Basically Manfred Mann without Manfred, the septet introduced themselves with the anthemic 5-4-3-2-1, and kept up the momentum with another half a dozen songs that were immediately recognisable. Bo Diddley, Fox On The Run and the Dylan composition Just Like A Woman amongst them.

Not just straight-forward playing of hits, but tweaked slightly to allow the Blues influence to impregnate the song.

Scottish Queen of the Blues, Maggie Bell then took to the stage for a handful of numbers which included No Mean City, the theme from Taggart, and rounded off her slot with Hold Me, a duet in which Mike D'Abo took the place of B A Robertson. The years might have passed, but there was no dilution of the power and soul of the voice.

Playing guitar was original Manfred Mann guitarist Tom McGuinness who, after the band split in 1969 formed McGuinness Flint and had his own hits, Malt And Barley Blues and When I'm Dead And Gone; both of which were performed.

The second half carried on in the same vein with more Manfred Mann hits: The Man In the Middle and Ha Ha Said The Clown before Mike D'Abo treated us to a Handbags and Gladrags.

Alan Price then took the stage and with comments which had the audience in stitches, launched into Simon Smith, Jarrow Song and a song which he said was co-written by John Lee Hooker and Basil Brush – Boom Boom.

The Manfreds returned and completed their catalogue with two chart-toppers, Mighty Quinn and Do Wah Diddy Diddy (which included a mind-blowing Blues Harp solo by Paul Jones.

Everybody was on stage for the encore and the show finished with Sha La La, after which there was a deserved standing ovation.

A great night, full of nostalgia and great music. All the musicians enjoyed themselves on stage and this feeling was passed on.

You might not like the Blues, but it was mainstream enough to keep everybody happy.And that's what you need on a Tuesday night in Southport.

Martin Hutchinson