It's Monday the 5th of February 2001 and The Hollies are back in Australia for the first time since May 1987. They are playing at the Crown Casino in the Show room.  Before the concert all the talk is about Allan Clarke and what would the new guy be like.  The doors open at 7.40pm, we have seats at a table close to the front of the stage.  Just after eight, the Hollies walk on stage, with that, Carl Wayne  said 'This Is The Hollies 2001".  The show was underway with 'I'm Alive', they took us down memory lane. There was full house and they had the audience singing along, on more than one occasion.

 Carl and Tony are working well together, telling stories of how their equipment went missing and that they were using borrowed stuff.  One thing I really enjoyed were they played all full songs and no medleys.  All the Hits were there,' Look Through Any Window', 'Just One Look', 'Stop, Stop, Stop', if it was a hit, it was played. 'Flowers In The Rain' and 'Blackberry Way' were received very well.  Carl has a very strong voice and it was really demonstrated on 'Soldier's Song'.

Carl was working the audience really well, had us all singing on 'Carrie Anne'.  One of the highlights was 'Too Young To Be Married' which was a No.1 in Australia and Tony's guitar solo was just brilliant.  Allan Coates was also playing a big part on the lead vocals.  The Hollies had been playing for about one  and a half hours without a break.

Carl dedicated 'The Air That I Breathe' to "Allan Clarke, a guy who had been with the group for 37 years he said.  'Long cool Woman' was the second last song and that really got us all rockin'.  Carl introduced each member and they did their own solo, the biggest cheer was for Tony and Bobby. Their biggest Hit was left to last 'He Ain't Heavy', they make all the old hits sound so fresh.  At the end, Carl, Ray, Alan and Tony sang a verse from 'It's In Every One Of Us' on centre stage, with no instruments, that Hollies' wonderful harmony is here to stay.  Carl's voice is different to Allan's and it was a little strange seeing a new lead singer at first, he won over the audience and had them eating from the palm of his hand.  In the end it was a great night, the sound and lighting was spot on.  I spoke to the couple next to us and we all gave Carl the thumbs up. 

I can not see why The Hollies can't go on for many more years.  I'm just so pleased they made it back to Australia.

Many thanks to Anthony Strelley