Big-time Charlie

Sep 17 2008 by Matt Hurst, Birkenhead News

Charlie Landsborough

ONE of Wirral’s favourite sons, country legend Charlie Landsborough, will be back on Merseyside this autumn to play one of the region’s finest venues.

Hot off the back of the success of his most recent release, Under Blue Skies, the Birkenhead boy will be packing out Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on November 15, as the final leg of a 26-date tour.

Charlie said: “The Phil is one of the highlights, it’s a fantastic place to play.

“The very first time we played there, we had everyone in there, from safe breakers to nuns – it was a great gig.

“It’s always a fantastic atmosphere, with 1,100 or 1,200 people in there.

“But it will be more fraught and more worrying because I’ll be playing to all my mates and family.

“The acoustics in there are great and the lads who look after the sound are brilliant, so if it all goes wrong it will be my fault because we’ve got a smashing band who are full of confidence.”

Charlie says he hopes the performance will be “the right balance” of old and new tunes, with the usual smattering of jokes and anecdotes.

The former teacher is still full of ideas and as well as regular tours, he’s even trying to learn Spanish.

Despite achieving more than 1m album sales already, he’s just returned from dropping off 37 songs at a recording studio in Andalucia, Spain, and hopes to lay tracks down for the new album in January.

He said: “It beats going to Kidderminster.”

Until then, Charlie’s being driven up and down the country in his motorhome by his son, with his wife also on board.

Charlie said: “The gigs are the highlights. We park up in a caravan site and then have a look around the town and see what’s there.

“It’s great fun and then we get to see all these marvellous people who come out, follow us and support us.”

Charlie Landsborough will be playing Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall on Saturday, November 15, from 7.30pm. Call 709 3789 for tickets.