One fan is the multi-talented and multi-layered Tom Robinson – a well-respected musician and singer-songwriter currently celebrating 50 years in the music business.
His Then and Now UK tour is a master class in connecting with fans – old and new.
His setlist features classic songs from his career ranging from the punk period to his present day status as broadcaster and craftsman.
He is joined on stage by fellow musician Adam Phillips who has been playing alongside Tom for the past 31 years and it shows.
And Tom has always supported up and coming talent. On this trek he has the accomplished Gabrielle Sey with him.
A real voice to listen out for and she offers some sublime acoustic guitar playing.
Tom and Adam have great chemistry with the latter singing his own version of the James Taylor composition Frozen Man.
Each of the two and three quarter hour shows will display Tom’s self-effacing sense of humour and that is central to his warm and friendly concerts.
He talks fondly of the early successes and his sexuality.
Tom broke down barriers with his sing-along anthem Glad to be gay.
He spoke of the media intrusion when he fell in love with a woman and married.
Tom is one of those performers who connects the moment he takes to the stage, His two act set (sitting down due to a hernia) covered so much ground from the opener Boom Time through to Atmospherics and the beautiful War Baby and, of course, his greatest hit 2-4-6-8 Motorway.
He played a Beatles song that he said meant a lot to him the Lennon song You’ve got to hide your love away.
And Tom – a lover of Liverpool – paid tribute to Brian Patten the Mersey Poet who sadly passed away this week.
It was a moving moment when he read a short Patten poem and remembered a happy night with Adrian Henri all those years ago.
There were snippets of fun, too, about fellow ’70s luminaries still going strong Don McLean and Ralph McTell.
And he performed a song about the opera singer Caruso that was simply spine tingly in its delivery.
There was also a ballad he had co-written with Elton John – called simply Elton’s Song.
Tom spoke of playing the Empire in the 70s when his fans were over zealous and the show was abandoned.
Kinks front man Ray Davies also had a name check.
There were other fabulous stories peppered throughout including playing to the Eton School Assembly when he performed a song called Yuppie Scum.
Seeing Tom in concert is like catching up with an old friend. He closed with Too good to be true and the audience participation favourite, Martin, about brotherly love.
At 75 his voice is a distinctive as ever and he clearly loves the chance to be out there playing live again.
Here’s to you Mr Robinson . . . Glad to be grey, indeed.
It’s been fun growing old with you. Come back soon.
VERDICT: Five stars – Intimate excellence
Details tomrobinson.com