No this isn't news hot off the press about a special festival for for the gay community of North Wales but a big slap on the back for all those involved in making last weekend Access All Eirias event so good.
Colwyn Bay's Eirias Park Arena is tailor-made for outdoor rock concerts and special events and hopefully the success of the Oli Murrs event on July 28th will send out all the right messages to would-be promoters who wish to bring future all-star line ups to Colwyn Bay.
Real praise is due, not only to the private events company that staged the Oli Murrs show, but also to Conwy Borough County Councuil who focused on the Olympic celebration concert and fun day on July 27th.
The Park was vibrant and packed full of local families and visitors for the event which was rate-payers money well spent in my opnion.
The concert wasn't to my tastes overall but had something for everybody and even gave local acts a chance to shine. Highlight for me was the super-charged solo performance of Mike Peters who is one of the hardest working front men in rock.
Peters is currently writing and recording with both the Alarm and Big Country and hitting the road with his own solo acoustic shows.
Peters' performance was an exemploary lesson in how to work a festival crowd with just one guitar, a harmonica and one big voice. All the hits were squeezed into a short but dynamic set as he set the arena alight before the "headliners" Only Boys Aloud shuffled onto stage to remind us all of what school concerts in the assembly hall were like.
Local stalwarts Pocket Venus aquitted themselves well earlier in the proceedings and are playing locally over the next few weeks so make the effort to catch their live set which is constantly growing in stature and dynamics.
