Well, no other 'Catters there so….
Thanks to promoter Pete Feenstra, I was able to meet John before the gig and pass on Larry's good wishes (I told him to break a leg, Larry, was that OK!) and tell him about Larry's being "plastered"! He sent his best wishes back, Larry, and hopes to meet you when the Otway World Tour takes place (2005?).
So, to the gig…
Not knowing what to expect I settled down with a pint or two of Young's Special. Although not as large as the Albert Hall, Jagz managed a respectable audience of about 60, the average age somewhat lower than the blues night audience!
John was accompanied on guitar and foot-operated drum machine by Richard of the heavy metal group We-evil and John-the-roadie was in charge of disentangling Otway from his guitar leads (after his forward rolls!), retrieving mikes, picks, spoons and ladders (don't ask!).
2-Hits Otway began with his first 1977 hit "Cor.." and explained how he had progressed seamlessly from punk icon to disco diva. He followed this up with " Deliliah" (eat your heart out, Tom Jones), Josephine (featuring John on acoustic Takamine), "Bodytalk" featured drum machine pickups in various pockets being slapped and also theremin. "Bunsen Burner" opened the second half and the glitterball was featured. "House of the Rising Sun" came next. What can I say? My duets with my Greek friend Yorgos in June will never be the same! Then back to the theremin with "Crazy Horses",
a wire coat hanger and Madonna impression on "Louisa", "Rumplestiltskin" from the punk days , "I'm so Cold" featuring Richard on vocal ("He plays and sings good, I sing and play "interesting""–John). "You ain't seen nothing' yet" featured the stepladder again and was followed by "Dancin' in the Rain" featuring the use of John's shirt sleeves as glove puppets and his shirt as an umbrella to shelter, gag, blindfold poor Richard. The ladder came out again for "Cheryl's Going Home" from John's rock opera and the encore was an a capella version of "Give it 'ead butts".
Pete said in his introduction: "You won't have seen anything like this". It was true! A hilarious evening, the audience, even the diners, listening to all songs and stories in silence except for laughter and applause, how refreshing!
As the T-shirt says:
"You have to be mad to like Otway- but it doesn't help"
Thanks to Larry for putting me on to the unique talent of his less famous cousin (*BG*) otherwise I would never have thought to go.

RtS