Ian Hunter at Birmingham Town Hall

In the same week that John Lennon would have turned 70, septuagenarian Ian Hunter brought his Rant Band to Birmingham Town Hall and showed his creative fires are still burning.

Published Oct 13, 2010

Ian Hunter and the Rant Band

Birmingham Town Hall

Concert review and photos by Ian Harvey

In the same week that John Lennon would have turned 70, septuagenarian Ian Hunter brought his Rant Band to Birmingham Town Hall and showed his creative fires are still burning.

The Shropshire-born former Mott the Hoople frontman, 71, and sporting a shaggy head of hair and his trademark shades, led proceedings from a piano at the side of the stage before taking charge from the centre when he donned his guitar.

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Interrupted by chants of "C'mon Shrewsbury!" - his former hometown - Hunter deadpanned: "I've always found my fortunes are tied to Shrewsbury Town, and with alarming consistency . . . Division Two for 15 years."

He took fans on a musical journey through his solo career, right up to a selection of songs from 2009's Man Overboard.

But it was left to the closing salvo of Mott the Hoople hits and a surprise appearance by founder member Mick Ralphs to get the Birmingham crowd fully up on their feet.

A beautiful rendition of Somewhere from West Side Story was followed by a storming All The Way From Memphis, Roll Away The Stone and the inevitable All The Young Dudes, to send fans away singing happily into the night.

It was a night when age didn't matter. As one woman was heard to say as the lights went up: "Fantastic, I'm sixteen again."