Review: Rock and Roll Heaven at Chesterfield’s Winding Wheel

Elvis Presley, Del Shannon, Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Ricky Nelson and Roy Orbison are frequent visitors to my record deck.

So the prospect of seeing these founding fathers of modern music on stage and hearing them perform, was too tempting to refuse.

These were the sounds of my very early childhood but at 55 I felt quite young among the shiny pates and blue rinses reflecting the simple but effective four-colour light show spotlighting a montage of my singing heroes.

Okay, I know the original artists are no longer with us - what a sad bunch they would now be if they were - but as tribute singers Damien Edwards (Del and Roy), Edward Handoll (Ricky and Buddy), Johnny Labey (Eddie) and Lee Memphis King (Elvis) are exactly what I would imagine Buddy, Del, Roy, Ricky, Elvis and Eddie would have looked and sounded like live.

Damien Edwards excels with his magnificent range, Edward Handoll is magnificent. For my money, only Lee Memphis King was mildly disappointing as Elvis at his comeback show, but was bang on the buck when he came back on stage in that famous white jumpsuit.

The show title works on so many levels - for my and my parents’ generations the show is musical heaven and I am certain that if Heaven exists my heroes will be in a Rock and Roll version of it.

Yet again theatre impressario Bill Kenwright has a hit on his hands.

If you’re in your 50s or older you’ll try to kick yourself if you miss it. If you’re younger... get down to the Winding Wheel this week and listen to some real music.

I might go back if my vocal chords recover before the end of the run.

ANDREW HIBBERD