Here he is, emerging from dark shadows wearing the uniform of the art-school-in-the-Sixties-narrow-suit'n'sneakers to an audience already whooping and cheering the man who is poet, singer and good old rock'n'roller.

An audience of all ages was with him from the start, only too ready to singalonga Ray, a fact he was only too happy to encourage: "These songs have been the soundtrack of my life - I hope they have been of yours, too".

Ray Davies is justifiably proud of his talent of turning poetry into a hit song - Days is for me his most eloquent expression of things which were and of the memories we all share.

A voice which was huskily sandpapered with the remnants of flu managed to survive to the end of a show which saw Ray combining heartfelt nostalgia with snakey hip-shaking, strutting, tight rock'n'roll.