Thirty five years is a long time.
Listening to a band on, first albums and singles, then CD and then digitally I did find myself wondering if these musical masterpieces could ever be successfully created "live"
Sure there had been concerts, I had seen the videos, yes good old VHS, but I wasn't convinced of the quality, I put it down to the tape.
They used to dazzle audiences with their light show and the spaceship metamorphosing into the stage, people would go in their thousands to witness it.
The music was of course splendid but there was more than a hint of backing tracks to fill the sound, even with the extraordinary talent on show.
Then in the early 80s it was all over.
Group fragmenting and the driving force, songwriter, vocalist diverting into his other talent, producing.
It seemed it was the end of the universe for the Electric Light Orchestra.
I had resigned myself to once again being born at the wrong time to see one of my heroes, born too late for The Beatles and just too late for ELO.
In later years I have seen my major musical heroes, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder with nights never to be forgotten, but I always felt there was a gap, one hero who was missing from my I was there list. I had, as stated given up.
Then out of blue, there came odd TV and radio appearances, a little push, well actually a big push from Chris Evans, a headline concert in Hyde Park and a new album, then...the announcement we had waited for, yes! A tour!
My son brilliantly applying for tickets and getting the news that we had them, Liverpool, April 5th
After 35 years the wait would be over!!!
Then, once the excitement had subsided a little, my thoughts sprung back to the subject of my opening paragraph or two, what if?
What if, the genius that is Jeff Lynne couldn't quite pull it off, what if the expectations of all who has waited all these years couldn't be met, what if the live versions of these classic tunes couldn't do any justice to the original perfect recordings? Just what if?
Well I had no need to worry, and I should apologise for even thinking it couldn't be done for it only took the opening 35 seconds of the show to dispel any fears still lingering.
The light show the use of theatre and film still there in abundance and then, the master went to work, so confident was he he began his first concert for around 30 years with an album track and wow! That was it the whole arena was hooked, the few bars of Tightrope, the opening song from the 1976 magnum opus A New World Record, was all that was needed to have you spellbound for as long as Mr Lynne wanted to keep you there for.
This unassuming, understated underrated rock star, and I do t use that term loosely for that is what he is, held the packed hous in the palm of his hand.
Classic song after classic song followed and he was exploring his huge catalouge of material the utter spine tingling class of Showdown and I Cant Get It Out Of My Head sitting alongside new songs including the goosebump inducing When I Was A Boy from his latest collection.
Sitting in between these were more album tracks such as Stepping Out , wonderful and surprise choices such as the mind blowing Wild West Hero, get on your feet numbers like Don't Bring Me Down, Shine A Little Love Rockaria and my personal favourite Turn To Stone, other hits included were Telephone Line in which the audience showed why they were perhaps not on the stage, but boy did they sing with everything they had! Evil Woman, Sweet Talking Woman, All Over The World, the list goes on.
Ending of course with Mr Blue Sky, the iconic optimistic masterpiece which everyone stood up for and sang every line, la la'd every la la and hummed every violin note, even mouthing the end line of Please turn me over with Richard Tandy the other original ELO member still present and still making the keyboard talk.
As the violins faded the noise from the arena erupted and the acclaim was genuine and heartfelt, the wait had been worth it. More they cried more! And after a few minutes they duly obliged with the ultimate classical rocker Roll Over Beethoven, wow what a version, classical and rock merging into one glorious uplifting piece.
All to briefly, it was over, more acclaim more appreciative noise we all wanted more!
Enjoy this concert all over the world as the first night in Liverpool was something special and made this 51 year old feel like he had swapped the numbers of his age around.
