Review: Noddy Holder was in his element during joyous Walsall homecoming gig
Noddy Holder was on sparkling form at his joyous homecoming gig in Walsall last night.
The former Slade front man performed alongside piano master Tom Seals and his band in front of a sell-out 600 crowd at the Walsall Arena in Bloxwich.
Fans travelled from across the country, as well as Europe and Caldmore, to attend the gig which was full of Noddy's old school friends, bandmates and family. And Slade fans delighted to be in the presence of Noddyness again.
The 77-year-old, who is celebrating 60 years as a professional musician, told countless stories from his time growing up in Caldmore and the Beechdale estate and his rise to stardom.
He also chose songs which were seminal in his life which Tom Seals and his band performed with a helping hand from Noddy on the microphone. The first song was the Al Jolson number his window cleaner father used to sing to his mother in local pubs to get out of the doghouse.
He said: "My father had a great voice, but he never wanted to sing professional, everyone knew him in Walsall. He would barter a lot, he would clean the butchers windows to get some meat and the barbers so me and him could have a hair cut."
