Music retro: Photographer Paul Windsor picks five more top Wedgewood Rooms gigs

Wilko Johnson at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea in February 2013.

Picture: Paul Windsor — Wilko Johnson at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea in February 2013. Picture: Paul Windsor

Needless to say, as soon as I filed my top five gigs at the Wedgewood Rooms recently, I thought of another five – there are so many to choose from!

Rocket From The Crypt: October 1, 1998

An explosion of raw rock’nroll from San Diego – six guys, matching rockabilly shirts, quiffs to die for. They were a ball of energy that was not to be matched for a long while.

Jimmy Cliff: July 14, 2004

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea in April 2023.

Picture: Paul Windsor — Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea in April 2023. Picture: Paul Windsor

Over the years The Wedge has hosted some legendary figures and this was one of them. The film soundtrack Harder They Come is one of my favourite albums, and there he was up on stage – the man himself, Jimmy Cliff. It was an extraordinary night, No Rivers To Cross is as close to a church hymn as you can get and you could hear a pin drop when it was played.

Johnny Marr: June 27, 2013

Talking of legends, “the godlike genius of Johnny Marr” would be up there. One of the few times I have been backstage I found myself asking the great man himself to sign a picture. I told him it was not my picture, it was actually taken by my son Cameron when he covered Bestival for The News – aged only 16. “That's great,” he said, “my son plays in a band.” We then had a wonderful conversation about our respective creative kids. What a gent.

Wilko Johnson: February 23, 2013

Johnny Marr performing at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on June 27, 2013.

Picture: Paul Windsor — Johnny Marr performing at the Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea on June 27, 2013. Picture: Paul Windsor

I have photographed Wilko many times but none was so extraordinary as his last Wedge show. Earlier that year he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and decided to go on a farewell tour. He apologised as soon as he was onstage for having a sore throat. There was a nervous laugh from the audience and he roared into an hour-long set of Wilko/Dr Feelgood classics. All I can say it was like going to a funeral wake with the deceased person up on stage – quite a surreal experience. With the last song Johnny B Goode and the closing refrain of ‘Bye bye Johnny’, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

Remarkably there was a happy ending as following a gig in Oxford a photographer who happened to be a cancer specialist persuaded him to undergo an operation which would save his life.

Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs April 22, 2023

It doesn't happen very often, but occasionally something’s played on the radio which will stop me in my tracks and I have to turn up the volume. Pigs x 7 had such an effect. Hailing from Sunderland, they look like four metal-heads with a lead singer who looks like a school teacher. To my delight they were booked for Victorious – first on the main stage on Sunday. There were some rather bewildered looks from some teenage girls but plenty of older chaps nodding approvingly thinking “this is proper music”.

Eight months later and long sold out, the band would grace the hallowed Wedge stage for a blistering show, which is one of my favourites of all time.