Herman's Hermits, staring Peter Noone, appeared at The Birchmere Music Hall in Alexandria, Virginia, on Thursday, July 22, 2004. Seating around 500 concertphiles, The Birchmere offers a quaint dinner-theater atmosphere to enjoy one's favorite and familiar music.

     The only original member of Herman's Hermits is Peter Noone (Herman), the lead singer. The band consisted of four young musicians who played guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums. There was a giant banner of a British flag (with "Herman's Hermits" written across the middle) behind the stage. Noone wore a yellow sports coat, brown leather pants, and a tie-dye button-down shirt.

     Noone joked a lot. He said to book Herman's Hermits, go to: Who's_Still_Alive.com. Peter revealed someone mistook him for Nick Nolte earlier in the day, and later for John Denver (he cracked that the Washington, DC, newspapers must not be too good!).

     Noone implied that Mick Jagger was his father, and did a dead-on imitation of Sir Mick Jagger prancing around to "Start Me Up." Peter concluded that if the Rolling Stones can still tour, Herman's Hermits will be around for at least another 25 years!

     Noone stated The Hermit's didn't take drugs in the 1960s. He remarked Herman's Hermits, "did partake in alcohol, but didn't swallow." He added that this excuse seems to work well in Washington, DC, (in reference to Bill Clinton).

     Noone mentioned that July 22 was his parents' 61st Wedding Anniversary. He quipped that on their Silver Anniversary, his mother asked the milkman for 400 pints of milk so she could be soaking in a bathtub of milk when her husband came home. The milkman asked, "pasteurized (past your eyes)?" and his mother responded, "No, only up to my boobs!"

     Noone is a versatile vocalist and an outstanding performer, putting on an energetic and thoroughly entertaining show. He stayed after the show to sign autographs and pose for pictures. Herman's Hermits will continue on tour in the U.S. into Spring 2005. Highly recommended, this engaging show is for everyone who grew up during the "British Invasion" of the 1960s.

     Herman's Hermits had once opened for The Beatles in Detroit on October 14, 1965. In a 1995 interview, Nils Lofgren said, "There's so many great influences ..... even Herman's Hermits had some records I loved - I mean, I thought they were really underrated. I thought they did some great stuff."

Alexandria setlist: I'm Into Something Good * Wonderful World * Listen People * Battle Of New Orleans (Johnny Horton - reference to first British Invasion) * Dandy (The kinks) * Love Potion #9 (The Searchers) * Folsom Prison Blues (great Johnny Cash imitation!!) * Travelin' Light (Peter on guitar) * No Milk Today (Peter on guitar) * Just a Little Bit Better * Silhouettes * End Of The World * Leaning On The Lamp Post * Daydream Believer (The Monkees) * For Your Love (The Yardbirds - Peter claimed that Herman's Hermits were offered this song first but gave it to The Yardbirds) * Can't You Hear My Heart Beat * Glad All Over (The Dave Clark Five) * Mrs. Brown, You've Got a Lovely Daughter * I'm Henry VIII, I Am * There's A Kind Of A Hush

RockonTour   Issue #35
Concert Fan   Concertphile@yahoo.com

RockonTour.net - the Single Source for the Concertphile © 2004 RoT
RockonTour ™

 

Sounds of the `60's
Peter Noone covers the Swinging Sixties catalogue

by Jeff Root