The Thin White Duke in still brilliant shock

Every time that The Think White Duke have come to the Fox and Duck it has been brilliant, and so it was this time. I have little to add to that simple statement.

The set was much the same as previously, if not identical, and that was just what we all wanted. The musicianship was, if anything, a little better as some of the newer members of the band were more settled in their roles and I though that lead vocalist, David Cull, varied his tone nicely putting emphasis in places I do not recall being emphasised before.

The pub was just as packed as it always is for The Think White Duke, which is consistently more packed than for any other band there. We also did more singing and dancing along than we do for other bands.

It was simply a brilliant evening. We were all heroes, just for one day.

The Thin White Duke made it another great night at the Fox and Duck

I think it's fair to say that of all the bands that play at the Fox and Duck that The Thin White Duke consistently pull in the most people and get more of the audience singing and dancing. They are one of the few bands that I make a point of always seeing and one of the even fewer that I get there early enough to catch their full set, rather than just the second half which is what I normally do.

I said of another band recently that they suffered from covering a band I never particularly liked and not sounding too much like them either, to which a friend added they also do not look like them. The Thin White Duke were the exact opposite, I have loved Bowie since Starman (everybody who saw it remembers that TOTP performance), they sound like Bowie whether it is the Bowie sound of Life on Mars, Fame or Heroes, and David Cull makes a good job of looking like The Thin White Duke himself.

I managed to find myself a spot next to the bar close enough to be in the thick of the action but not close enough to get mixed up with some of the more energetic dancers right at the font. It was the ideal spot for my gentle swaying.

The mood was infectiously buoyant and right from the start everybody was singing along loudly to (most of) the songs. It has long-since stopped surprising me just how many people of how many ages know the words to how many Bowie songs, and not just the hit singles either. The one exception was the title song from 2003's Reality, his last proper album before returning unexpectedly with The Next Day in 2013.

Even that virtually unknown song was well received so you can imagine what the reaction to the closing Starman and Heroes was like. I am very glad that I was there to be part of it.

The Thin White Dukes gets the Fox and Duck singing and dancing

Saturday night gigs at the Fox and Duck do not get any better than those from The Thin White Duke who regularly bring their brand of Bowie covers to the venue. It is not just me that thinks this and they always pull in a big crowd. Conscious of this I arrived promptly at 9pm and the place was already very busy. Armed with a Doombar I squeezed into a space well away from the potential dancing zone.

The Thin White Duke opened their set around 9:20pm and the singing started immediately. It still surprises me how many people know the lyrics to even the less well known album tracks and it surprises me more how many of these people could not possible have been born when the songs first came out. I used to think that deep knowledge of Bowie was confined to old people like me who bought every album on the day that it came out and played it to bits.

There is just so much to love in the extensive Bowie catalogue and we were all singing loudly (and mostly badly) along to songs like Cracked Actor, Diamond Dogs, Young Americans, Lets Dance and Queen Bitch. This singing got even more exuberant for classics like Life on Mars and anything off Ziggy Stardust.

This was a slightly different Thin White Duke with a new bass player and drummer and that may have been one reason for the different sound mix (more rock than funk) and for the extended versions of Golden Years and Fame. I liked the longer songs as they stopped the set from being a relentless string of hit singles.

The only problem was that this took their set dangerously close to the midnight curfew but things worked out and we got the final four fanfare that was expected; Rebel Rebel, Jean Genie, Starman and Heroes are songs to get anybody singing and dancing, especially when warmed up by two hours of excellent Bowie music.

The Thin White Duke are due back at the Fox and Duck on 12 September. I'll be there.

The Thin White Duke get it together at the Fox and Duck

There are few nights that are as much fun as The Thin White Duke playing at the Fox and Duck; the songs are brilliant, the band are good and there is always a great atmosphere in the pub.

I have seen The Thin White Duke play several times now and I think that I enjoy them more each time.

I made a slight mistake this time and assuming that they would start around 9:30, as they had previously despite the billed 9:00 start time, I turned up at 9:20 to find them already playing and the pub already buzzing. They were on their fourth song, The Man Who Sold The World. A good start.

I had to push fairly hard through the crowd to get to the bar to get my beer and then back towards the door again to join some friends who had grabbed a good spot there.

This spot used to be against the back of a bench but the two benches that used to divide off that section of the bar had gone in the pub's ongoing improvements, which also included a proper raised stage for the bands. I liked that changes as it made it easier to see the band and created more space for dancing. Not that I ever dance but some people do.

There was another surprise with an unknown bassist playing in the band. Just to fool you the picture above was taken in the second half of the set when the original bassist was back with the band. I spoke to him afterwards and he explained that work commitments meant that he was leaving the band and the new bassist was gradually taking over.

There was no surprise with the set-list, though they did sneak in two songs that were new as far as I am aware, The Stars are out Tonight (from The Next Day) and Stay (from Station to Station).

You just have to look at the set-list to understand how good the evening was. I was soon singing, then swaying and finally (against my better judgement) dancing. The Thin White Duke know what they are doing and they structure the set well mixing in some (possibly) less well-known songs like Diamond Dogs as well as a good selection of the hit singles. The last four songs were out and out belters and everybody in the pub was singing along and most of us were dancing too. It was wonderful.

The Thin White Duke had a well deserved break somewhere in the middle and then played until the midnight curfew, so not only was it a fun evening it was a delightfully long one too.

The evening was greatly helped by seeing so many familiar faces there, some local faces and also a few know from other music venues and pubs. I dread to think how many times Ralph has been in the same room as me!

The Thin White Duke are due back at the Fox and Duck on 25 April. It's in my diary.

The Thin White Duke at the Fox and Duck (April 2014)

Let's get the bad news out of the way first as that rather clouds my view of the evening.

I was feeling rather run-down and not really in the mood for a good time. That also made me more susceptible to the irritations of the livelier people in the pub, one of whom was equally loud and annoying the previous week at Echoes. Let's hope that this is not a trend.

The good news is that the bad news stopped me from dancing and everybody else should be grateful for that.

The Thin White Duke are extremely popular and despite arriving well before the 9pm start time the pub was already full and I had to wait a little to get my first of several Doombars. It always helps when the pub is full as the lively happy atmosphere is as important as the music.

There was a change in the ranks of The Thin White Duke this time with the arrival of Sally Knight on backing vocals. Bowie usually had female singers with him so the move made sense though.

Along with Sally came some new songs. We were promised four but only Absolute Beginners was announced as such. The other news ones may have been Sorrow, Sound and Vision (who wrote "Sounds" on the set-list?), and Young Americans, but it would not surprise me either to learn that these are all stalwarts of the band's.

The Thin White Duke did what they always do and that is to get everybody singing and quite a few dancing. Who could possibly resist getting involved with classics like Life on Mars, Starman, Oh You Pretty Things and the set-closer Heroes? Though I would still like to see them do the German version, Helden, one day.

The moans about some of the audience do not detract from the simple fact that The Thin White Duke are a good band playing great songs and this was a fine performance.

Sadly there is some bad news to end with too. They have had to cancel the gig scheduled for August so they will not be back to the Fox and Duck until 6 December. It's in my diary.

The Thin White Duke at the Fox and Duck, Petersham (November 2013)

I finally found something to keep me away from The Thin White Duke.

Their latest appearance at The Fox and Duck was on 23 November 2013 which has gone down in history as the day that the Dr Who 50th Anniversary Special was broadcast. That did not finish until 9:10pm so it was approaching 9:30 by the time that I got there.

Obviously other people had other priorities and the place was already packed and it took some effort to get to the bar and then find somewhere safe to stand. I tried to avoid the enthusiastic ladies at the front for mortal fear of being dragged in to a dance so I went to the side initially.

The Thin White Duke did what they always do and they did it much skill and style. and it was good to see Simon back on keyboards too.

A couple of friends arrived which forced me back in to the middle (I wanted to take some photos anyway) where I spent the rest of the evening fighting the temptation to dance.

The temptation to sing was irresistible and I joined everybody else in singing along to all the songs, apart from Reality which nobody seemed to know that well.

The pub was in fine mood and did its part to make the evening special. I was pleased that both of the young ladies behind the bar remembered that I drink Doombar (thought that is only because they have no other draught bitters).

The pub, beer and company were all good, my singing less so, but the solid heart of the evening was the music of David Bowie and the band that presented it to us in a way that made each song shine in its own way.

I would like them to add two songs to the set list though. They played just a few bars of Laughing Gnome at the end and the reaction was enough to proof that everybody was keen to sing along to it. And I still think that, in Petersham at least, they should do Helden, the German language version of Heroes.

The Thin White Duke always put on a great show and that is why I have already put their 2014 Petersham dates in my diary.

The Thin White Duke get Petersham singing (April 2013)

Things like babies (theirs, not mine) have kept me and The Thin White Duke apart for just over a year so when they came back to the Fox and Duck I was there to see them.

Admittedly I was a little late, having been to the theatre and an exhibition earlier in the day, but I got there after just a couple of numbers.

It was something of a fight to get in to the pub as the place was packed, especially the main standing area just inside the main door. A managed to win the fight to the bar for a pint of Young's Ordinary and then the second fight through the crowd to the seat with the clearest view.

The font man, Dave, was far out in front, escaping from the narrow confines of the makeshift stage area. Behind him on guitar and bass were Ben and George as usual. The surprise came from the new faces on keyboards and drums, Norbert and Ashley.

Speaking to George during the break he said that he preferred the sound of the new lineup. I had not noticed much change at that point so I paid more attention in the second half and it was the rendition of Cracked Actor that convinced me that he was right. Their sound was richer and funkier.

The band may be 40% new but the set is very much the same and we were treated to a couple of hours of Bowie's greatest hits, and a few oddities, from Queen Bitch to China Girl.

Ziggy Stardust featured heavily, as expected, and as it should. It is still a brilliant album and time has done nothing to diminish it.

The one surprise was the inclusion of Reality, the title track from the 2003 album.

The Thin White Duke know what they are doing and they ended the set with Heroes which was quickly followed, due to time pressure, by an encore of other sing-a-long songs, ending with Starman. Most of us had been singing for most of the evening and by the end we were all joining in. There was dancing too but I know my limits.

The best news is that The Thin White Duke will be back before too long, August I believe, and I expect to be there. I'll try to be on time.

The Thin White Duke in Petersham (Dec 2011)

After a heavy run of theatres and exhibitions it was good to go to a concert again with The Thin White Duke returning to the Fox and Duck. This was the fourth time that I had seen them there and, as always, it was a total blast.

The Fox and Duck likes The Thin White Duke as much as I do and turns out in force to sing and dance to the music of David Bowie.

I'll admit to joining in on the singing bit, how can you not shout out "Hot Tramp, I love you so" during Rebel Rebel, but I draw the line at dancing, to the relief of those having a good time.

The Thin White Duke have a wide repertoire of Bowie songs to call upon and they like to mix the selection and the order a bit.

This time the first half was a bit ChangesOneBowie featuring some of the older classics like John, I'm Only Dancing, Oh You Pretty Things, Life on Mars and Space Oddity. All classics, all delivered superbly and all enthusiastically received.

After a short break to allow band and audience to refresh we moved forward a few years with songs like Fashion, Fame, China Girl and Boys Keep Swinging. If anything these were even better received which is probably more a reflection on the relative youth of the audience than anything else.

The thing that I like most about The Thin White Duke is that they are happy to stray boldly away from the hit singles on to territory like Moonage Daydream (the opener), Diamond Dogs, Breaking Glass and Hang on to Yourself. A little something for the purists there to enjoy.

The two hours or so that The Thin White Duke played just whizzed past in a whirl of good tunes, good humour and good times.

Afterwards I managed to collect a set list (which they more or less followed) and snatch a few words with some of the band. The best news there is that they are looking to improve their technology so that they can extend their repertoire to include songs like Station to Station. I hope to witness this soon, even if I have to trek to Berrylands to do so.

The Thin White Duke (Sept 2011)

The Thin White Duke's third visit to the Fox and Duck in a year was just as good and just as well received as the others.

I managed to get there promptly this time (despite working in Cardiff that day) and grabbed a seat on the bench by the wall on the right-hand side of the pub. This had the advantages of being more comfortable than standing for three hours and of reducing the temptation to dance but the down-side is that all the pictures that I took were from the same angle.

So there are lots of shots of the lead singer and bass guitarists but none of the lead guitar, keyboards or drummer. There time will come another day.

The Fox and Duck filled quickly with a surprisingly wide age range of Bowie fans.

The age gaps became apparent as the set progressed with us oldies most eager to mouth the word to the songs from Hunky Dory and Ziggy Stardust while the youngsters were keener on the Let's Dance era.

One of the reasons that The Thin White Duke are so popular is that they trawl large swathes of the extensive Bowie back-catalogue and carefully extract a mix of songs that sound quite varied but which are united in their quality.

They also play the songs with a lot of love and skill. They bill themselves as, "The tribute band made by Bowie fans, for Bowie fans", and it shows.

The full set kicks in with Rebel Rebel from Diamond Dogs. A rocking song and a single too. The singing-along starts immediately and legs start to twitch expectantly.

As the evening progresses we get large chunks of Ziggy Stardust, fair smatterings of Hunk Dory and snippets from most of the other albums from Space Oddity (1969) to Let's Dance (1983).

The Berlin period was previously represented by the lone Heroes but was joined this time by Breaking Glass and Be My Wife from the musical medley that is the first side of Low.

You can always argue about the songs left out of the set but with some thirteen original albums in this period to choose from there is always going to be more left out than included in.

And while I'd love to hear all 9 minutes and 33 seconds of Cygnet Committee, I suspect that would not be a popular choice with everybody else. One day.

The Thin White Duke return to the Fox and Duck on 3 December and you know that I'll be there too.

The Return of The Thin White Duke (to Petersham)

It was worth going to see The Thin White Duke at the Fox and Duck again just so that I could use the "The Return of The Thin White Duke" heading. (For the uninitiated that's a line from the magnificent Station to Station).

It was also well worth going for the songs of David Bowie as delivered by The Thin White Duke.

This was my second time with The Thin White Duke having first seen them at The Fox and Duck last November.

The only reason that I had gone so long without seeing them again was simply because they had not played locally again since then.

The Fox and Duck suits them well. The performance area is just about the right size for a five-piece band and the locals are good Bowie fans.

The pub gets packed and many people sing along to the songs. Including me.

We even got a few people dancing at end but I was happy to keep out of that. My singing is not up to much but my dancing is even worse.

The Thin White Duke bill themselves as "made by Bowie fans for Bowie fans" and that comes across strongly both in the choice of songs and the enthusiasm of the performance.

Talking to the band reinforced this even further and we were soon talking about band line-ups, producers and even songs from the often overlooked first album, David Bowie, from 1967.

One of the best things about The Thin White Duke is their selection of songs.

Bowie gives you a lot of fantastic songs to choose from, including all the classic singles like Life on Mars, Jean Genie and Fashion but The Thin White Duke avoid playing safe and also give us songs like Lady Stardust, Rock n Roll Suicide and Diamond Dogs.

And I was delighted that they ended the evening with Width of a Circle, the opening tracks from 1970's The Man Who Sold the World. Magnificent.

Pub nights don't get much better than this.

The Thin White Duke gets Petersham singing

Another conversation with another mate in another pub (Willoughby Arms) led me to see The Thin White Duke at the Fox and Duck in Petersham where they delighted us with highlights from David Bowie's long, illustrious and varied career.

Bowie had the advantage of changing bands every time that he changed moods but The Thin White Dukes does a pretty fine job of imitating those styles with a single line-up. There is a tendency to go for the later, funkier versions of songs like The Jean Genie and Rebel Rebel but there's nothing wrong with that.

The set list is stuffed full of Bowie classics, like a teenage girl's handbag, and over a couple of hours we were treated to songs like Ashes to Ashes, Life on Mars, Changes, Fame, Fashion, Let's Dance and Heroes.

But there were a few surprises in there too, like Time, The Man Who Sold the World (a hit for Lulu!) and Five Years.

A surprise omission was Station to Station which is where the term "the thin white duke" comes from but it would be churlish to criticise them for this when there are so many good songs to choose from that many favourites were bound to be left out.

The songs were delivered with precision and infectious enthusiasm and it was not long before we were all singing along; even me, and I don't do singing.

The set ended with Starman which is where Bowie and I started with his Top of The Pops performance back in July 1972. From there it was a short step to Ziggy Stardust, the farewell tour, a lifetime of buying all his albums and finding things to appreciate in all of them, even Tin Machine!

The Thin White Duke compress all that love and excitement in to a couple of magical hours.