a 61 year-old should. the audience enjoy the set.
Afterwards we retire to the bar for a late night-cap with our conversation ranging from gay truck-drivers to the effects of too much iron in your blood! Back in the caravan we discuss the night’s proceedings whilst watching some TV over a glass of red-wine and a potent combination of more curry and beans, which unfortunately have rather alarming repercussions the next morning on the way home!  

Thursday 5th. October, BEAUFORT THEATRE, EBBW VALE
Back on the 60’s Night Out tour and the first of three days on the road with a gig in a different direction, that being Gwent in South Wales. Upon arriving at the venue, I must say the building and the surrounding area appears quite depressing with rows of grey stone houses. However, inside the theatre, the atmosphere is warm and friendly as we engage ourself in our first priority – cups of tea all round!  A quick sound-check to get us all back in the mood as sound man Andy gets us all sounding nice and hot before we nip across the road for a pint. For these next three shows Chris (my son) is back on second guitar, which is, always well to my liking. Showtime and the audience soon get in the groove with us as we include “My Baby Left Me” in the set once again. As usual the audience soon warm to Dave’s amusing banter in between songs along with his familiar ‘mystical’ stage movements. Before you can say ‘Georgie Gomm’ we’re playing Dave off and the climax(?) of another satisfactory show before its time to head off back to the hotel for our usual glass of Ovaltine. Out in the foyer, Dave autographs various items of merchandise and also an impressive looking mint original copy of his Decca/Ace Of Clubs album ‘One Dozen Berries’. Afterwards we decided to pass on the Ovaltine idea and head for the nearest Wetherspoons, in Abergavenny. The location is The Coliseum which is an old cineman and as is usual, it’s very tastefully transformed into a popular pub. Following a couple of pints and an ogle at the young ‘talent’ it’s back in the car and heading for the Travelodge. Just after settling in and  getting our pygamas and night-shirts on there’s a knock on the door and upon opening it, it’s Keith from MP’s Searchers informing us that they’re also staying there and guess what? – it’s party-time! Reluctantly (?) we got dressed again and headed of for the guys’ room armed with the necessary cups of Horlicks(?) and Ovaltine(?) Discussing how our lives as pop stars is decidedly much better than say, down the pit or working in an abbatoir, we enjoy our impromptu after-show party and eventually bid our rockin’ chums night-night.
 
Friday 6th. October, HUNTINGDON HALL, WORCESTER
The next morning we take in some of the countryside as we stop off for breakfast in Ross and then move onto Monmouth. We all agree that we’re quite fortunate to be able to get the opportunity to travel round the country and see places we’ve never been to before, and get paid too! Heading slightly back in a northerly direction as we return to another venue we did last year. This is a lovely venue, transformed from a church with all the pews still being used as seating, albeit with soft cushions, and the stage set beneath an impressive pipe organ. In front of that is a large pulpit where Dave orchestrates his emergence onstage later. At a near-by bar we enjoy a curry before we head back to the gig. Backstage we’re joined by one or two friends including the affable Roger Askey, mastermind of the Mike Pender Appreciation Society who informs Mike of his contribution to the recent Radio 2 Buddy Holly documentary. Time to rock; and as we kick the set off, Dave emerges behind me like some sort of apparition from the pulpit as a sense of amusement circulates through the audience. All the downstairs seating is full and the coziness of this venue makes the evening’s show particularly enjoyable for us. Out in the foyer afterwards we get down to some hard selling as the last two copies of  the live CD get snapped up and we celebrate another winner! Tonight our destination is Weston-Super-Mare where we’ll be staying for the next two nights as it’s quite central. Heading straight back to Tesco (we know how to live), we load up with a couple of bottles of wine, sandwiches and nibbles for tonight’s after-show party.
 
Saturday 7th. October BABBACOMBE THEATRE, TORQUAY
As we are all devout patrons of Poundland and after breakfast, this is our first port of call where we load up with various items. A further lurk round down-town Weston and pick up a couple of cheap DVD’s to watch in the car on our next leg of the tour. The weather continues to contradict the forecasters and it’s a lovely sunny day, albeit a little breezy, to take a trip to Torquay (see my comments in previous entry). Arriving, we find the venue beautifully situated overlooking the bay and a very calm sea as we loaded our gear inside. Having had to arrive a little earlier than usual in order for Dave and Mike to give a joint local radio interview, this gives us more time to take in the locale. We take an enjoyable drive round the area, along the sea-front and around the centre of Torquay in search of a bit of sustenance. Back at the theatre we enjoy a drink in a nearby bar along with sound-man Andy and his wife Serena, and also singer with the Sticky Wicket Big Band. Backstage the TV monitor shows the impressive stage lighting and lay-out looks more like the setting for one of Madonna’s concerts, so maybe we should include “Like A Virgin” in tonight’s set? But that would of course be silly for a number of reasons. Instead, in our dressing-room we prepare ourselves for another onslaught of rock’n’roll waltzes and R&B quick-steps(???) Actually, we don’t do any of that either and deliver our usual selection of Berry hits, prime 60’s fayre and classic rock’n’roll all of which achieves the desired effect. As this theatre has no bar-area, the merchandise stall is set up in the compact entrance where members of the audience milled around buying up more goodies. Afterwards it was time to hit the road and one of  the old Bob Hope/Bing Crosby ‘Road’ films kept us entertained on the way back to Weston and beddy-byes. Thanks also to whoever sent us (and Mike) the gift bottles of Woodpecker cider, we enjoyed drinking them the next morning on the street with the rest of our good drinking buddies!
 
Saturday 21st. October THE BARN, ASTON, BIRMINGHAM
Our last date on the 60’s Night Out tour takes us right into the heart of the midlands and the venue resembles more of a night club. It’s most appropriate that, like when we started this tour, the ‘sold out’ signs are also up for this last date. Looking at all the posters for forthcoming attractions we see a few familiar faces like Marmalade, Soul Survivors, The Denbigh Dale Drifters and the Fazakerley Four Tops. Chris is with us again and whilst the gear is getting set up he and I tuck into Chicken & Chips. Sadly some of the old smartness seems to be lacking from this place and the table-cloths, although clean, look like they’ve been screwed up in the bottom of the cupboard! After sound-check, etc, we all head off into the lounge bar for some team-talk with Mike Jr. and the boys. Tonight’s show kicks off at 8.45 and it makes a change to be ‘in cabaret’ and nice to be more closer to the audience. Unfortunately, the stage is situated right next to the kitchen door so as we play, we get a nice waft of frying to help the rock’n’roll go down! Looking round as we do the set, the place is jammed but everybody seems to be enjoying the show. “Crying Game” signals the last part of the set before we blast off into our finale of “The Price Of Love”. Partially drained we get changed into something more comfortable, in my case it’s a football shirt and trackie-bottoms & carpet slippers and make for our sales stand to sell some more rock’n’roll trinkets. It’s nice to meet staunch fan and disciple Ann once again for a chat before I get the tables turned on me and somebody walks off with my drink! I’m pretty good at doing that, so I know all the tricks! However the perpetrator realized his mistake and is so apologetic, he offered to pay my council tax for the year! Reassuring him that that wouldn’t be necessary, I get back to the dressing room and get ready for the home journey. Time for a last drink in the cocktail bar where two young female fans declare their love and devotion for Dave Berry and The Cruisers, they obviously need to get out more!
Friday 27th. October Richmond Holiday Park, Skegness
Off to the coast Johnny is back with us and he and I join Dave for the two and quarter hour journey. It’s another of the 60’s weekenders and always a good gig with plenty of like-minded 60’s fans in attendance. Upon arriving we meet the rest of the band and check out the preparations in the venue. For this show we are joined on keyboards by John Blackstock, to augmenting the sound and in preparation for our gig tomorrow in Holland. Originally scheduled to go at 11.00pm, as we’ve got such a busy schedule the next day, we’ve asked promoter/Dreamer Ray Martin to rearrange the running order and put us on earlier at 9.30. This he does but omits to tell The Fortunes that they’ve switched spots with us! When informed of this they’re far from happy as they’ve got a gig the next day right up in Dunfermline! Thankfully, the old saying of ‘age before beauty’ applies and we still get to go on at 9.30 and our commiserations with the Fortunes. Opening up the proceedings are The Dreamers who present their usual fun-filled set. While they’re on we get time to check out who’s here and who’s not and it’s nice to see some familiar faces like Cliff and Judith Tibbett, Lyn and Nadine, Harry Kent and host of other beatsers all making the scene (man). Showtime; and we quickly get everybody up and rockin(g) and mix one or two numbers in with our usual set. One of these is “If You Wait For Love”, another Bobby Goldsboro song that Dave had out on disc in ’65 and an excellent 60’s stomper which seems to hit the spot with the crowd. It’s great to hear the keyboards too adding some more colour to the band’s sound. Eventually it’s play-off time as Dave slinks off through the curtains and we bring the set to a crashing squeak. To show our gratitude, we make time to watch a bit of The Fortunes set whose opener is a great version of a favourite of mine, The Everlys “Wings Of A Nightingale”.
Soon we’re off and rolling through the night and back to Derbyshire.
 
Saturday 28th. October, Stuelemaart, Bergen en Zoom, Holland
As we’ve got an early start at 8.00am I’m staying over at Dave’s house and enjoy a good night’s sleep in the delightful bedroom in the east-wing, over-looking Niagra Falls, The Taj Mahal, The Mountains Of Mourne and the Dronfield By-pass. Up and at em’ we ick up young Johnny en route to Birmingham airport where we booked in for the 11.30 flight to Schipol. As Holland is an hour win front of us we arrive at around 1.30pm and are met by our friendly roadie Rene. It’s about a 90 minute drive to our gig so a bit of snoozing is in order. We previously played Stuelemaart, a large auditorium, about four years ago and apparently Dave received the top vote when people were asked who they want to see again which is really something. The only down side is that we’re not onstage till midnight so it’s going to be a very long day. On arrival we check out the equipment provided and then are taken to have a welcome meal. Also on the show with us are our good mates The Troggs along with The Sweet plus other Dutch combos. It’s good to meet up with those ‘wild things’ Reg, Maggsy, Chris and Pete again and a great night is in store. Taken to our hotel we sort out our rooms with mine being particularly roomy and comfy. With hours to go before showtime, I watch a bit of telly and find that many of the channels are familiar English ones. Downstair in the reception/bar are I meet up with Chief Trogg Reg and have a nice chat with him whilst he waits for the rest of the band. As our hotel is only ten minutes walk from the venue I decide to walk there and enjoy strolling through the neighbourhood. Bergen is a lovely old town so we take a further venture out although it feels a little strange to be here just for one night’s gig, still that’s rock’n’roll. The trip has also given me another opportunity to meet up with my good friends and fellow Crickets fans Angela and Joop as we bring our activities up to date. Eventually it’s time to go on and with John on keyboards and Marthy also in the line-up on her hot R&B tambourine and vocals, tonight we’re a seven-piece Dave Berry ‘Big Band’. However, as opposed to starting off with “In The Mood” we kick of with “Now” a song that has been a hit for Dave in these parts. I must say, it felt great to look out over around 17 hundred people all having a good time and enjoying the music, whilst various close-circuit TV cameras circle around us to project our image onto a big screen at the side of the stage. Further into the set and we keep it rocking which seems to be everybody’s liking but of course include other numbers that were hits over here like “Mama” , “If You Wait For Love” and our closer “This Strange Effect” – Holland’s all-time top seller. With, as usual,  “Price Of Love” bringing the show to a final close it’s another triumph and off for a well-earn cup of Ovaltine. Unfortunately all the Ovaltine has gone so we have to make do with a free-bar in the hosptality lounge!  Following us, the final act tonight is a real surprise as it’s a young man dressed in a Beatle suit and looking a bit like Paul McCartney. However, this couldn’t be farther from what his act is all about as he and his band take the stage and demolish everybody with a frenzied Jerry Lee Lewis type act! The band’s name is, oddly enough, Magic Dave & The Wheelers,  but deliver some solid driving rock’n’roll  and certainly impresses everybody, audience and bands alike. AfterwardsI meet up with Angela and Joop again and have another few aperitifs and discuss the spectacle of Magic Dave before it’s time to head back to the hotel. Feeling quite puckish, Jason, John and myself walk into town in search of food and indulge in a nice greasy Dutch style Doner Kebab, just the thing to go to bed on. Back at the hotel we meet up with those Troglodytes again and have one more snifter before bye, byes. Our 8.00 am early morning call gets us out of bed and down stairs for full Dutch breakfast, before we embark on our journey back to the airport. What a difference this trip is from our last one to Bergen when we were stranded due to some ferocious gales and wondered just when we’;d get home. Thankfully this trip is pretty trouble free and we’re eventually back home around 3.00pm on the Sunday afternoon, just in time for roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.
 
Thursday 2nd. November, Butlins, Skegness
Our second gig in Skeggie in just over a week for this, an apparent ‘mid-week break’. People must have a lot more spare time these days as the camp is pretty full with good crowds in both big entertainment rooms. For this show Chris is handling the sound while Johnny, Jason, Brian and myself are handling the rockaboogie side of things. Also with us is my wife Margaret who I’ve brought along for her ‘mid-week break’ too and who hasn’t had the Butlins experience for a long time! I must say our accommodation is excellent with a roomy three-bedroomed apartment that we quickly transform into a ‘rock-pad’. On the show with us tonight are The Tornados and it’s a real honour for me that their ‘main man’, the great Clem Cattini will be actually using my drum kit. Young rock’n’roll upstarts Midnight Dynamo get the evening off to a rockin’ start while we head off in search of some scran. Accompanied by a versatile band Clem and Co. are next and provide an entertaining set of 60’s fayre. Afterwards I have my photo taken with Clem and vow never to watch my drum-kit again. Time for us to make some noise and lift everybody’s spirits to an even higher level with another scintillating set. Still not quite able to believe how young Dave looks and how rockin(g) we were, the audience disperse after the show in a bit of a daze, a bit like, having been knocked down and stood up again. As midnight turned, it was Chris’s 31st birthday so we headed back to our rock pad for a couple of celebratory glasses on vino and pizza. Next morning the weather was glorious, fairly warm sunshine, enabling us to take a leisurely and pleasant drive back home.
 
Saturday 4th. November, Private Party Chesterfield
After last night’s gig in front of about 1200 people, tonight we’re playing in front of about 60 people at a private party in a small pub near Chesterfield. But that IS showbiz and this gig is just as pleasurable as any other. Situated just outside Chesterfied the pub’s location is on the Matlock road with a fantastic view of much of north Derbyshire. As it’s also Nov. 4th. There’s a lot of fireworks going off to add a lot of sparkle to the night sky. One we’re set up, landlord Mike kindly offeres some hospitality in the shape of an ample plate of fish and chips. The party is for a lady’s 60th. Birthday and we await hr and her party’s arrival back from a day out at Bridlington. Around 7.45 the place is packed with party-timers as we join them for some sticky-toffee pudding and cream! Around 10.30 we start off the set and soon the party-girl is hoppin’ and boppin’ like she was only 59 again! Everybody, young and old, seem to really enjoy the set and although the heat was a bit over powering at times, we also enjoyed the gig very much, especially afterwards with the glasses of Cava and dish of profiteroles! Indeed, after doing quite a bit of traveling over the last few months, it was nice to have a gig not that far from our home, although it was still just turned 2.00am when I got back.