Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Symphony Hall Birmingham May 6 2002

It’s always a kick to see a member of the Rolling Stones in action, even if these days Bill Wyman no longer has Mick, Keith and Charlie around him.

“I prefer this lot now”, the bass guitarist quipped, jerking his thumb towards the motley assortment of musicians assembled on the Symphony Hall stage, as they launched into a stonking version of Ray Charles’s Mess Around.

As promised, the nine-piece Rhythm Kings served up a superb selection of old rhythm and blues favourites, with every member given the opportunity to shine.

Sultry Beverly Skeete, sporting waist-length weave extensions, poured her heart and soul into Jackie Wilsons’s Baby Workout, Nellie Lutcher’s Real Gone Guy and Screaming jay Hawkins’s I Put A Spell On You.

Organist Georgie Fame, the epitome of cool, crooned sophisticated songs by Dan Hicks, Mose Allison and JJ Cale, while his take on Edwin Starr’s Stop Her On Sight contained a nod to Bright Side Of The Road by his other occasional boss, Van Morrison.

Swarthy Mike Sanchez pounded his piano on Amos Milburn’s Chicken Shack Boogie and the Big Bopper’s Chantilly Lace, which allowed Frank Mead to blow a wild alto sax, but, let’s be honest, when was the last time a kid from Kidderminster held court at Symphony Hall?

Sanchez should be very proud of his performance.

Finally, Wyman himself took the vocal microphone for a folksy reading of Leadbelly’s Midnight Special, accompanied by Terry Taylor’s dobro and Albert Lee’s mandolin.

-- John Whisaw