When Bill Wyman was rolling with the Stones he wowed at small venues across the Black Country including The Plaza in Old Hill and the old Gaumont Theatre in Wolverhampton.
That was before he, Mick, Keith, Brian and Charlie became the biggest rock ‘n’ roll band in the world. From performing before a few hundred fans to a few hundred thousand, the supergroup left their humble roots behind to sell out such elite arenas as Wembley and Shea Stadium.
However, last night, 14 years after the legendary bass player left the Rolling Stones, he was back in the Black Country.
The 70-year-old and his Rhythm Kings put on a rousing show of blues, boogie and soul at the packed Robin 2 in Bilston.
As the first notes were played he pledged to the audience: “We’re gonna have some fun so enjoy it.”
And enjoy it is precisely what was delivered by the motley crew of artists, each of whom could legitimately be described as a leading figure on the British blues and jazz scene in the 1960s.
Albert Lee and Andy Fairweather-Low are the current guitar heroes of the ever-changing Rhythm Kings line-up. And it was Lee who kicked off the singing with Jump, Jive and Wail. They then launched in to Harlem Shuffle and Maggie’s Farm.
It was an hour in to the show before Wyman stepped to the front of the stage.
He played the whole gig with a semi-smile on his face and gave the impression that if the 1960s UK blues explosion had never happened, and if the Rolling Stones had never existed, he would still be on a small stage at the age of 70 in somewhere like the Black Country - a true star and a brilliant night.
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