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When the Sir Bobby Robson 80th Birthday
Celebration event at the Sage Gateshead was announced late in 2012, the
tickets sold out in 24 hours. By the time the concert took place on 18th
February 2013, excitement was at fever pitch. Local heroes Mark Knopfler and
Joe McElderry shared the stage with footballing celebrities Andre
Villas-Boas, Alan Pardew, Steve Harper, Shola Ameobi and Stuart Pearce. Also
performing were soul-queen Ruby Turner, kings of comedy Brendan Healy and
Alastair McGowan, the Voice – Russell Watson and teenage sensation Faryl
Smith, Maximo Park's Paul Smith and Gomez's Ben Ottewell. Darlings of the
folk world The Unthanks, rootsy quartet The Cornshed Sisters and the sassy
Scarlet Street all performed and the actors from 'Alf Ramsay Knew My
Grandfather' completed the bill. All was held together by revered sports
presenter Jim Rosenthal and Lindisfarne's Billy Mitchell assisted by The
Boot Boy Band and Northern Sinfonia. The many memories of Sir Bobby were
emotional and sometimes hilarious, the music was drawn from Sir Bobby's
personal Desert Island Discs choices and the testimonials from Sir Alex
Ferguson, Alan Shearer, Paul Gascoigne and Roy Hodgson were respectful and
inspirational.
Mark Knopfler came on stage with Ruby Turner
for Ruby's rendition of the classic Try a little tenderness and
then joined with the house band to perform Going home. |
