Slade: Slade and the Masses Concert Review (1972)

Noddy turns Rainbow into a footy sing-along – pure Slade madness!

Slade’s Slade and the Masses, a one-page concert review of their Rainbow Theatre gig in Record Mirror, November 18, 1972.

AFTER seeing Tony Prince conduct three thousands screaming teenies in a rousing version of Too Young at the Osmands Rainbow concert last week, it was nice to join in with Slade and the massed voices of the London football supporters in You'll Never Walk Alone on Saturday night.

Arch loon, showman, entertainer, comedian, musician and composer, Noddy Holder had the crowd with him from the start, but once he got footy into the act all hell was let loose.

Slade are now in the position where they can make past hits account for a large part of their act and fill the rest out with old faves. Together, the songs make up a pretty entertaining hour that most people enjoy unless they happen to have a nervous dispodition of a liking for the bad things in life.

But he Mr. Holder looks some-thing like a Dame out of panto and his strange mannerisms took a little getting used to played it straight for laughs, and that's what he got but only in the right places. He talks to the kids like a doctor or a granddaddy and sounds like Hilda Baker. His favourite words would ap-pear to be "Alright, al-right, alright, alright,” and "I tell ya wot weer gonna do now." Both phrases go down well and usually herald a spate of "I luv Dave 'ill" "Oooooh Noddy."

Their fans are very down to earth and don't act silly like fans of other well known stars who shall remain nameless. The Rainbow gig was a nice one for Slade, and a goodie for their followers. God bless 'em. Right now they're making a lot of people very happy.

Just a quick mention for Thin Lizzy who are sup-porting Slade on their tour. They are a three piece act who set a lot of people talking with their fast, cool and imaginative set. They all work and give good value for money and, surprisingly enough, have actually added a new dimension to the old bass, lead and drums line up.