For this year's Shadowmania event at the Lakeside Country Club, Frimley Green, Bruce opted to adopt the same successful formula which had served so well in 1998.

Shadowmania'99 started early in the afternoon at about 3pm  and once more, it was the Reflections from Norway who started off the events with their rousing rendition of 'Shazam'. This group had impressed us all last year and gave a performance which confirmed their talents and also showed how much they had developed in the preceeding 12 months playing a succession of Shadows hits before finishing with a medley of Quartermaster's Stores/Red River Rock.
(The Reflections set: Shazam,The rumble, The wild roses, Brazil, Zambesi, Sweet dreams, Find me a golden street, Temptation, Tales of a raggy tramline, Perfidia, Rodrigo's guitar concerto, The Saturday Western,Round and round, Quartermaster's stores / Red river rock)


After the Reflections came Guitar Syndicate who gave us a very polished performance, entertaining us with their wit and humour as well as some very accomplished playing in a variety of styles from Chu Chi through to Slaughter on Tenth Avenue including a change from Fenders to Burns. A particular favourite of mine being 'Riders of The Range'. This event was also the first time when I have seen THE ACT THROWING FRUIT AT THE AUDIENCE! (Banana man - nobody seemed to mind).
(Guitar Syndicate set: The miracle, Chu chi, Deep purple, Spring is nearly here, The third man, Return to the Alamo, Sleepwalk '98, Turn around and touch me, I wish I could shimmy like my sister Arthur, Banana man, It's a man's world, Temptation, Memory, Riders of the range, All I ask of you, Slaughter on 10th Avenue, Geronimo)

As last year, the afternoon session was concluded with Patrick Terrett introducing "The Young Ones" guitar competition which featured budding young guitarists aged from 12 - 15 playing along to UB Hank backing tracks...I wish I could play my guitar as well as them. Also featured in this session were Zoe McCulloch and Nick Kellie with their fine duet, 'Jessica'.


During the intervalfor refreshments, we were again treated to "Shads on the box", Bruce's  compilation of very rare Shadows TV and promo footage showing on the video screens. Great seeing them play songs like Mary Anne, and great tunes like The Rise & Fall of Flingel Bunt. Original TV performances in TV shows like "Crackerjack" playing FBI and Man of Mystery. And so much more.... What a pity this archive isn't likely to be see a comercial release!

A surprise arrival during the interval as a guest in the audience was Tony Meehan making a rare  appearance in Public for the first time in ages. Tony, being recognised almost immediately, was surround by hoards of autograph hunting admirers. also in the audience Tornadoes drummer and session man Clem Cattini.

The evening session kicked off with a very polished performance by The Rapiers, a really great band who aside from performing some great Shadows instrumentals showed their vocal talents with several songs including "I want you to want me" and  "Baby My heart" and also instrumentals like "Saturday Night at the Duck Pond" and a superb version of  "Raining in my heart", finishing off with their spectacular "William Tell - at the gallop" a feast for both the ears and the eyes which defies description.
(The Rapiers set: Shadoogie, Dance on, Saturday dance (v), Driftin', Be bop a lula (v), Saturday night at the duckpond, Baby my heart (v), Theme from a filletted place, I want you to want me (v), Bossa roo, That's the way it goes (v), Rainin' in my heart, Don't make my baby blue (v), Man of mystery, William Tell overture)



After a short interval, during which Tony Meehan was again much in demand for autographs, Bruce Welch's Moonlight Shadows came on stage, welcomed by the capacity audience of over 1000 from all over the World, with  Phil Kelly on Lead, Cliff Hall Keyboards, Alan Jones on bass and Bob Watkins on drums. The first number was  Chattanooga Choo Choo followed by The Rise & Fall of Flingel Bunt, The Breeze & I,  Foot Tapper, Wonderful land, Atlantis, Gonzales, Blue sky blue sea blue me, Shadoogie, Theme for young lovers etc.
(Moonlight Shadows: Chattanooga choo choo, Rise and fall of Flingel Bunt, The breeze and I, Foot tapper, Atlantis, Gonzales, Wonderful land, Blue sky, blue sea, blue me, Shadoogie, Theme for young lovers)

Jet Harris made a great guest appearance again this year and played his top ten hits "Scarlet O'Hara", "Applejack" and "Diamonds" before switching to bass for his showpiece solo "Nivram" and the number which started everything, "Apache", Once again, the audience showed how they love Jet by giving him his customary standing ovation.
(Moonlight Shadows featuring Jet Harris: Scarlett O'Hara, Applejack, Diamonds, Nivram, Apache)



After Jet had left the stage, Moonlight Shadows continued with Somewhere skillfully played by Phil Kelly's skillful rendition of the beautiful tune "Somewhere" from "West Side Story" following this by changing the tempo completely with the furiously-paced "The Savage" before Barry Gibson joined the team on stage to take over the lead duties for Riders in The Sky, Sacha, and Cliff Hall's feature "Time is Tight".
(Moonlight Shadows: Somewhere, The savage, Riders in the sky, Sacha, Time is tight)


For the vocal break this year, Bruce had enlisted the aid of vocalist Danny White who joined the Moonlight Shadows on stage to present a Cliff Richard soundalike session, treating us to several early Cliff & The Shadows hits such as  "The Young Ones"  Willie and The Hand Jive etc. and joining Bruce for the Eurovision special "Let me be the one"
(Moonlight Shadows vocal set featuring Danny White: The young ones, Willie and the hand jive, The next time, Medley: Summer holiday/Please don't tease/The day I met Marie(v) Let me be the one, On the beach, I could easily fall in love with you)

After Danny's spot, Bob Watkins took the spotlight for his speciality, "Little B". It is impossible to praise this too much - Brian would surely have approved.

Following "The Deer hunter" and "Equinoxe", the show was concluded with the traditional rousing finale FBI ("non-hooligan" version).

It is impossible to fully convey in words the atmosphere of the event, you would have to be there to feel the mood, the atmosphere, the enthusiasm, the friendship. Our thanks must go to Bruce, the other musicians, and everyone else who made the occasion possible and such a success. Bruce's program notes indicated that he hopes to repeat the event again next year so watch out for SHADOWMANIA 2000.