Nick Heyward

If you take an acclaimed pop-star with well known songs, and a sold out audience, a memorable night is in order.

First coming to fame in the 1980’s as the lead singer of popular beat combo Haircut 100, Nick Heyward played to a large and enthusiastic audience when he appeared at Lichfield Guildhall on Friday 16th 2022.

Accompanying Nick who played acoustic guitar and harmonica were lead guitarist Adam Philips and talented keyboard player and soundscape creator Andrew Clarke, the three also had a great vocal blend that added a certain depth to the songs they performed.

The hits all featured, but there was also time for album tracks, and time for describing the writing and creation of the songs, as well as performing songs that were yet to be committed to tape, such as Would There Be Echoes which showed a certain debt to the Who, whilst there were echoes of the Kinks evident in The Mudlark.

Although he is best known for his work as a pop-songwriter, many of the songs owed something of their construction to light jazz, with the light soul of concert opener Take That Situation being a perfect example.

The singles such as Atlantic Monday hid a deep message behind a catchy pop sheen, and the first set closer Love Plus One was very well received by the audience who joined in with the chorus.

However, as was evident, the trio saved their best known songs for last, with the funk tones of Favourite Shirt ending the concert, before the inevitable encore of the song that featured on the radio throughout the early 1980’s, the foot tapping optimism of Fantastic Day.