Still magic

Don van Vliet died in 2010, but retired from being Captain Beefheart back in 1982. In 2001 his drummer John "Drumbo" French got together a few former members of The Magic Band began touring with some of the Captain's songs. The line-up includes "Drumbo" and bass player Mark "Rockette Morton" Boston, both of whom played on the classic album Trout Mask Replica, plus Denny "Feelers Rebo" Walley who was the guitarist with the Mothers of Invention (Frank Zappa and Beefheart grew up as friends in Lancaster, California, where Drumbo also lived) but played with The Magic Band from 1975 to 1977. The current younger members are guitarist Eric Klerks and drummer Craig Bunch. The Magic Band played The Continental in Preston last year, and liked it so much they asked to come back this year. Even at £20 a ticket the place was packed, for a terrific set that had old guys like me shaking their heads and pretending to recognise songs that were vaguely familiar and taking bad pictures on their smartphones. A great night.