Picking up where we left off last week, the band could expect some surprises in terms of the size of the venues that we were due to play this week, from the modestly proportioned Steintor Variete in Halle to the huge Congress Centrum in Suhl and finally to Admiralspalast in Berlin, a venue that has stood since 1910 and is within short walking distance of some of Berlin’s best known historic sites. But this is no history lesson, unless you’re thinking about the history of Smokie, a band that has continued through disaster, death and pandemic. My own opinion of the quality of our show is echoed amongst fans whose opinions really matter because they have been with us through all our changes, raised families and introduced them to the music that inspired their generation. The outcome is that the young people really get what we are about, see what fun we have on stage and want to return to see us again. It’s amusing to think that, in 1995, our record company could only imagine us lasting another five years yet here we are, twenty seven years later and stronger than ever. The world is our stage and we still have plenty of countries to visit and shows to perform and, now that we have experienced our best ever reaction in Germany, it’s clear that we have set the right course, chosen the right players and put together the best team we could find. Both Luke and Jon have done Terry proud with the way they have approached not just the playing but also the way they conduct themselves on stage. It’s a strong unit and it’s fit and ready for all the gigs that are planned and those that are yet to be considered. We can now enjoy some time at home before resuming in Ireland in June, and I know my colleagues will be itching to get back to it.
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