AS 780 hearts beat faster in the comfy, cosy, coldly-named Civic (capacity 901 hearts), the spotlight tracked Dennis Locorriere as the former lead singer of Dr Hook lurched on stage and went straight into a spirited version of Walk Right In.
The audience began "seat-bopping" they were hooked as Locorriere paid tribute to the Hits And History Of Dr Hook, which he once sang alongside eye-patched Ray Sawyer and various line-ups of fine musicians and lyricists down the years, who provided such memorable songs as Sylvia's Mother, The Ballad Of Lucy Jordan, More Like The Movies, A Little Bit More, Sexy Eyes and When You're In Love With A Beautiful Woman.
Dennis seems more relaxed with his audiences these days. He worked his fans in that easy-going, almost matey, way he has about him.
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This is no egotistical rock/blues/country singer; he saves his flamboyance for his songs which he sings with conviction and feeling with that sexy, husky, rasping voice while pixie-hopping about the stage on the up-tempo numbers.
He was unstinting in his praise for the much under-rated songwriter Shel Silverstein who wrote many of Dr Hook's best songs.
His five-man backing band, all brilliant musicians, looked for all the world like gracefully-ageing committee members from York's Tramways Working Men's Club, but man, they faithfully reproduced Dr Hook's unique sound.
Dennis has mellowed, but his love of music is still very much alive and kicking. Let's hope it still is Years From Now.
Dennis Locorriere plays the Grand Opera House, York, tonight, at 7.30pm.
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