On stage bassist Norman Watt-Roy points out to Wilko Johnson that he is standing under a sign reading Final Tour. Wilko just shrugs and gets on with it, business as usual.
Guitarist and singer-songwriter Wilko Johnson, who was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer just before Christmas last year, has chosen to look death in the eye on his farewell tour, which called in at Oceana last Tuesday night.The 820-strong audience were suitably readied by fellow Essex rockers Eddie & the Hot Rods and south London bluesmen Nine Below Zero for what was the first in a series of new live band nights – Watford Live – at the nightclub.

Given the number of people of a certain age who braved the rain for this inaugural event at Oceana, it is clear to see the evening definitely fills a gap in the market for quality live acts.
Fans on the Watford Live facebook page posted afterwards: ‘It was a great night of music, you should do more of these’ and ‘Big shout out to everyone that came last night! Brilliant crowd, great bands, fantastic night!’ I couldn’t agree more.

Far from going gentle into any good night, Wilko bounded onto the stage and stirred up the crowd with a number of uplifting songs from his days in ’70s R’n’B outfit Dr Feelgood – All Through The City, Going Back Home, Sneakin’ Suspicion, Back In The Night, She Does It Right, Don’t Let Your Daddy Know and Roxette, with his distinctive roving duck walk and choppy guitar style in full swing.

His long-term collaborators, former co-Blockheads bassist Norman Watt-Roy and drummer Dylan Howe, matched Wilko’s verve and vigour with some spirited solo spots and Wilko naturally poured his heart out on Paradise, the song dedicated to his wife Irene who died of cancer in 2004, and other contemplative numbers Keep On Loving You and When I’m Gone.
The farewell finale, a version of Chuck Berry’s Johnny B Goode with the lyrics altered to ‘bye-bye Johnny’, concluded things on an emotional yet life-affirming note as the man born John Wilkinson waved at the assembled as if to challenge anyone to say he’s sick or finished.

For a musician who was only given until October this year to live, he’s an inspiration to frontmen less than half his age. Thankfully for his loyal fans this has been a long goodbye and I hope it continues a while yet.
                               

Oceana’s next live band night is on Tuesday, February 11, featuring The Christians, China Crisis and X Simple Minds. Details: facebook.com/watfordlive1, oceanaclubs.com