Night Of The Guitars

City Hall, Newcastle
Tuesday, 22nd November 1988

Intro (skippable bit)

By way of a distraction and something you ‘do’ when time is of a premium is decide to do something of no great urgency or importance, and, very time-consuming. 😉 Toward the end of 2024, I convinced myself that what I really needed to do was undertake a comprehensive database of every concert I’d ever attended. Not just a list, mind you, but a full catalogue, complete with venues, dates, support acts, and with side notes of memorable moments. The ultimate goal? Perhaps a self-indulgent ‘highlights’ retrospective to share here on TPA. The idea of revisiting past gigs was likely nudged along by the two well-received articles I wrote marking the 50th anniversaries of two of three festivals held at the Oval Cricket Ground (London) in the early 70s: Goodbye Summer (1971) and Melody Maker Poll Awards Concert (1972).

Now, back to the database. By the time the ’80s rolled around, I’d already racked up well over 1000 gigs, and the cataloguing process had begun to feel distinctly like a ‘why am I doing this?’ exercise. Looking back, the ’80s marked a noticeable dip in my musical fervour with fewer concerts, fewer album purchases, and a muse that seemed to be losing steam. Fast forward to the 2020s, and the archiving effort had become increasingly haphazard, its charm fading with each entry. I ended up skipping a fair chunk of the ’80s altogether.

Still, one concert from that era stands out as a rather unique event and remains etched in memory…

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Night Of The Guitars was a week-long UK tour masterminded by Miles Copeland, kicking off in Bristol and winding its way through Bradford, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Liverpool, and Manchester before culminating on 26th November 1988 at London’s Hammersmith Odeon. As the name suggests, it was an evening of six-string spectacle, a celebration of guitar virtuosity. Now while I was familiar with all the featured players at the time, my grasp of their individual discographies varied wildly.

Before diving into the performances, it’s worth spotlighting ‘the band’, the unsung heroes who anchored the night with finesse. Drummer Clive Mayuyu was a constant presence, inventive and rock-solid throughout. Bass duties were split between Livingstone Brown and Derek Holt. Mayuyu and Brown locked in beautifully, laying down a groove-rich foundation for the guitarists to soar over. Derek Holt, formerly of Climax Blues Band, meshed equally well with Clive Mayuyu and also delivered a standout vocal moment during Theme From An Imaginary Western. Keyboardist Chris Bucknell, though visually tucked away on stage, contributed a subtle but essential layer to the overall soundscape.

Disclaimer: 😉 What follows may blur the line between fact and memory as nostalgia has a way of reshaping the past. That said, I can say with certainty that this was a truly fantastic evening, held at my favourite venue: Newcastle City Hall. I suspect my recollections have been coloured by the many YouTube clips I’ve watched over the years, drawn from the tour’s final date at the Hammersmith Odeon. Therefore, rather than attempt a blow-by-blow account of the night, I’ve opted to stitch together impressions of the individual guitarists. A tapestry of tone, technique, and personality that made the Night Of The Guitars unforgettable.

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Pete Haycock, was, at the time, something of an enigma to me. Beyond a couple of Climax Blues Band singles, Couldn’t Get It Right likely being the only one that truly stuck, I had little knowledge of his musical depth. So, expectations were scant. That changed in an instant and from the moment he launched into Dr. Brown I Presume, I was hooked. The guitar melody was infectious, but it was the synergy with the band that truly lit things up. Livingstone Brown on bass and Clive Mayuyu on drums were locked in tight, and their groove gave Haycock the perfect springboard. The interplay was electric, you could feel the joy radiating from the stage. I remember thinking, Why haven’t I heard more of this guy? What a groove. What a track. It made Pete Haycock smile. It made me smile. And it still does…

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Steve Hunter was a more familiar name to me through his work with Alice Cooper and his contributions to Peter Gabriel’s solo debut. So when he took the stage, expectations were higher. What followed exceeded them. One of the evening’s most memorable moments was his duet with Pete Haycock on Lucienne, a delicate, lyrical piece that showcased the depth of both players. Hunter’s elegant tapping technique complemented Haycock’s melodic phrasing perfectly. The rhythm section of Livingstone Brown and Clive Mayuyu, were once again ‘in the pocket’. Later, the guitar duo swapped roles for Steve Hunter’s The Idler, a smoky blues stomper with grit and swagger. The chemistry between the two guitarists was tangible – as you can hear…

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Former Spirit guitarist Randy California brought a surge of raw energy to the evening with his rousing rendition of Hey Joe, a clear homage to Jimi Hendrix rather than Bob Dylan. His performance was electric, both in tone and spirit, and it drew a tremendous cheer from the audience. You could feel the atmosphere in the room, not just for the song but for the legacy it carried. Continuing that legacy and later in the evening, Randy California returned for a powerful ‘group’ performance of All Along The Watchtower, joined by several of the night’s guitarists including Steve Howe, Robby Krieger, Pete Haycock, and Steve Hunter. A great take on Hendrix’s interpretation of Dylan’s classic, with each guitarist adding their own voice to the sonic tapestry.

There was a third track by Randy? Research revealed it was the self-penned Groove Thing – a great funky number although in all truthfulness I have little memory of it…

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Cards on the table, I’d never really been a huge fan of The Doors so expectations of Robby Krieger were, let’s just say, limited. But once again, the Night Of The Guitars concert would surprise. He opened with Strut A-Various, a track I hadn’t heard before but one that instantly caught my attention. A blend of jazz, blues, and funk, it was unexpectedly fresh, with Livingstone Brown and Clive Mayuyu laying down a tight, rhythmic foundation, Robby Krieger’s playing was fluid, expressive, and far more nuanced than I’d anticipated.

Later in the evening, he returned with Roadhouse Blues, The Doors classic that, while not a personal favourite, turned out to be a blast on the night. There was an obvious bond created on the tour and here Pete Haycock and Steve Hunter joined Robby Krieger for a jammed-up, smile-inducing, rendition which grabbed the crowd and the chemistry between players lifted the song beyond its studio origins.

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Now, Alvin Lee was never a huge draw for me, even though I’d bought Ssssh and a couple of other Ten Years After albums back in the early ’70s. I’d seen him live with TYA in ’74, but the concert felt oddly flat, disengaged, even. Given the band split not long after, it may well confirm my thoughts. Fast forward to 1980, touring as the Alvin Lee Band and their gig at Middlesbrough Town was one of a few I ever left early. Needless to say therefore Alvin Lee wasn’t high on my list for the evening and his opening track for the Night Of The Guitars did nothing for me. Technical, sure, but it left me cold. All flash, no fire. Then No Limit, which started worryingly ‘here we go again‘, however once the track kicked in it was a belter, full of melody, drive and swagger and featuring the kind of fretwork that reminded me just how great a player he really was.

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For my travelling companion that night, Steve Howe was the main draw and he was positively buzzing when the unusually animated Steve Howe opened his set with Sharp On Attack. It was a new track at the time, brimming with Mr Howe’s signature articulate runs and melodic phrasing that also echoed his work with Asia. I remember Davey shouting ‘This is more like it!‘ and I still hear the joy in his voice.

Steve Howe was the only guitarist to perform a solo spot, and fans of Yes will be familiar with his acoustic interludes during their live shows. On this particular evening, he gave us a medley of ragtime/Chet Atkins-inspired pieces, culminating in his iconic Clap. Steve Howe’s contributions were a masterclass in versatility, from his fiery electric play during Sharp On Attack to his articulate acoustic performance. For my, sadly no longer with us, friend and many in the audience, this was a major highlight of the night.

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A year or so before this concert Ted Turner had made a welcome return to Wishbone Ash, therefore not surprisingly they kicked off with a thunderous rendition of The King Will Come, a classic from the Argus album. As to be expected the harmony vocals were sweet and tight and the blend of the guitars spot on. Now, the chronology of the evening nigh on forty years later is somewhat hazy, however I thought they went straight into a track from the recent Nouveau Calls album, (which as a side note had featured the original Wishbone Ash line-up), with a stonking version of In the Skin.

The concert itself only featured Ted Turner and Andy Powell with Livingstone Brown and Clive Mayuyu substituting for Martin Turner and Steve Upton. In the Skin showcased Andy’s Flying V in full flight, sounding sweet as a nut and Ted Turner’s slide work added a rich, bluesy texture. A great version of the tune, elevating it way beyond the original…

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If Steve Howe had been the main draw for my friend, then Leslie West was mine. I’d seen him with Mountain back in ’72 and again with West, Bruce & Laing in ’73, both times at the City Hall.

Not surprisingly the ‘guitar sound’ was stellar for the whole evening, but Leslie West’s tone was something else entirely – rich, roaring, full of soul and with his control and dynamic range, breath-taking. I’ve seen him since, but he never quite recaptured that sound again. Following his customary solo guitar improv the band launched into great version of Never In My Life from their debut Climbing!. Leslie West was certainly in his element that evening.

Always a larger-than-life character with a wicked sense of humour, his second track was a version of Theme From An Imaginary Western, the Jack Bruce/Pete Brown classic. Dedicated to Felix Pappalardi, this has to be one of the best versions I’ve heard, Derek Holt paying a fitting tribute to Jack Bruce with his vocal delivery. The other side of Leslie West, the serious musician. The song brought a tear to the eye on that evening and still does to this day.

A very special moment in time, etched in the memory… take a listen.

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Encore

Now there was only ever one way this concert was going to end… Yep, a whole lotta shakin’ in one massive 12-bar blues jam. The kind of closing number that felt inevitable with a communal celebration of the guitar, with each player stepping up to trade licks, riffs, and grins.

A very special night and a very special memory.

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MUSICIANS
The Guitarists
Randy California – Guitar, Vocals
Pete Haycock – Guitar
Steve Howe – Guitar
Steve Hunter – Guitar
Robby Krieger – Guitar, Vocals
Alvin Lee – Guitar, Vocals
Andy Powell – Guitar, Vocals
Ted Turner – Guitar, Vocals
Leslie West – Guitar, Vocals

The Band
Chris Bucknell – Keyboards
Derek Holt – Bass, Vocals
Livingstone Brown – Bass
Clive Mayuyu – Drums

Miles Copeland as Master of Ceremonies